[SF]
[LA]
AI and Advertising: Don't get in trouble
Tickets must be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-and-advertising-dont-get-in-trouble-with-robert-freund-latechweek-tickets-1670515810759?aff=oddtdtcreator
Join Social Media Club LA for a tactical session with advertising & e-commerce attorney Rob Freund on how to move fast without getting in trouble. We’ll translate the latest expectations regarding AI in marketing, including how using AI impacts UGC, customer reviews, claims substantiation, and IP concerns.
Who it’s for
Founders, product/legal ops, creators, or growth marketers, who need to know the latest on AI and advertising.
What you'll get
Practical checklists, discussion around contract/brief clauses for creator work, and a rapid-fire Q&A to pressure-test real scenarios you bring from your work.
Light breakfast items will be provided.
Format
45-minute talk + audience Q&A + networking.
About Robert Freund
Rob Freund is an advertising and e-commerce attorney who helps companies that make money online keep it. He focuses his practice on marketing and e-commerce compliance and related litigation, advising brands, agencies, and influencers on the risks of advertising online and on strategies for compliant campaigns that still convert. Rob has lectured about advertising law at the University of Southern California, the University of San Diego, and the University of Tennessee, and his commentary has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
About Mandy Hoskinson
Mandy Hoskinson is a marketing agency founder, community leader, and public speaker. Her award-winning agency, Zolay (@zolaystudio) works with clients spanning B2B, B2C, SAAS, government and creative industries. Mandy is also the President of the Social Media Club of Los Angeles and Vice President of the Social Media Club Global. You can find her most digital places as @mediamandy.
Location
City Club LA 555 Flower St, 51st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Parking is $8 on-site with validation. See image below for directions.
RSVP
In addition to your ticket on Eventbrite, Tech Week requires that all attendees also request access via Partiful here —capacity is limited and RSVPs are screened to keep the room focused.
Dress code
From our venue: "Dress code at City Club LA is business casual. Attire can certainly elevate or diminish the experience of others. We consider hats, tank tops, flip flops, shorts and team athletic attire too casual for City Club LA. Our staff takes pride in their appearance, so we ask our members and their guests to respect our dress code at all times."
Note: This session is for general education only and does not constitute legal advice.
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]
18th LA Hardware Meetup @ First Resonance
We're bringing together a community of people building physical products and hardware across LA. From designers, founders, engineers, investors, and more, everyone is welcome!
We're back with another LA Hardware Meetup, hosted at First Resonance. This is your chance to connect with industry peers who are as passionate about hardware innovation as you are. Come socialize, share what you’re working on, and talk shop!
We have great speakers lined up for you:
- Karan Talati, CEO of First Resonance
- Gustavo Castillo, CEO of Pinto Robotics
Hardware Meetups happen in over 30 cities around the world, helping bring together founders, engineers, and other hardware professionals to network, share insights, and collaborate with one another.
Hosted By
Nate Padgett
Nima Ashraf
Michael Corr
Joseph Fryer
Thank you to our partners:
informal is a freelance collective for the most talented independent professionals in hardware and hardtech. With expertise in a diverse range of industries from consumer electronics to automotive, climate tech to medical devices, informal members work with clients at every stage to design, manufacture, and scale top-quality physical products. Whether you're looking for a single contractor, a full-time employee, or an entire team of professionals to work on everything from product development to go-to-market strategy, the informal collective has the perfect collection of people for the job. Learn more.
If you want to help support the next meetup, please reach out to nate@informal.cc for sponsorship inquiries.
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.
USC Information Sciences Institute
[SF]
[LA]
New Space Race
Marina del Rey
·
USC Information Sciences Institute
New Space Race: Inside the Minds Fueling Humanity
The race to space is no longer confined to government agencies—it’s an arena where visionary companies, startups, and researchers are redefining what’s possible for humanity’s future beyond Earth. Join this thought-provoking panel, moderated by Dave Barnhart, as industry leaders share how they are tackling the technological, commercial, and ethical challenges of the new space age. From satellites to sustainable exploration and interplanetary ambitions, this conversation will dive deep into the innovations and bold ideas shaping humanity’s next giant leap.
