“What we noticed was that local founders here were being overlooked, not because their ideas weren’t strong, but because they didn’t ‘look the part’ compared to founders on the coasts.”

That’s how Kwamena Aidoo describes the problem Corridor Ventures set out to solve when it launched in New Orleans in 2022. The young investment firm focuses on backing promising startups in the South at the very earliest stages, when raising money is often toughest.

Aidoo, who built a career in finance and private equity, teamed up with Kelli Saulny, a New Orleans native with deep roots in entrepreneurship and nonprofit support. Saulny helped grow Carol’s Daughter, the beauty brand later acquired by L’Oréal, and worked at Camelback Ventures, which supported women and minority founders. Aidoo co-founded Ca

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