Playbook Media, GrowTal Inc
[SF]
[LA]
The Marketing Trap & How To Escape
Santa Monica
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Playbook Media, GrowTal Inc
Too many companies fall into the same trap: chasing short-term performance wins while ignoring the foundations that drive lasting growth. Funnels flatten, ad spend stops scaling, and brands fade into the background—until fixing it is far more costly.
In The Performance Marketing Trap, Bryan Karas—founder of Playbook Media & GrowTal—shares a crash course in avoiding the mistakes that stall growth at every stage, and shows how to build a marketing system that compounds over time.
In this session, we’ll cover how to:
Spot the Pitfalls – Understand the common traps in performance marketing and how to avoid the ones that kill growth.
Hire Smarter – Build the right team and avoid the principal–agent problem that derails strategy.
Optimize for Marginal Returns – Create a performance marketing system that scales efficiently instead of stalling.
Leverage Brand for Profitability – Use brand marketing not just for awareness, but as a driver of conversion and improved margins.
Integrate AI for the Future – Stay ahead by applying AI to accelerate growth, scale authenticity, and maximize returns.
You’ll leave with practical strategies to sidestep the trap, unlock profitable scale, and build a marketing engine that accelerates growth instead of stalling it.
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.
[SF]
[LA]
Hardware for Human Performance: Inside Eight Sleep’s Pod 5
Step inside the future of hardware with Eight Sleep. Join us for an exclusive deep dive into the Pod 5, the hardware platform redefining human performance.
We’ll open up the device to reveal its thermal engine and sensor stack, share the behind-the-scenes engineering choices that balance precision, reliability, and comfort, and give you a firsthand look at what it takes to scale complex consumer hardware for nightly use.
Expect a live teardown, an honest conversation with our founders and hardware leaders, and hands-on demo stations where you can experience the Pod 5 yourself. Whether you’re a hardware founder, an engineer, or an investor curious about the next frontier of consumer tech, this is a rare chance to go under the hood of one of the most advanced pieces of recovery technology in the world.
This event is a part of #SFTechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.
[SF]
[LA]
From Startup to Exit: Navigating M&A with Confidence
Every exit starts long before the deal - they stem from years of strategic decisions that make a company stand out to the right buyer Join Fox Rothschild for a candid discussion on how to strategically prepare your company for acquisition, investment, or sale. This panel brings together diverse perspectives with firsthand experience navigating exits, offering insights into what drives valuation, how to avoid common pitfalls, and the lessons learned from real-world transactions. Whether you’re planning ahead or approaching the negotiation stage, this conversation will provide actionable guidance to help maximize outcomes.
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.
[SF]
[LA]
AI Beyond the Obvious: Founder Breakfast
👉 An intimate breakfast hosted by Techstars and Morrison Foerster for founders building AI beyond the obvious — applied to the real economy in health, climate, robotics, supply chain, and more.
Join Techstars and Morrison Foerster for a high-energy morning with early-stage founders applying AI to the real world — transforming healthcare, climate, supply chain, robotics, manufacturing, fintech, and more.
The format is simple and collaborative:
☕ Coffee and breakfast + stickers by sector so you can quickly meet peers
🎤 A short kickoff on why Techstars and MoFo believe the most exciting AI companies are building beyond the obvious
🚀 20 minutes of rapid-fire founder pitches (30–45 sec each) with live offers of support from the room
🤝 Open networking to keep conversations flowing
At Techstars, we’ve backed hundreds of AI and early-stage tech founders, and we’re excited to host this space together with MoFo for builders shaping the real-world impact of AI.
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About Techstars AI/ML Network:
Techstars is a global accelerator and one of the most consistent sources of venture-scale companies, having launched 22 unicorns and 119 companies valued at over $100M since 2006, including DigitalOcean, SendGrid, PillPack, Zipline, and Chainalysis. With a $220K initial investment and deep founder support, Techstars helps startups hit venture-backable milestones faster.
The AI/ML Network connects founders building across foundational models, developer tools, applied software, and robotics with peers, mentors, technical experts, and investors who understand the space — and can accelerate the path from idea to scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/Techstars-AI-ML.
