Lafayette and Acadiana are always looking to diversify economically.

Accelerate South is a program that is helping with the diversification by bringing more healthcare related startups to the region, as well as fast-forward the growth of promising medical companies in Acadiana.

KLFY Jeff Horchak has this story you will only see on 10.

Since the oil bust in the 1980’s Lafayette has made an effort to diversify the economy to safe guard the city.

In comes Accelerate South, which  is a federally funded program for business growth in Acadiana.

Accelerate South is playing a big role in helping develop Lafayette into a medical hub.

“recruit about 80 healthcare company’s to apply to the program.”

Lafayette has 4 hospitals currently in the city, so the stage has been set for this medical boom. 

“What we are trying to do is get the smartest people from globe and engage researchers, start up companies and have them engage them with us the living lab for health innovation.”

Now you may ask yourself why is Lafayette making such a push to be a medical hub? 

“Healthcare is what we do in Lafayette. Ultimate goal of program is to develop economy. 

Ramesh Kolluru feels that Lafayette has the makeup of people to build this medical empire through Accelerate South.

“We are all entreprenuers and wildcatters.”

Reporting in Lafayette, Jeff Horchak, KLFY News 10

You can go to acceleratesouth.com or email rtheriot@acceleratesouth.com for more information