American South Asian Network
[SF]
[LA]
AI & Innovation Forum
Santa Monica
·
American South Asian Network
Join us at UCLA Anderson for the AI & Innovation Forum, co-hosted by the South Asian Business Association (SABA), the Muslim Business Student Association (MBSA), and the American South Asian Network (ASAN).
An evening of thought-provoking panels, real-world insights, and dynamic networking, bringing together students, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders shaping the future of AI and innovation.
Meet the Panelists:
- Awadhesh Kumar – Innovator, Producer, Founder of ShortFlix & AK Studios
- Ashwin Rangan – AI Governance, Former CIO at Walmart, Edwards Lifesciences, ICANN, and Conexant; CEO DoubleCheck Solutions
American South Asian Network (ASAN) is the fastest growing community of young South Asians in the US!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asan.fyi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asanfyi/
WhatsApp Community: https://bit.ly/asan-wa
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]
『MELT』150+ Founders x Investors Dynamic Network
✧ Presented By MELT / Kyosuke Togami
MELT Partners in the past:
• J.P. Morgan – The largest global bank
• Sheppard Mullin – The largest law firm
• NECX – Tech Giant in Japan $20B ARR
• Minerva University – The hardest university to get into
• Y Combinator – Pylon, Parsana Ai
• Treasure Data – Raised $288m, $200m ARR
• AGI Inc. – Pioneer of AI Agents
• Orbiter Finance – $100m+ net profit within 3 years. Ranked #2 globally in the decentralized bridge field
【This event is exclusively for founders, investors, and enterprise decision-makers】
--------
💎 1st VIP Sponsored By
- CRWD
The World's First Community Activation Intelligence
Fast growing startup - $4M Run Rate
Website:
https://www.joincrwd.ai/
--------
🚨Check-in is required at the door, and only approved guests will be admitted
🤝The event is a dynamic 2-hour networking session
🙇♀️We kindly ask for your understanding as we carefully review and select attendees, which may result in some applications not being approved. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience.
--------
SF Techweek, where over 100,000 professionals gather from around the world, we have decided to hold this event at this momentous occasion.
We're bringing together an exclusive group of around 150 top-tier founders, spanning from pre-seed to Series D, alongside engaged VCs and angel investors.
--------
The previous event, MELT
• 80+ VC and Angel Investors
• 300+ Founders/CEOs
Industries: Ai, Fintech, Climate Tech, Gaming, Edtech, Proptech, Web3, AR/VR, Cybersecurity, Insurtech, Retailtech, SaaS, B2C, B2B, and Pre-seed to Series D stages
Stage Breakdown:
• 3 Series D companies
• 2 Series C companies
• 6 Series B companies
• 35 Series A companies
• 15 Pre-Series A companies
• 106 Seed companies
• 146 Pre-Seed companies
• 26 Bootstrap companies
• 50+ Executives
Additional highlights:
• 8 companies featured in Forbes Under 30
• 12 Y Combinator alumni
- 1st MELT event
• 1,070 registrations from around the world
• Carefully selected 300 founders and investors
Composition:
• 10% Series A and above (Founders/C-levels)
• 35% Seed (Founders/C-levels)
• 40% Pre-seed (Founders/C-levels)
• 10% Investors
• Other
- 2nd MELT event
• 420 registrations
• Carefully selected 170 founders and 30 investors
Founder profile:
• Most had raised at least $1 million, had revenue of $1–$3 million, or had a previous successful exit.
Composition:
• 33 Series A and above (Founders/C-levels)
• 133 Seed (Founders/C-levels)
• 112 Pre-seed (Founders/C-levels)
• 58 Investors (Tencent, Netease, Docomo Ventures, other VCs and Angel Investors)
• Others
- MELT for GDC
• 29 VC and Angel Investors
• 280+ Founders/CEOs
Stage Breakdown:
• 2 Series D companies
• 1 Series C companies
• 5 Series B companies
• 22 Series A companies
• 43 Pre-Series A companies
• 85 Seed companies
• 77 Pre-Seed companies
• 17 Bootstrap companies
• 3 Enterprise decision-makers
Industry Focus:
• 94% Gaming or Ai x Gaming
Company Metrics:
• Over $1m ARR × 35 companies
• $3m – $10m ARR × 15 companies
• $10m – $100m ARR × 5 companies
Funding Raised:
• $500k – $1m × 26 companies
• $1m – $3m × 37 companies
• $3m – $10m × 24 companies
• $10m – $30m × 17 companies
• $30m – $100m × 2 companies
--------
MELT is a founder–investor event series curating high-trust, high-impact gatherings with
- Exited founders,
- VC-backed founders,
- Multimillion-ARR founders,
- Angel investors
- Venture capitalists
Every interaction brings you closer to future fundraising, potential partners, and mentors who have already solved the challenges you’re facing today
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 Founders and Funders Happy Hour
[SF]
[LA]
AI & Web3 Founders + Investors Happy Hour
Xerpa AI is hosting an AI & Web3 Founders’ Happy Hour during #LATechWeek—bringing together AI & Web3 founders, operators, and investors for curated connections, practical takeaways, and new partnerships. Join us for an evening of high-signal conversations.