Panelists:
Dr Rahul Rughani, Chief Systems Engineer, Arkisys
Dr Keenan Alba, Professor of Astronautical Engineering, USC
Beth Dean-Pope, VP of Commercial Partnerships, VAST
Panel moderated by Dave Barnhart.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-barnhart-30887157/
See all USC ISI Tech Week events: https://linktr.ee/usc_isi
Location: USC, Information Sciences Institute
Address: 4676 Admiralty Way Marina Del Rey Ca 90292
Check in at Reception: 10th Floor
Recommended Marina Del Rey Lots, $6 per day/vehicle:
Lot 4 : 13500 Mindanao Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LPdBxT6rZvJxvjpf7
Visitor parking at USC, ISI, $25 per day/vehicle
Address: 4676 Admiralty Way Marina del Rey Ca 90292
Questions? Email us at events@isi.edu
#LATechWeek
This event is a part of #LATechWeek - a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem
https://www.tech-week.com
[SF]
[LA]
a16z Health AI Builder Dinner
Please join us for dinner as we bring together entrepreneurs building a healthier future for all.
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.co jo
Future Builderz, Z Potentials, Hat-Trick Capital
[SF]
[LA]
RL: the future of AI Agents
SOMA
·
Future Builderz, Z Potentials, Hat-Trick Capital
Reinforcement Learning is the fuel of LLM development and agent performance. From big labs to vertical agents, Reinforcement Learning plays an important role in shaping how models adapt, align with human feedback, and tackle real-world tasks. Join us at SFTechWeek to explore how RL is driving the next wave of AI innovation and what it means for builders and investors alike, with researchers and YC founders in this space.
🔥Hosts: Z Potentials x Future Builderz x Hat-Trick Capital
🎙 Speakers
Zhen Dong – Assistant Professor @ UCSB, AI Researcher @ NVIDIA
Qifei Wang – RL + Multimodal Research Lead @ DeepMind
Bill Zhu – CEO @ Pokee AI, ex-Head of Applied RL @ Meta
Mike Cheng – Researcher @ SGLang, ex-Berkeley PhD
Andy Lyu – CTO @ Gulp (YC W25)
Robi Lin – CEO @ Sepal AI (YC S24)
Daanish Khazi – Co-founder @ TLDC (YC X25)
🌐 Agenda
6:30 - 7:00 Networking, drinks, and snacks
7:00 - 7:40 Panel Discussion with Speakers
7:40 - 8:40 In-depth breakout Room discussion with 2-3 speakers in each room
8:40 - 9:00 Networking and wrap up
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]
Pickup Basketball
Casual ball run @ USF indoor courts. Open to all skill levels - whether you played in college or haven't hooped since middle school PE. Running 5 on 5 full court if we have the numbers (and the cardio). Watch your ankles!
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.
LAVA - LA's Venture Association
[SF]
[LA]
Sports Entertainment LAVA Dutch Dating
El Segundo
·
LAVA - LA's Venture Association
Round Robin for sports entertainment professionals of all types to mingle together in a series of one-on-one matchups mixed with a visiting delegation of Dutch sports entertainment startups and pros.
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 x Nails: AI-Powered Nail Design & Salon Tech
A chill happy hour for beauty + tech people
Pull up for a laid-back evening exploring how AI is transforming the way we search, discover, and experience nail services. From smarter ways to find the right design or artist to tech that’s streamlining salon bookings, we’re diving into the future of beauty discovery, over drinks, of course.
No panels, no pressure, just cool people, cool tech, and maybe a surprise or two 💅🏽✨
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]
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.
—
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/.
—
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
Protiviti, Robert Half, DLA Piper, NYSE
[SF]
[LA]
Navigating Capital Markets and IPO Readiness
FiDi (SF)
·
Protiviti, Robert Half, DLA Piper, NYSE
Hosted by: Protiviti, Robert Half, DLA Piper, and NYSE
Going public is one of the most transformative—and challenging—moments in a company’s journey. In today’s volatile capital markets, timing, preparation, and execution are everything.