About Morrison Foerster (MoFo):
MoFo has over 1,000 attorneys in 18 offices around the world. Our Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Group has more than 170 lawyers located in key global business centers advising more than 2,000 startups, emerging and growth companies, and venture capital funds, corporate venture capital clients, and other clients in the technology space. We combine a deep understanding of market conditions with a tailored legal strategy to assist emerging companies and their investors. We assist companies with a full range of services, including but not limited to initial formation and financings, late-stage financings, secondary transactions and investments, mergers & acquisitions and public offerings. Learn more at https://www.mofo.com/.
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This event is a part of #SFTechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.
By registering for this event, you are agreeing to Techstars Terms of Use, Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy. If you have questions, please reach out to privacy@techstars.com.
https://www.techstars.com/terms-of-use
https://www.techstars.com/code-of-conduct
https://www.techstars.com/privacy-policy
[SF]
[LA]
SŨRFED Club @ Venice Beach: Founders, Creators, Investors share the waves.
Venice Beach
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SŨRFED Club, Go Vitamins
Catch the waves, yoga, share ideas, and connect with founders, investors and tech people.
Agenda
• 8 am– 8:45 am: Yoga: Ground and Energize with Anastasia Fedorina
• 8:45 am - 10:00 am: Open Surf
• 10:00 am - 10:30 am: Network with Refreshments
An experience for founders, creators, coaches, and surf lovers who want to connect more deeply with themselves, with each other, and with the ocean.
📍 Location: North side of Venice Pier
About SŨRFED
Surfed is a founder-led surf club that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and tech leaders. What started as casual weekend surf meetups has grown into 500+ members, 100+ surf sessions, and one of LA’s strongest entrepreneur communities in the water. Our members include founders, operators, and executives from high-growth startups and leading global companies.
Photographer on site will catch the best rides.
This event hosted by:
Lidiia Vidrenko - Founder Go Vitamins App, MenuV. Children’s book Author, Fashion Model, Nutrition specialist.
Alexander Pinkin - 5x Founder, Bow Shock - building a $44B “TikTok × Amazon” marketplace for athletes, 20 yrs sales & community growth.
Morning Yoga will be hosted by the amazing Anastasia Fedorina as a gift to the community.
Worth noting that Anastasya is renowned for
"having the most expensive Yoga class in the world" according to LA weekly
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.
Ugly Talk, Founder Institue
[SF]
[LA]
Ugly Talk: Founders Zero to Global
SOMA
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Ugly Talk, Founder Institue
Women founders remain underrepresented across venture stages. The path from first check to Series B and public markets is possible with the right playbook, allies, and persistence. This session focuses on what changes outcomes. Clear strategies for fundraising, growth, board building, and leadership. Real stories from women who navigated bias, turned setbacks into data, and kept moving until the metrics spoke for themselves.
🎯 Why You Should Attend
Hear first hand how successful women founders overcame stereotype risk and earned conviction from customers and investors
Learn the common traps that slow progress and the simple systems that prevent them
Meet women founders and active supporters in the room who can be partners, co builders, and allies
Leave with practical steps for the next thirty, sixty, and ninety days across fundraising, hiring, and growth
🙋 Who You’ll Meet
Women founders building ambitious companies across software, consumer, and deep tech
Ecosystem enablers who support women led companies including accelerators, bankers, and platform leaders
Investors and advisors with a clear interest in backing women founded teams
🎤 Who’s on the Panel
Justine Juillard - Co-Founder of Girls Into VC at Berkeley
Justine is the co-founder of Girls Into VC at Berkeley, the first org empowering the next generation of female VCs. She’s also a LinkedIn content creator with a community of 40k+ followers. As a VC Investment Partner at Critical Venture Partners, Justine scouts and consult early-stage female-led startups at UC Berkeley and beyond.
Alyona Mysko - Founder & CEO of Fuelfinance
Alyona Mysko is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fuelfinance, an AI-powered financial planning and analysis platform built for SMBs. Before starting Fuel, she spent 10+ years as a CFO helping founders handle messy spreadsheets and build forecasts. Now she’s scaling that superpower with AI, giving founders real-time visibility into their numbers and faster decisions without hiring a full finance team. She’s a Masters of Scale podcast guest, a HubSpot INBOUND speaker, and finalist in the $1M Pitch Competition by Hubspot. With Fuel, customers manage over $400M+ in P&L, including companies like Hampton, ColdIQ, Oceans, and others. Fuel’s mission is to save SMBs from financial mistakes, and unlock trillions of dollars in global GDP.