About Xerpa AI: We’re a cutting-edge AI company delivering full-chain growth solutions for disruptive products and startups. Headquartered in Singapore with a state-of-the-art R&D center in Tokyo and an innovation office in Silicon Valley, we’re building a global ecosystem to accelerate transformative technologies.
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]
Afrobeats Next Door Party
Get ready for a night where music and innovation collide. Afrobeats Next Door brings the buzzing rhythms of Afrobeats to LA Tech Week, creating the ultimate space to dance, connect, and celebrate global culture.
Join founders, creators, and music lovers for an evening of great vibes and networking as top DJs spin Afrobeats, and feel-good mixes that keep the energy high. Enjoy stylish cocktails, vibrant lights, and an atmosphere that’s as inspiring as it is unforgettable.
Come dressed to impress, bring your best moves, and experience the heartbeat of LA Tech Week, where culture, creativity, and technology meet on the dance floor.
Investor Deck: https://rebrand.ly/afrofunction
Website: www.afrobeatsnextdoor.com
Instagram: @afrobeatsnextdoor
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]
Surf Parks & Wave Pools: From Doja Cat to Mark Zuckerberg
BE ON TIME.
https://share.google/nj5BYGT4ZuG3dFcf4
----
Presented by Day One Surf and Surflytics:
An inside look at the surf park and wave pool industry.
1. Why are people pouring billions of dollars into wave pools?
2. Why did Doja Cat and Mark Zuckerberg get on board?
3. How are surf parks redefining wellness, the experience economy, and real estate?
Currently growing 80% year over year with over $1B invested last year alone, the surf park sector is poised to reshape how people experience surfing, wellness, and leisure.
By the end of this event you will understand:
- the financial state of the global surf park market
- technologies powering the wave pools and operations
- what's missing from the industry & how you can fill the gaps
================================
Val S. K., founder of Surflytics, will share primary research across the global surf park industry including concrete data and detailed insights from behind the scenes interviews with surf park executives from her forthcoming book Surf Parks & Wave Pools Around the World.
(Use code LATECHWEEK for 30% off)
A former software engineer, Val built and maintains Surf Park DB--the world's most comprehensive public database on surf parks covering technology trends, market growth, real estate models, and the new category of recreation-driven developments.
Update: No lunch provided as venue does not allow outside food.
Ideal for founders, investors, developers, and anyone curious about where surf, tech, and real estate intersect.
================================
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]
Flip the Funnel: Marketing for Female Founders
Most marketing advice starts at the top of the funnel: shouting louder, posting more, and chasing visibility. But for founders building real businesses, that’s often a waste of time and energy.
In this tactical workshop designed exclusively for female founders, marketing strategist Mari Milenkovic (Founder of With Mari and Co-founder of Her Brand & Co., acquired in 2024) will walk you through a more effective approach: flipping the funnel.
You’ll learn how to identify your biggest marketing bottleneck and build the right systems in the right order to unlock sustainable growth.
In this session, you’ll:
Diagnose what’s really slowing your momentum (spoiler: it’s not lack of effort)
Discover the five funnel stages and how to prioritize them strategically
Learn how to shift from random tactics to revenue-driving systems
See real examples from female-led businesses who used this framework to scale
This is not about doing more... it’s about doing what actually works.
Whether you're growing your customer base, prepping for your next launch, or trying to make sense of your marketing chaos, this workshop will give you the clarity and strategy you’ve been craving.
Seats are limited to keep the session hands-on and interactive.
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.
LaFamilia Foundation, Act One Ventures, Origin Ventures, 2045 Ventures, Chingona Ventures
[SF]
[LA]
Cafecito LA Tech Week
Venice
·
LaFamilia Foundation, Act One Ventures, Origin Ventures, 2045 Ventures, Chingona Ventures
Event Update – New Date Due to Weather 🌧️
Hi everyone,
We’re looking forward to seeing you this week! Due to the weather conditions expected on Tuesday, and given that our venue is partially outdoors (and beachfront!), we’ve decided to move the event to Wednesday, October 15 at 9:00 AM.
