☕️ Top Cafes For Running into LA's Tech Leaders

Christian Hetrick

Christian Hetrick is dot.LA's Entertainment Tech Reporter. He was formerly a business reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and reported on New Jersey politics for the Observer and the Press of Atlantic City.

☕️ Top Cafes For Running into LA's Tech Leaders
Image Source: Timeout.com

Good Morning!

We’re are releasing a new edition – a heartfelt homage to Los Angeles. In the hustle and bustle of work and family life, its easy to forget what makes this city truly magical. Take these 2 minutes to pause with us and explore the LA gems in this vibrant, diverse, and utterly unique parking lot we call home. Every other week we will release a list of some type of establishments loved by Los Angeles VCs, entrepreneurs, your best friend’s cousin and everyone in-between.

Help us as we shine a spotlight on Los Angeles' unique establishments that contribute to the city's charm and indirectly enrich its thriving tech ecosystem. This week we are featuring the eight best coffee shops on the Westside corroborated by influential VCs and founders alike. Our list flows west to east and the cafes were evaluated on the following criteria:

  • ☕️ Coffee Quality (table stakes)
  • 💻 Work friendly environment (wifi, noise, outlets, seating, etc.)
  • 🚗 Parking (can make or break a meeting)

Don’t forget about our current referral contest! Whoever refers the most friends to dot.LA using our referral program by October 31st will get a coffee and conversation with Spencer Rascoff, where you can pitch him, get business advice, or just shoot the breeze. This is a great opportunity for any current or future entrepreneur! Perfect time to visit one of the following coffee shops ☕️☕️☕️

Top Cafes For Running into LA's Tech Leaders

Primo Passo

Image Source: Timeout.com

Neighborhood: Wilshire/Montana

Address: 702 Montana Ave Santa Monica, CA 90403

Description: Primo Passo is a cute locally owned spot on Montana Ave with fantastic coffee. Fairly quiet compared to neighboring coffee spots on Montana with a vast pastry assortment and small bites from nearby Farmshop.

Quick Rundown: Indoor and outdoor seating. No wifi. Clean minimalist vibe. Not too loud. Lots of street parking you just may have to walk a block or two.

Caffe Luxxe

Image Source: Caffe Luxxe

Neighborhood: Wilshire/Montana

Address: 925 Montana Ave Santa Monica, CA 90403

Description: The very first Caffe Luxxe modeled after a European cafe, this cozy coffee shop is owned by two best friends in LA. There is a decent amount of seating but no wifi as the cafe is focused on human connection. Great for a meeting but probably not great for a work session.

Quick Rundown: Parking lot in the back and metered street parking. No wifi. Mostly Indoor Seating. European cozy vibe.

GoodBoyBob Coffee

Image Source: EaterLA

Neighborhood: Santa Monica

Address: 2058 Broadway Santa Monica, CA 90404

Description: Industrial, hidden, charming, and attached to a virtual reality studio, GoodBoyBob is a prime place to hunker down and get some work done. The coffee is roasted in-house and the menu features whole wheat wraps, grain bowls, pastries and an extensive Happy Hour menu to reward yourself after all of your hard work.

Quick Rundown: Indoor and outdoor seating. Fast wifi. Industrial Chic Vibe. Not too loud. Fairly easy to find parking.

Zinqué - Venice

Image Source: Eater LA

Neighborhood: Venice

Address: 1440 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Description: A vibrant and airy, low-key neighborhood restaurant with french-inspired dishes. They have wifi but you generally don’t see a bunch of people head down in their computers. The majority of people here are in meetings or out grabbing a meal with friends.

Quick Rundown: Indoor and outdoor seating. Fast wifi. Elevated beachy vibe. parking?

Alana’s Coffee Roasters

Image Source: Folk LA

Neighborhood: Mar Vista

Address: 12511 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Description: Locally owned, Alana started off in farmers markets and moved to a brick and mortar in 2016. Alana is a quant neighborhood coffee shop with a super cute patio and some killer coffee.

Quick Rundown: Mostly outdoor seating. No wifi. Clean surfer vibe. Not too loud. Parking lot plus metered street parking.