Logan Brown - Founder of Soxton
Logan Brown is the founder of Soxton AI, a full-stack, AI-powered law firm transforming how startups get legal work done. A Harvard Law graduate and former Cooley attorney who helped launch the firm’s Miami office, she blends deep legal expertise with product thinking to automate incorporations, equity, financings, and governance. A Vanderbilt valedictorian and Marshall Scholar, Logan has founded and scaled multiple ventures while partnering with regulators to modernize compliance. She’s building a “legal OS” that ends the billable hour and makes VC-ready legal infrastructure accessible from day one.
More panel speakers announcing soon. Stay tuned!
Moderator:
Icey Juthapohn Roongpiti - Founder & CEO of Starla Skin
As part of a third-generation family business in healthcare and aesthetics, I bring MedSpa expertise and advanced 7-in-1 LED Light Therapy Technology into the comfort of your home. Growing up with hypersensitive skin and seeing my mother’s struggle with hyperpigmentation, I turned to dermatology. When COVID-19 shut everything down, I made it my mission to create accessible, at-home treatments. Today, I’m building Starla Skin to make medical beauty more accessible, sustainable, and self-empowering for different skin concerns, while championing women and minority leadership as an Asian founder committed to empowering confidence and celebrating individuality on a global scale.
💬 What We’ll Talk About
How to spot and avoid common traps and how to respond with data and momentum
Lessons from real setbacks and the decisions that restored progress
What to watch in 2026 including sectors, buyer behavior, and capital markets
Fundraising from preparation to close including narrative, metrics, and target lists
Team building and talent management including hiring, performance, and values
Board and advisor strategy including selection, expectations, and meeting rhythm
Practical workflows for growth including go to market, customer success, and finance hygiene
A ninety day action plan you can start this week to move from idea to traction to the next round
🤝 Co-hosted With
Starla Skin - Starla is building a high-precision skin-health ecosystem, an intelligent LED Light Therapy Mask with AI-driven, personalized plans. Built with MIT & Harvard engineers and dermatologists, serving a $200B skincare & wellness market.
Global Entrepreneurs Hub - The Valley's $1M+ ARR founder community. Private events + direct intros to founders, investors, strategic GTM and more every week over Whatsapp/Email.
🤝 Supported By
GREY Journal – Media partner spotlighting modern entrepreneurs (featured on Apple News + Google News).
🤝 Community Partner
Foundess - A female-equitable nonprofit startup community created by Stanford students.
⭐ About Ugly Talk:
Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough “aha!” moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.
With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we’ve built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
Official Website: UglyTalk.com
Frontier Tower + Alexia Benakova
[SF]
[LA]
Art Pop Up at the Frontier: Opening Night
Downtown (SF)
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Frontier Tower + Alexia Benakova
Frontier Tower has been on the news for building unique events unlike any seen by the status quo. For this one, we're celebrating Tech Week through art.
This 3 day pop-up show will celebrate the synergy and interaction of art and tech. How do SF artists respond to tech innovation? What is the dialogue?
The show will be up and open throughout the day (12pm-7pm), but the best time to come is at night!
Opening night: snacks + artists + ai painting + dj @zackgoeswomp
Night 2: surprise live act + acrobatics performance + hexology interactive edm
Night 3: Algo Rave in Frontier Tower basement: https://partiful.com/e/ZO9SqVqLsgncQnsYh5O7
This event is a part of #SFTechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.
[SF]
[LA]
2nd annual sustainably w/LADYDAYDAO and friends
**2nd annual event with some extras**
Bubble of information rise and fall as we say we are going to the MOON so do not let the bubble pop and get a drink with us!
** customized Cooper / sliver art IRL**
Clothing available to support if your interested https://www.trademark4tymed.com available after sept10th
**INDIGINOUS PEOPLE or NATIVE AMERICAN DAY**
if you post share like and comment this event you will be on a list to obtain a gift from this event on the 13th here is a link to also share for Brest cancer Awareness
https://partiful.com/e/qNZKb11kaqjVABEST1P5
Just in time for 2025 tech week have you involved yourself with LADYDAYDAO yet ? If not the come out and join us as we have a small gathering of special minds to discuss stable coins , blockchain, sustainably of the times. Also we will have a few interesting guests speaking parties one will be about clean green alternatives for users to consider and the other is safety with security. #LATECHWEEK 2025
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.