While it’s short notice, we think avoiding the rain will make for a much better experience. If you’re no longer able to attend on Wednesday, please update your RSVP to let us know.
Thanks,
__________
Welcome to LA! This intimate cafecito kicks off LA Tech Week with warmth, connection, and cafecito-fueled conversation. Before the week gets hectic, we’re creating a space for founders, funders, and operators to gather, reconnect, and ground themselves in community at a Latino-owned local favorite spot right on the Venice boardwalk!
Thank you to our sponsors, J.P. Morgan, Pilot, and Juniper Square for making this event possible!
JPMorgan is a global financial services leader, serves individuals, businesses, institutions, and governments across more than 100 countries. Their offerings span consumer & community banking (through Chase), investment & commercial banking, asset & wealth management, and securities and financial transaction services, tailored to empower communities and drive inclusive economic growth.
Pilot is an outsourced accounting and finance firm that works with many SMBs & venture-backed companies throughout the U.S. They partner with their clients by providing bookkeeping, tax, and strategic / fractional CFO support.
Juniper Square is a leading provider of connected software and fund administration services for the private investment markets, primarily serving General Partners (GPs) in real estate, private equity, and venture capital.
Community Partners:
-Act One Ventures
-Origin Ventures
-2045 Ventures
-Chingona Ventures
LaFamilia Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit that seeks to close the resource gap for Latine founders and investors by bringing together Latine startups, venture capitalists, and aligned ecosystem partners.
-VCFamilia: The largest community of Latine venture capitalists in the world.
-FounderFamilia: The largest community of Latine venture backed founders in the world.
-AngelFamilia: recently launched community of Latine angel investors investing in the United States.
Please remember our Code of Conduct:
LaFamilia is a powerful global network that is asynchronous and multifaceted, and it is crucial that all participants in the community are respectful and courteous towards others. We want you to be active in this community because it is filled with awesome people doing game-changing work and an incredible opportunity to build your network.
-Please be supportive and helpful in all your interactions
-Always engage positively with other members
By RSVPing to this event, you agree to receive updates, newsletters, and marketing communications from LaFamilia Foundation. You can unsubscribe at any time.
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.
Hands On Angel LLC, KOO Capital
[SF]
[LA]
$10K Elevator Pitch Competition
West Hollywood
·
Hands On Angel LLC, KOO Capital
🛗 One VC. One elevator. 20 seconds. ⏱️
Now with a $10,000 non-dilutive prize from HelpBnk.
Pre-seed & seed founders: this is THE LA Tech Week moment. Step into an elevator with a VC, land your 20-second pitch, then head to the rooftop to keep the convo going.
What’s new:
HelpBnk x Pitch Lift LA: $10,000 non-dilutive award for the top pitch.
15+ VCs on site, curated and ready to listen.
High-signal room: founders + investors, no fluff.
How it works:
Pitch a VC inside an actual elevator (20 seconds—make it count).
Join a virtual coaching tune-up beforehand to sharpen your story.
Your pitch is filmed & projected for live feedback and learning.
We’ve run five Pitch Lifts to date—driving real intros and millions in term sheets. If you’re ready to cut the fluff and capture interest in seconds, this is your room.
Apply/RSVP now. Capacity is limited.
Media & comms: This event will be photographed/recorded. By attending, you consent to the use of your image/voice in event content and marketing.
Updates: Attendees may receive our bi-weekly Pitch Lift newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.
We’re excited to have you at The Pitch Lift LA—get ready to refine your pitch and elevate your startup! 🚀
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 Tech meetup and Networking
The LA Grind, Relay Human Cloud, Polsinelli
[SF]
[LA]
The LA Grind: Beachfront Dinner w/ Polsinelli, Relay Human Cloud, AE Studio, Talk Shop
Santa Monica
·
The LA Grind, Relay Human Cloud, Polsinelli
Join us during LA Tech Week for an intimate evening connecting top founders and investors at a stunning private beachfront residence in Santa Monica.
Enjoy a curated dinner, great drinks, and meaningful conversations with some of the most ambitious and innovative minds in the ecosystem. This curated gathering is designed to foster authentic relationships, spark collaboration, and celebrate LA’s vibrant startup community with an ocean view as the backdrop.
Thank you to our sponsors: Relay Human Cloud, Polsinelli LLP, AE Studio, and Talk Shop Media
Find your next team member in minutes with Relay Human Cloud. Offshore talent, in Relay Human Cloud's office, dedicated to you. Use code LAGRIND for $500 off every resource every year.