Urth Caffe - Beverly Hills

Image Source: Urth Caffe

Neighborhood: Beverly Hills

Address: 267 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Description: Urth is a unique Los Angeles staple located in an old home flanked by classic retail establishments. Expect it to be pretty crowded, but you can almost always grab a table within a few minutes. There is wifi, but the bustling atmosphere make for a better meeting location than a focused work session. The food and drink menu is extensive but the coffee, tea and pastries are the star of the show. You really can’t go wrong.

Quick Rundown: Mostly outdoor seating. Fast wifi. Quirky cozy vibe. First 2 hours are free for public parking garage north on Beverly plus metered street parking.

Maru Espresso Bar

Image Source: lovebeverlyhills.com

Neighborhood: Beverly Hills

Address: 201 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Description: Maru Coffee prioritizes top-tier coffee quality, and their menu stays true to form, quality over quantity. While the Beverly Hills branch lacks seating, it neighbors Beverly Canon Gardens, a sprawling 33,000-square-foot expanse of public gardens and open spaces with communal outdoor dining spots, water features, and beautifully landscaped gardens. Pro tip there’s a fantastic creperie in Beverly Canon Gardens!

Quick Rundown: Outdoor seating. Fast wifi. Urban Oasis Vibe. Not too loud. First 2 hours are free for public parking garage north on Canon plus metered street parking.

Verve Coffee Roasters

Image Source: Verve Coffee Roasters

Neighborhood: West Hollywood

Address: 8925 Melrose Ave West Hollywood, CA 90069

Description: We may be using a liberal definition of West LA, but it is called West Hollywood which seems like pretty bullet proof logic. Located along Melrose Avenue in the heart of West Hollywood, Verve is a not so hidden gem with a fantastic outdoor patio. Their great coffee is complimented by a menu full of snacks and sandwiches. This spot is ideal for an in-person meeting because there are very few outlets and the tables are fairly small.

Quick Rundown: Indoor and outdoor seating. Fast wifi. Tech-Hipster Vibe. Not too loud. Parking can be rough at peak times.

The Legal System Just Got Its AI Upgrade

🔦 Spotlight

Hello Los Angeles!

We talk a lot about AI in L.A., usually in the context of streaming platforms that “recommend” a movie you regret watching or apps that let you swap your face onto a Marvel poster. But the most interesting AI stories here aren’t gimmicks; they’re rewiring the hidden machinery of massive, slow moving industries. And this week, that spotlight falls on…lawyers.

LawPro.ai, a Los Angeles based legal tech startup, just closed a priced seed round led by Scopus Ventures to bring AI deeper into the world of injury claims. Their new “Case Assistant” isn’t about flashy automation, it’s about instantly surfacing case insights, cutting down endless hours of drafting, and helping law firms run with the precision of a Formula 1 pit crew.

Here’s why this matters: the legal industry has been one of the last holdouts when it comes to adopting tech that actually speeds things up. Now, with AI making its way from the red carpet to the courtroom, we’re watching the early stages of a shift that could change how justice is delivered in real time. In L.A., we’ve already seen AI startups shaking up entertainment, aerospace, and healthcare. Legal might be next.

And if LawPro.ai pulls it off, you might not just get a faster verdict, you might see the ripple effect across an industry that has spent decades charging by the hour. In other words, the billable clock might finally start running in our favor.


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

    • Equatic, a company using a patented seawater electrolysis process to remove atmospheric carbon dioxide while producing green hydrogen, has raised $11.6M in a Series A funding round. The round was co-led by Temasek Trust’s Catalytic Capital for Climate and Health (C3H) and Singapore-based Kibo Invest, and the capital will support the engineering, commercialization, and construction of its first 100‑kilotonne carbon removal facility, as well as broader manufacturing and technological development. - learn more
    • SetPoint Medical has secured $140M in private financing, comprising a $25M second tranche of its Series C round and a $115M Series D round co-led by Elevage Medical Technologies and Ally Bridge Group. The funds will be used to launch and scale commercialization of the FDA approved SetPoint System, a pioneering neuroimmune modulation implant that targets the vagus nerve to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, as well as to advance development of therapies for other autoimmune conditions. - learn more

