/ About this event
Event Overview (JPM, Upfront, Wonder, Watertower)
Kick off LA Tech Week with a conversation featuring leading Los Angeles founders and investors sharing lessons from building, scaling, funding, and navigating the startup journey. Hear firsthand insights on the key decisions, challenges, and opportunities shaping today's innovation ecosystem, along with perspectives on where venture capital is headed in 2027.
The morning will feature two 45-minute panel discussions, beginning with a founder panel focused on company-building and growth, followed by an investor discussion on emerging market trends, investment activity, and areas of opportunity for the years ahead. Following the programming, attendees are invited to continue the conversation over coffee and light bites while connecting with fellow founders, investors, and operators from across the Los Angeles tech community.
J.P. Morgan exists to financially empower high-growth companies that are shaping the present and building the future. We are committed to being the leading bank of the innovation economy — bringing together founders, startups, investors, and ideas. Find out how J.P. Morgan can help you build your future.
Agenda
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM Registration, Coffee & Networking
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM Founder Panel
• Eytan Elbaz, co-founder of Applied Semantics (acquired by Google, became Google AdSense) and Scopely ($4.9B exit) • Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (20M copies sold) and founder of Purpose, an Al app for personal growth • Steve Martocci, co-founder of GroupMe ($80M exit), Splice (valued at $500M), Blade (IPO), and Supp.co (exited) Moderator: Jeffrey Chernick, 3x founder, author of High Five Energy, host of the High Five Energy Founders Podcast, and founder of the H5E Founder Collective
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM The State of Venture: Where Investors See Opportunity in 2027 with: Kesar Varma, Partner at Upfront Ventures Jiyoung Jeong, Senior Associate at Wonder Ventures Idan Levy, Partner at Watertower Ventures Moderator: Connie Shih, Vice President, Innovation Economy at J.P. Morgan
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM Networking & Coffee
Address: 13031 West Jefferson Blvd Bldg. 500 Los Angeles, CA 90094 Parking details: Gate 2 is the first left off of Alla Road. Once inside of the gate make a left and drive to the far end of the lot (closest back toward Jefferson Blvd). You will see 500 on the side of our building.
Accessing the lab: Take the walkway around the side of the building (parallel to Jefferson Blvd). Enter through the double doors and walk up the stairs. The office is located within the double doors at the top of the stairs
About H5E: The High Five Energy Founder Collective is a members-only community of 100+ founders, built around the bestselling book High Five Energy. Members are selected for ethos, not revenue, from first-time founders to multiple exits. Learn more at h5efounders.com.
This event is a part of #LATechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com