Polsinelli is an AmLaw 100 law firm that specializes in technology, startups/emerging growth companies, and healthcare law. Ephraim Hintz, an LA-based attorney at Polsinelli, is an experienced technology transactions/venture capital attorney with clients ranging from pre-seed startups to Fortune 500 companies.
AE Studio helps founders implement AI with the right product strategy and have engineers, data scientists, and designers from Stanford, MIT, and Harvard ready to create bespoke AI solutions.
Talk Shop Media is an independent integrated communications agency based in LA that helps venture-backed companies define the category, own the conversation, and win the comparison. They turn technical advantage into authority through PR, corporate communications, and social programs built for velocity, proof, and repeatable coverage.
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.
We’ll have a photographer on site capturing moments from the night. Photos may be shared across The LA Grind’s newsletter, social channels, and future event promotions.
Sunstone Management, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School
[SF]
[LA]
Who Regulates the Robots? Startups, Ethics, and the AI Wild West
Westside
·
Sunstone Management, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School
Join Sunstone Management and Pepperdine Graziadio Business School during #LATechWeek for an inside look at the future of AI and technology! From breakthrough technologies to startup opportunities, this panel brings together industry leaders, innovators, and investors to explore how Los Angeles is shaping the next frontier of the startup ecosystem. Don’t miss the chance to connect, learn, and launch big ideas.
--
Agenda
4:00 pm Check-in & Registration
4:15 pm Welcome feat. Sunstone
4:20 pm Opening Remarks feat. Pepperdine
4:25 pm Panel Discussion
5:05 pm Q&A
5:20 pm Closing Remarks
5:25 pm Networking
*Agenda subject to change.
--
About Pepperdine Graziadio Business School
Founded in 1969, the Graziadio Business School is anchored in the core values of integrity and innovation, and is dedicated to shaping leaders that drive meaningful, positive change in their global organizations and communities.
Website: https://bschool.pepperdine.edu/
--
Follow Sunstone Management:
Website: www.sunstoneinvestment.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/sunstonemanagement
Subscribe to our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dMmV1k
Disclaimer: This communication, the event, the presenters and all topics discussed herein and at the events discussed in this communication are for educational purposes only. No investment is being solicited and no investment advice is provided herein or will be provided at those events. For our registered investment adviser Sunstone Advisors, LLC, please visit www.sunstoneadvisor.com.
Questions? Contact your Sunstone representative or email investor@sunstoneinvestment.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.
[SF]
[LA]
Founders Table: Deeptech Engineering
Founders Table is a recruiting event series hosted by Initialized Capital. These carefully curated talent dinners center depth of conversation and high ROI connections with technical founders, heads of engineering, and hiring managers who are actively building out their engineering teams.
As part of #LATechWeek, this iteration of Founders Table Dinner will center our LA-based deep tech startups across aerospace, space, defense, & robotic automation.
If you are excited about building new tech and applying your mechatronics, robotics, or GNC experience to an early startup in the deep tech space, we've got a dinner invite for you.
Connect with our Initialized portfolio SoCal founders & leaders at Astroforge, Picogrid, Formic, and Orbital Operations.
Space is limited so we will be reviewing attendees to ensure strong technical alignment.
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]
GOLDEN GOES GLOBAL: K-pop & Beauty Hunters vs. US Tech
Global Golden: K-pop & Beauty Hunters vs. Global Tech Demons
Co-Hosted by: Nuleep, LAVA, Crave Global
From Global to Los Angeles… “Global Golden: K-pop & Beauty Hunters vs. Global Tech Demons” is a limited-time pop-up event that unites the high-energy world of Consumer products, technology, K-beauty, the innovation of global brands and the power of Global tech and lifestyle icons into one immersive experience. Taking place right after the Celebrity Breakfast by LAVA, try out the latest products and technologies from the world with influencers, investors, and buyers. #AI #Beauty #Foodtech #Influencers
1. Fireside Chat with the creators of Baby Shark, Pink Fong Cofounder Ryan Lee, Actor Will Yun Lee and more!
2. Meet top investors, VCs, and LA Venture Association all in one place.
3. Influencers and celebrities ;) let's see who you get to meet - We're goin' up, up, up, it's our moment!
From 10K followers to 6+ million followers, brands meet global influencers and innovators!
4. Global innovation pitches from beauty, consumer products, and tech startups from the U.S., Korea, Italy, and more!
5. Experience LIVE brands from Korea, Italy, US and more - try out their products onsite!
Due to limited venue capacities, we are unable to guarantee admission. You must be approved on the registration list to be admitted to this space.
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.
%201.svg)