    LA Venture Funds

      • Bonfire Ventures participated in Topline Pro’s $27M Series B funding round to help the company scale its AI driven platform for local home service businesses. Topline Pro provides tools for plumbers, landscapers, painters, and other service providers to manage websites, marketing, CRM, payments, and more, enabling them to operate as scalable, autonomous enterprises. The new funding will be used to enhance its AI agent suite and expand onboarding, customer success, and product development capabilities to deliver greater ROI for small businesses. - learn more
      • B Capital participated in Isaac Health’s $10.5M Series A funding round, backing the company’s mission to expand access to brain health and dementia care. Isaac Health provides virtual and in-home services nationwide and will use the funds to enhance its AI-driven screening tools, strengthen its technology platform, and grow partnerships with health systems and payers. - learn more
      • Bold Capital Partners joined a $44M Series C financing round for Gameto, a clinical stage biotech company developing stem cell derived reproductive therapies. The new funding, which brings Gameto’s total capital raised to approximately $127M, will support completion of its pivotal Phase 3 trial of Fertilo, an iPSC derived egg maturation therapy, and the company’s global regulatory filings and commercialization efforts. - learn more
      • M13 led a seed round that raised $8.5M for Mako, a New York based AI startup focused on automating GPU code optimization. Mako’s platform lets developers write in familiar high level languages while its AI intelligently generates and continuously tunes low level GPU kernels, yielding faster performance, cost savings, and compatibility across hardware like NVIDIA, AMD, and Tenstorrent. The fresh funding will be used to expand the engineering team, deepen hardware support, and bring Mako’s performance tools to a broader audience in AI, graphics, simulation, and scientific computing. - learn more
      • Rebel Fund participated in a $9M Series A round for Chowdeck, a profitable Nigerian food delivery startup aiming to build Africa’s next super app for food, groceries, and essentials. With this capital, Chowdeck plans to roll out its quick commerce strategy, powered by a network of dark stores and hyper local logistics, to speed up delivery across Nigeria and Ghana. - learn more
        LA Exits
        • Mayweather Boxing + Fitness has been acquired by Giant Ideas, LLC, alongside KickHouse, and will be combined with the company’s flagship brand Legends Boxing to form the largest skill based boutique fitness network with more than 70 studios worldwide. Rather than focusing solely on rapid expansion, the unified brands will prioritize operational excellence, franchisee success, and community driven skill development. - learn more

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                  Locket, Disney, Instagram and the Battle for Your Attention

                  🔦 Spotlight

                  Happy Friday, Los Angeles!

                  This week, LA’s biggest tech and media players made one thing clear: they want to own the relationship. Whether it’s a celebrity sending selfies straight to your home screen or a content giant rewriting the rules of sports broadcasting, the power shift toward more curated, direct experiences is unmistakable, and it’s being engineered right here.

                  Image Source : Locket

                  📸 Locket Doubles Down on Star Power

                  Venice-based Locket, the viral photo sharing app that made homescreen widgets cool, is now leaning into what LA does best: celebrity. Its new feature, Celebrity Lockets, allows artists to send exclusive photos directly to fans’ home screens. Early adopters include Suki Waterhouse and JVKE, with creators curating limited fan access to maintain intimacy and exclusivity. As Locket evolves from a casual social tool into a direct fan engagement platform, it’s becoming an increasingly relevant player in LA’s creator tech ecosystem.

                  🏈 Disney’s ESPN Plays Offense

                  Disney made a trio of bold moves this week that solidify ESPN’s future and its dominance in sports media. It’s buying out the NFL’s stake in ESPN, securing exclusive NFL Draft and behind the scenes content through 2033, and finally giving its standalone ESPN streaming service a launch date: August 21, 2025. That’s a power play straight out of Burbank. At the same time, Disney announced it will no longer report individual subscriber numbers for Disney Plus and Hulu, signaling a shift in how it wants investors and maybe consumers to measure success.