[SF]
[LA]
[Smart Money, Smarter AI: DeAI x Crypto Asset Management Night]
🎉【Smart Money, Smarter AI: DeAI x Crypto Asset Management Night】
Join the exclusive side event "Smart Money, Smarter AI: DeAI x Crypto Asset Management Night" during SF Tech Week, hosted by CGV (Cryptogram Venture) and DeAI. This event will delve into how DeAI is revolutionizing crypto asset management through automation, transparency, and efficiency.
🎤 【Event Highlights】
Cutting-Edge Insights: Explore how DeAI technologies enhance returns and security in crypto asset management through automated trading strategies, real-time market analysis, and risk management systems.
High-Level Dialogue: Industry leaders will share practical applications of DeAI in optimizing quantitative models, high-frequency trading, and cross-chain asset allocation.
Premium Networking: Connect face-to-face with DeAI founders, top fund partners, quantitative traders, and technical experts to expand your professional network and collaboration opportunities.
🤝 【About CGV (Cryptogram Venture) - https://x.com/CGVFOF 】
CGV (Cryptogram Venture) is a crypto investment firm headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. CGV and its predecessors invested in more than 200 crypto projects since 2017. CGV also incubated a licensed Japanese yen stablecoin JPYW. Additionally, CGV FoF is a limited partner in several globally renowned cryptocurrency funds. Since 2022, CGV has successfully held two Japan Web3 Hackathon (TWSH) and gained joint support from institutions and experts such as Keio University, Sony, and NTT Docomo. Currently, CGV has branches in Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, and Toronto. Furthermore, CGV is one of the founding members of the Bitcoin Tokyo Club, based in Tokyo, Japan.
🎯 【Who Should Attend?】
Crypto asset management institutions and quantitative trading teams
DeAI projects and developers
High-net-worth investors and family offices seeking AI-driven investment solutions
Venture capital and hedge funds focused on the DeAI sector
📌【How to Participate】
This event is invitation-only, with limited seats open for application. Formal invitations will be sent upon approval.
Join us to witness the transformative moment of DeAI redefining crypto asset management!
In addition, we are about to launch an Asset Management Competition in December. Co-hosted by CGV (Cryptogram Venture) and Barron's, this event aims to bring together industry resources and global perspectives to jointly promote innovation and excellence in the asset management field. Welcome to sign up and participate when the time comes.
This event is a part of #SFTechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.
[SF]
[LA]
Meet Forage - Tech For Good!!
Join Forage (joinforage.com) during Tech Week San Francisco for an evening of drinks, connection, and conversation at the intersection of technology and social impact.
As a fast-growing Series A fintech startup on a mission to democratize access to government benefits, Forage invites you to connect with the builders behind our technology. Whether you're an engineer, operator, founder, or future collaborator, this is your chance to learn what it’s like to work at the frontier of social impact and payments innovation.
🍸 Happy Hour Highlights
Meet the Foragers: Mingle with our engineering, business development and product teams, get to know our CTO & Founder Victor Fimbres and our Director of Engineering Madison White, and chat with key team members behind Forage’s mission.
🔥Fireside Chat
A candid conversation around the intersection of tech of doing good. Hear how Forage is transforming access to essential programs like SNAP EBT and what’s ahead for inclusive fintech.
Jake Solomon will be joining us for an insightful chat.
🍿Drinks & Light Bites
Enjoy some light drinks and snacks as you connect with others shaping the future of technology and access.
About Forage
Forage builds the infrastructure that makes it easier for retailers and platforms to accept EBT payments online—starting with SNAP (formerly food stamps). Backed by leading investors like NYCA, Forage is proud to partner with mission-aligned organizations to bring dignity and access to millions of underserved Americans. Watch our story and see why we do what we do: youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=VBj55AWz74w
This event is a part of #SFTechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.
Reach Capital, Inflect Health
[SF]
[LA]
Breakfast Conversations: What Clinicians Want Tech to Know
SOMA
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Reach Capital, Inflect Health
A breakfast conversation where healthcare's frontline meets innovation.