Speakers:
Nicolle Brady – Managing Director at Protiviti
Tom Vo – CEO and Founder at Nutex Health
Curtis Mo – Partner at DLA Piper
Sue Xu - Managing Partner at Amino Capital
• How today’s market conditions are shaping IPO and SPAC activity
• The real-world steps to prepare for going public
• Financial, operational, and cultural shifts for long-term success
• SEC, SOX, and governance requirements—what you need to know
• Lessons learned from recent market entrants
Whether you’re an executive, investor, or advisor, you’ll walk away with actionable insights to help you navigate the public company journey with confidence.
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]
Elevate Your Pitch Workshop
Persuasive and Engaging Communication for Leaders of All Types!
Great ideas need great delivery—and behind every powerful pitch lies emotional intelligence: the ability to read a room, build trust, and move people not just with logic, but with connection. Whether you’re rallying your team through change, aligning executives on a bold vision, or persuading investors, this dynamic workshop goes beyond structure and slides. During this two-hour workshop Sylvia Bargellini (Change Management Workshop Facilitator) will facilitate activities guiding how to communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact by blending strategic storytelling with the empathy and adaptability that define standout leaders.
Although this workshop is designed for founders and tech leaders who are usually talking with and pitching to investors, this session will help anyone working on developing their comfort and confidence in communication.
Topics include:
- Command Any Room – Strengthen your presence with body language and vocal power, while using emotional intelligence to read and respond to unspoken cues.
- Master Tech-Tuned Storytelling – Translate complex ideas into compelling narratives that resonate emotionally and intellectually, turning data into conviction.
- Persuade with Precision – Adapt your message on the fly, whether speaking to engineers, executives, or investors—because persuasion isn’t one-size-fits-all.
- Drive Decisions, Not Just Dialogue – Create urgency, build credibility, and turn presentations into action by aligning your pitch with your audience’s motivations and concerns.
The best communicators don’t just inform—they inspire. Learn how to weave foresight, resilience, and trust into every interaction, ensuring your ideas don’t just land… they stick.
Workshop facilitated by Sylvia Bargellini. https://create-strategy.com/sylvia-bargellini https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvia-bargellini-design/
This event is co-hosted by Claire Hinkel at the Commons and #SFTechWeek - a week of events hosted by builders, VCs, and startups.
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]
Investing in Music’s Future Through Advocacy & Innovation
Investing in Music’s Future Through Advocacy & Innovation
Join us for a transformative event during LA Tech Week 2025, hosted by Sagos Distro, BMO, A16z, a and Solid Gold Global in partnership with leading organizations including The Recording Academy, BMI, National Music Publishers’ Association and Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
This hybrid gathering now delves deeper into the intersections of music, film, real estate, and collectibles, championing creativity while advocating for fair compensation, intellectual property (IP) enforcement, and equitable tech access. Attendees will explore music and film IP as an alternative asset class, including strategies for wealth generation through fractional ownership, merchandise with high resale value, and innovative real estate opportunities tied to cultural venues.
Event Details:
Title: Investing in Music’s Future Through Advocacy & Innovation
Format: Keynote address, interactive panel discussion, Q&A session, and networking reception
Audience: Targeted at family offices/private equity firms, venture capitalists (VCs), tech/media executives, investors, policymakers, legal professionals, advocacy groups, media/PR companies, politicians (including representatives from the Senator’s office), and industry leaders from organizations like The Recording Academy (Grammys), and More.
Purpose: To foster innovation and advocacy, highlighting investment opportunities in music and film IP while discussing legislative efforts to unlock new revenue for creators. This event positions music catalogs as a stable alternative asset class akin to real estate, offering insights into high-yield strategies, collectible merchandise, venue ownership, and ecosystem fractionalization amid evolving tech landscapes.
The event will emphasize practical, actionable insights, drawing on real-world examples from catalog investments, emerging technologies like AI and blockchain, and ongoing advocacy for policies that could transform the industry. New additions include discussions on lucrative merchandise (e.g., collectible cars and items with resale value), real estate opportunities in music/film venues, and strategic “loopholes” like tax incentives for securing and leasing large buildings through cultural assets.