                  🗞️ The New York Post Bets on LA

                  In a sign of LA’s growing national influence not just in entertainment, but in news, the New York Post is launching a West Coast vertical called The California Post. With an editorial mission to cover the state’s cultural and political pulse, this move reflects a broader trend of major media brands planting roots in LA to chase both readers and relevance. For local media startups, content creators, and civic tech players, it’s yet another sign that the competition and the opportunity is growing.

                  Image Source: Meta

                  📱 Instagram Wants Your Inner Circle

                  Instagram rolled out a new set of features this week that prioritize connection with close friends. Users can now share what they’re doing, watching, or feeling with a smaller group, clearly borrowing from the intimacy playbooks of apps like BeReal, Snapchat, and yes, Locket. As social platforms shift from mass broadcast to curated circles, LA-based creators and consumer startups should take note: the next frontier might not be going viral, it might be going personal.

                  From star-powered lockets to streaming shakeups and platform reinventions, this week’s stories highlight how LA’s tech and media companies are rewriting the rules on connection and control.

                  Now onto this week’s venture deals 👇

                  🤝 Venture Deals

                  LA Venture Funds

                    • Starburst co-invested in Madrid-based SpaceTech startup Orbital Paradigm’s €470,000 raise, part of an ongoing €2M funding round led by Akka. The company is developing reusable orbital re-entry capsules aimed at reducing costs and increasing sustainability for space missions. Starburst’s participation underscores its focus on backing innovative aerospace technologies with commercial and defense applications. - learn more
                    • Rebel Fund participated in Orbital Operations’ $8.8M seed round, which came shortly after the company graduated from Y Combinator. The funding will support development of the company’s high-thrust orbital transfer vehicle, designed to maneuver satellites and other payloads in space more efficiently. - learn more
                    • Fourth Revolution Capital participated in SuperGaming’s $15M Series B round, which valued the company at $100M, five times its previous valuation. The funds will help expand titles like Indus Battle Royale internationally and scale SuperGaming’s tools for developers in emerging markets. - learn more
                    • Cedars-Sinai Health Ventures participated in Elion’s $9.3M seed round, joining NEA and others in backing the AI-powered healthcare research and intelligence platform. Elion helps over 60% of U.S. health systems evaluate emerging technologies through its structured vendor marketplace. The funds will support platform development, new product launches, market expansion, and team growth. - learn more
                    • M13 led the $10M seed round for Kontext, an AI-powered contextual advertising startup emerging from stealth mode. Kontext’s platform enables real-time ads inside chatbot responses using large language models, and the funding will help expand its engineering team and develop image-based ad formats. - learn more
                    • STORY3 Capital Partners made a significant minority investment in U.K.-based activewear brand Adanola, valuing the company at approximately $530 million. This strategic partnership brings STORY3’s deep experience in consumer brand scaling to support Adanola’s global expansion, particularly across the U.K. and U.S. markets. - learn more
                    • Walkabout Ventures participated in OLarry’s $10M Series A round, which was led by TTV Capital and included Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures. The funding brings OLarry’s total capital raised to $14.5M and will be used to scale its AI-powered tax advisory platform for high-net-worth individuals and to acquire regional CPA firms as part of its growth strategy. - learn more
                    • Glendon Capital Management participated in Grasshopper’s $46.6M funding round, which was led by Patriot Financial Partners, to support the bank’s merger with Auto Club Trust in April 2025. Their investment reflects confidence in Grasshopper’s ability to scale its digital banking platform and expand its suite of business and consumer financial products. Growth metrics as of June 30, 2025 showed a 53% increase in assets, an 81% surge in deposits, and a 49% rise in loans, all backed by this strategic capital infusion. - learn more
                    • Mucker Capital participated in beatBread’s $124M capital raise, alongside Citi’s SPRINT team, Deciens Capital, and Advantage Capital. Their involvement supports beatBread’s strategy to expand sales, marketing, and technology operations, while enabling greater funding flexibility for independent artists, songwriters, and labels through its AI-powered platform. - learn more