Clinician burnout has reached crisis levels, yet the gap between what providers need and what technology delivers continues to widen.
Reach Capital and Inflect Health invite you to an intimate morning dialogue with the physicians, health system leaders, and founders who are working to close this divide — one meaningful solution at a time.
This session brings together the people on the ground: clinical leaders navigating impossible caseloads, system operators redesigning broken workflows, and entrepreneurs building with deep empathy for provider pain points.
Agenda:
9:00 AM | Coffee + breakfast
9:30 AM | Clinician panel
10:00 AM | Audience Q&A
10:10 AM | Open networking
You'll hear honest perspectives on what actually works in clinical settings, the human factors that determine adoption, and how the best solutions earn clinician trust rather than just administrator approval.
Panelists:
• Dr. Edward Cho, MD (National Physician Director, Ambulatory Medicine at Vituity)
• Dr. Vinit Madhvani, MD (Emergency Medicine Physician & Medical Director)
• Dr. David Feldman, MD, MBA, FACEP, BCCI (Head of Strategic Technology Partnerships, Inflect Health & Vituity)
Connect with the people building, implementing, and backing healthcare's most clinician-focused innovations.
This event is a part of #SFTechWeek—a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem. Learn more at www.tech-week.com.
Run Tech Club, Wildwood Ventures
[SF]
[LA]
Signal Run : RTC x Wildwood VC
Santa Monica
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Run Tech Club, Wildwood Ventures
3 miles. Breakfast provided.
Run slow to run fast—a reset that compounds into momentum.
We’re partnering with Wildwood Ventures (backed by VF Corp and their global brands like The North Face, Altra, Smartwool, Vans) — bringing their conviction-driven lens as both partner and diligence filter. No pitches, no slides — just momentum shared in motion.
How it works:
• Before the miles → log progress in Founder OS—https://runtechclub.typeform.com/getaccess
• During the miles → test conviction with peers.
• After the miles → share signals, get feedback, compound clarity.
Founders logging momentum in OS will also get the chance to be showcased at Signal LA, Jan 2026.
Your founder stage could start with a run.
📍 3 miles @ Heartbreak Santa Monica☕ Coffee, hydration, and breakfast provided
Run down:
7:00am — meetup
7:20am — take flight
8:00am — networking
Connect on Strava + route: https://www.strava.com/clubs/921267/group_events/3393036402816542234
Good to know:
Bag drop & bathroom access is available. Come early.
Sponsors:
Heartbreak Running Co | Cadence
——
About Wildwood Ventures:
Wildwood Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm backing bold founders who are building the future of healthy and active lifestyles. Their mission is to address America’s health and wellness crisis — driving greater physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing.
About Run Tech Club:
Run Tech Club is a human accelerator for early-stage founders—built for the AI-native era. OS logs -> IRL build labs -> Signal
——
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.
[SF]
[LA]
$75 Headshot Mini-Sessions (so you can FINALLY update your LinkedIn profile photo!)
✨ Headshot Mini Sessions for Tech Week! ✨
Stop by between 12:00pm-4:30pm for a quick mini-headshot-session, perfect for busy professionals. You’ll walk away with 10 high-quality digital images so you can finally update that LinkedIn profile photo (and everywhere else you show up online). Photos will be delivered via email within 36 hours.
RSVP required and when you arrive, just sign in for your turn. It’s first come, first served, easy, and totally worth it. Come get your new favorite photo from Personal Branding & Headshot Photographer Lindy Lin!
(Limited to 20 people inside the studio. Please pop in for your headshot and make space for fellow attendees).
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.
[SF]
[LA]
Charting Tomorrow: AI, Investment, and Healthcare
[SF]
[LA]
Creative IP in the Era of Gen AI
Los Angeles sits at the intersection of generative AI and the media & entertainment industry. As AI-generated content transforms how stories are told, who owns the rights, and how value is created, LA’s crop of hybrid tech-and-media studios and startups are leading the charge. This session brings the best and the brightest leaders in this space together to discuss:
- Emerging IP challenges around synthetic content that are unique to the entertainment industry, including copyright, licensing, and talent rights.
- New business models around franchising, UGC, and D2C media that is being accelerated by AI-driven content creation and distribution.
- Case studies from local startups and studios pioneering AI in entertainment.
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.
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