The event will emphasize practical, actionable insights, drawing on real-world examples from catalog investments, emerging technologies like AI and blockchain, and ongoing advocacy for policies that could transform the industry. Expect thought-provoking discussions on how financial and legal stakeholders can push and lobby for reforms, potentially unlocking over $400 billion in royalties for catalog holders through bills like AMFA.
The event will emphasize practical, actionable insights, drawing on real-world examples from catalog investments, emerging technologies like AI and blockchain, and ongoing advocacy for policies that could transform the industry. Expect thought-provoking discussions on how financial and legal stakeholders can push and lobby for reforms, potentially unlocking over $400 billion in royalties
Detailed Topics and Themes
The agenda revolves around music and film IP as an alternative asset class, focusing on strategies to invest, monetize, and increase revenue from catalogs. Key sub-themes include:
Catalog Investments as Capital Storage and Revenue Generators: Explore how music and film catalogs serve as resilient assets, providing steady income through royalties and acting as hedges against market volatility. Discussions will cover valuation methods, portfolio diversification, and case studies of high-profile acquisitions (e.g., by private equity firms).
Reselling Catalogs for Capital Gains: Insights into buying, enhancing, and flipping catalogs for profit, including market timing, due diligence, and tax implications. Panelists will share success stories from recent deals and predict future trends in catalog trading.
Sync Licensing for Film, TV, Gaming, and Commercials: Dive into the lucrative world of synchronization rights, where music enhances visual media. Topics include negotiating deals, leveraging platforms for discovery, and maximizing earnings in a streaming-dominated era.
Royalty-Backed Securities and Fractional Ownership via Blockchain: Examine innovative financing models, such as securitizing royalties into investment products and enabling fractional ownership through blockchain for democratized access. This includes AI-driven tools for predicting revenue streams and reducing barriers for smaller investors.
AI-Driven Content Creation and Monetization: How artificial intelligence is revolutionizing music production, from generative tools to personalized licensing. Attendees will learn about ethical considerations, IP protection in AI eras, and new monetization avenues like virtual concerts and metaverse integrations.
Emerging Trends in Merchandising, Brand Extensions, and Democratized Access Through Securitization and Financing: Broader explorations of extending IP value through merchandise, brand partnerships, and financial instruments. Emphasis on securitization for liquidity and trends in global markets, ensuring equitable access for underrepresented creators.
A central focus will be the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA), a bipartisan bill reintroduced in the 119th Congress (2025-2026) as H.R. 861 on January 31, 2025. 0 Sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa and others, AMFA aims to establish a performance right for sound recordings on terrestrial (AM/FM) radio in the U.S., ensuring artists, performers, producers, and music creators receive fair compensation when their music is broadcast—addressing a long-standing gap where radio stations use music without paying performers.
As of August 2025, the bill remains in the introductory stage, referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, with active lobbying from artists, unions like the American Federation of Musicians, and organizations like the Recording Academy.
Discussions will cover how financial and legal interest groups—representing catalog holders, labels, and investors—are lobbying Congress to pass AMFA, potentially unlocking over $400 billion in royalties by “unrigging” the system and aligning U.S. policies with global standards. 8 This could create massive value for IP portfolios, with insights from advocates on strategies to influence policymakers.
Event Lineup
• Keynote Address – “Music and Film Ecosystems: From Catalogs to Collectibles and Real Estate”
this keynote will outline the economic potential of music and film catalogs as real estate alternatives, including fractional ownership for wealth building and lucrative merchandise like collectible cars/items.
The speaker will introduce AMFA as a catalyst for industry growth, highlighting lobbying efforts to be pushed by financial groups to secure fair royalties.
• Panel Discussion – “Advocacy, Innovation, and Wealth Generation: Unlocking Value in Music, Film, Real Estate, and Collectibles”
Moderated by a legal expert from Perkins Coie LLP or the California Copyright Conference, this interactive panel features 4-5 panelists from diverse backgrounds:
• A family office investor & Sagos Distro on catalog investments, reselling for gains, and fractional ownership in ecosystems.