                    • B Capital co-led Positive Development’s $51.5M Series C funding round alongside aMoon and Flare Capital Partners, helping to fuel expansion of its developmental therapy model for autistic children. Their involvement underscores confidence in the company’s family-centered, play-based approach—which lowers costs by about 50% compared to traditional ABA therapy—and supports growth through new Medicaid partnerships and technology enhancements. - learn more
                    • Clocktower Ventures participated in Creditop’s latest $3.7M funding round, which was led by Collide Capital and also included Alaya Capital, Amador Holdings, Newtopia, and Driven VC. Their involvement supports Creditop’s mission to enable credit access at the point of sale, without a credit card, and will help fintech deepen its footprint in Colombia while exploring expansion across Central America and Peru. - learn more
                    • Thiel Capital participated in Pilgrim’s $4.3 million seed funding round, backing the biotech startup founded by 21-year-old Jake Adler after he demonstrated its hemostatic dressing, Kingsfoil, on himself. Their support underscores confidence in Pilgrim’s aggressive R&D and dual-use medical platform targeting both military and civilian emergency care. - learn more
                    LA Exits
                    • ElectroMagnetic Systems, Inc., a California-based specialist in AI and machine learning-powered target recognition software for space-based radar, has been acquired by Voyager. The deal strengthens Voyager’s AI-native surveillance and intelligence capabilities, enabling real-time monitoring across ground, air, and space domains to meet evolving defense and commercial demands. - learn more
                    • Daring Foods is being acquired by Australia’s leading plant-based meat company, v2food, in a move that strengthens v2food’s push into the U.S. market. Daring will continue operating under its own brand and will serve as a platform to introduce v2food’s own products across the States. The deal, paired with a strategic partnership with Japanese food giant Ajinomoto, aims to accelerate innovation in clean-label protein and expand global reach. - learn more
                    • Irwin Naturals is being acquired by FitLife Brands in an all-cash transaction valued at $42.5M, which includes approximately $16M in net working capital. The deal, expected to close around August 8, 2025, will nearly double FitLife’s scale, with projected combined annual revenue of over $120M and adjusted EBITDA between $20–25M. It will be funded with cash on hand, a new term loan, and a revolving credit facility, and is expected to generate synergies through complementary product lines, broader mass-market distribution, and improved operational efficiencies. - learn more
                    • Solsniper, a Solana-focused trading and analytics platform known for high-speed memecoin execution, has been acquired by Phantom as part of its strategy to expand beyond wallets into full-service on-chain finance. The Solsniper team will join Phantom to enhance its advanced trading features, while the platform will continue operating independently. The move underscores Phantom’s ambition to offer seamless, integrated trading tools within the Solana ecosystem. - learn more
                    • Cinelease is being acquired by Zello, a private investment platform dedicated to scaling businesses across the entertainment industry, in a strategic move to bolster production infrastructure and amplify its presence across North America. Under Zello’s ownership, Cinelease will continue operating as a standalone company led by its veteran team, enhancing its lighting, grip, and studio offerings for film, TV, and commercial productions. This acquisition sets the stage for disciplined growth and stronger relationships within the film and television production ecosystem. - learn more

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                            Smart Shoes for Kids? Skechers Thinks So 👟

                            🔦 Spotlight

                            Happy Friday, LA!

                            This week, Skechers may have just kicked off a new trend that’s bound to have parents and tech lovers talking. They've unveiled the "Find My Skechers" line, kids’ sneakers that come with a hidden compartment to securely hold an Apple AirTag. For $52 to $58, parents can now track their child’s shoes in real-time using the Find My app, giving a whole new meaning to "keeping an eye on things." While these tech-savvy kicks are already gaining attention, will they become the new norm in kids' footwear? And who’s next? Will Nike or Adidas be jumping on the AirTag bandwagon, or is Skechers setting the stage for a whole new wave of tech-integrated fashion?

                            But it’s not all smooth sailing. This innovation raises some interesting questions about privacy and surveillance. Are we crossing a line when we start tracking our kids’ every move through their shoes? While Apple’s anti-stalking features are in place to prevent misuse, it will be intriguing to see how other brands and parents respond to this new blend of fashion and tech.

                            What do you think? Could this become a must-have feature in the next generation of kids' gear, or is it a step too far? Let us know your thoughts!

                            🤝 Venture Deals

                            LA Companies

                            • LakeFS, a provider of Git-like version control for data lakes, has secured $20M in a growth funding round led by Maor Investments. The funds will support the company's expansion efforts and product development aimed at enhancing data engineering and AI initiatives within enterprise and public sector environments. - learn more

                            LA Venture Funds

                              • Sound Ventures co-led the $16.1M Series A funding round for Knit, an AI-powered consumer research platform. The funds will be used to accelerate product development, enhance AI capabilities, and expand global research operations. This investment underscores the growing trend of combining AI with human expertise to deliver faster, cost-effective, and high-quality insights for enterprise research. - learn more
                              • Anthos Capital co-led a $60M Series A funding round for Good Job Games, a mobile game developer known for creating casual and hyper-casual games. The investment, co-led by Menlo Ventures, will support the company's growth, enabling the expansion of its game portfolio and enhancing user engagement through innovative gameplay features. This funding marks a significant step in scaling Good Job Games’ operations and solidifying its position in the competitive mobile gaming market. - learn more
                              • Pinegrove Capital Partners participated in Ramp's $500M Series E-2 funding round, which values the company at $22.5 billion. The funds will be used to accelerate Ramp's AI-driven financial tools, aiming to enhance automation and efficiency in corporate finance operations. - learn more
                              • Riot Ventures participated in Oxide Computer Company's $100M Series B funding round, led by the U.S. Innovative Technology Fund (USIT). This investment will enable Oxide to scale its manufacturing capabilities, enhance customer support, and accelerate product delivery to meet the growing demand for on-premises cloud computing solutions. - learn more
                              • Rebel Fund participated in a $3.2M seed funding round for Caseflood.ai, a San Francisco-based legal tech startup offering AI-powered client intake solutions for law firms. The funds will support the development of Caseflood's advanced voice agent, Luna, which autonomously handles client interactions, including consultations and retainer signings, aiming to enhance conversion rates and operational efficiency for law firms. - learn more
                              • Smash Capital participated in Ambience Healthcare's $243M Series C funding round, co-led by Oak HC/FT and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). The investment will support Ambience's expansion of its ambient AI platform, which automates clinical documentation, coding, and workflow tasks across over 200 specialties. The platform integrates directly with electronic health records, enhancing efficiency and compliance in healthcare settings. - learn more
                              • ARTBIO, a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company developing alpha radioligand therapies for cancer treatment, has secured $132M in a Series B funding round. The round was co-led by Sofinnova Investments and B Capital, with participation from Alexandria Venture Investments and other investors. The funds will support the advancement of ARTBIO's lead program, AB001, through Phase II clinical trials, and facilitate the expansion of its manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure. - learn more
                              • Rebel Fund participated in OffDeal's $12M Series A funding round, led by Radical Ventures, to support the company's mission of building the world's first AI-native investment bank. OffDeal aims to democratize access to high-quality M&A advisory services for small and mid-sized businesses by automating analyst tasks with AI, enabling efficient sell-side transactions. The funds will help scale OffDeal's technology-driven, advisor-led approach to facilitate successful exits for entrepreneurs. - learn more
                              • Sandbox Studios participated in a $3M seed funding round for Sarelly Sarelly, a Mexican cosmetics brand, with backing from U.S. investors like Wollef, Morgan Creek Capital Management, and Hyve Ventures. The funds will support Sarelly Sarelly's expansion into the U.S. market, including retail launches at Ulta Beauty and growth on digital platforms like TikTok Shop. - learn more

                              LA Exits
                              • NEOGOV, an El Segundo-based provider of HR and compliance software for U.S. public sector agencies, has been acquired by EQT and CPP Investments in a deal valued at over $3 billion. The acquisition will help NEOGOV expand its product offerings and grow its presence across North America. - learn more

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