• A policymaker or advocate (discussing AMFA’s status, lobbying strategies by interest groups, and its potential to unlock $400 billion in royalties.
• An industry executive on sync licensing, royalty-backed securities, AI monetization, and merchandise/collectibles with resale value (e.g., film cars, music memorabilia).
• A real estate specialist on owning venues/theaters/retail buildings, tax incentives/loopholes via art/music (e.g., historic credits for cultural spaces), and leasing to corporations.   
The panel will explore real-world case studies, challenges in IP enforcement, equitable tech access, and audience polls for engagement.
• Q&A Session
Open floor for questions from the audience, allowing deeper dives into topics like AMFA lobbying tactics, investment risks in catalogs/venues, resale strategies for collectibles, and future-proofing revenue streams through ecosystem ownership. Panelists will address queries on how attendees can get involved in advocacy or pursue specific opportunities.
• Networking Reception
Conclude with a catered reception. Attendees can connect one-on-one with speakers, investors, and peers to discuss partnerships, investments, and collaborations. Virtual participants join via breakout rooms.
This 3-hour event is designed for maximum engagement, blending expert insights with interactive elements. The timeline ensures a smooth flow from inspiration to action, culminating in networking to build lasting connections.
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.
Bestia AI, Objection Proof AI
[SF]
[LA]
Real Estate AI Summit
Santa Monica
·
Bestia AI, Objection Proof AI
AI-Powered Real Estate Summit with Steve Trang
An exclusive gathering uniting traditional real estate investors with AI-native infrastructure. Join Steve Trang for his signature fireside chat exploring strategic partnership announcements between Objection Proof AI and Bestia.ai, and intimate discussions on next-generation AI systems transforming real estate operations—from lead generation to deal execution at scale.
=========================================
FIRESIDE CHAT GUEST:
Stephanie Betters - Left Main REI
Steve welcomes Stephanie Betters, founder of Left Main REI, who has been quietly building AI into the backbone of real estate operations. Her platform has become what customers describe as the gold standard for integrating critical property data into a single, intelligent platform that powers faster, smarter deal analysis.
Left Main REI leverages AI-enhanced analytics to transform scattered data points into actionable investment insights—making the difference between mediocre and exceptional deal flow. Stephanie joins Steve to demonstrate how her platform's AI capabilities are already helping investors make better decisions at scale, and she'll share her roadmap for expanding the platform's machine learning models to further automate the deal evaluation process.
MAIN GUEST HONOREE:
Dan Pena - The Trillion Dollar Man
Direct from his castle in Scotland, legendary high-performance business coach Dan Pena—called "The Trillion Dollar Man" because his mentees have collectively created over $1 trillion in equity value—joins us on October 17th as our guest of honor to receive the Icon Award, presented by Mike Dusi, cofounder/CEO of Bestia and one of Dan's own mentees of two decades. Mike credits Dan's mentorship as instrumental in his success as a real estate investor, making this presentation a full-circle moment.
Dan will discuss the greatest transformation of wealth the world has ever seen. AI is rewriting the rules of real estate fortunes—are you going to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity, or sit on your couch binge-watching Netflix and chilling? Dan brings his unfiltered perspective on what it takes to dominate in this new AI-driven economy.
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.
Swissnex in San Francisco
[SF]
[LA]
Robot-Puppy Yoga
Embarcadero
·
Swissnex in San Francisco
Forget puppy-yoga. This is robots-yoga, a playful experiment blending movement, machines, and mindfulness to question how it feels when technology enters a space usually reserved for trust and vulnerability.
This session is for builders, researchers, and curious minds shaping the future of robotics. We’ll stretch, reflect, and then connect over a breakfast designed to spark the conversations that matter. Don’t forget to bring your yoga mat!
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.
Event rules: https://swissnex.org/app/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Swissnex-Event-Rules.pdf
[SF]
[LA]
Women's Health Tech Dinner
Join founders and investors in women's digital health focused startups for a deep and insightful conversation about the challenges they're facing and what we’re building over a healthy, family style meal.
This event costs $100 to cover the costs of food & drinks.
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.
