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Your Guide to the dot.LA Summit 2022
Drew Grant
Drew Grant is dot.LA's Senior Editor. She's a media veteran with over 15-plus years covering entertainment and local journalism. During her tenure at The New York Observer, she founded one of their most popular verticals, tvDownload, and transitioned from generalist to Senior Editor of Entertainment and Culture, overseeing a freelance contributor network and ushering in the paper's redesign. More recently, she was Senior Editor of Special Projects at Collider, a writer for RottenTomatoes streaming series on Peacock and a consulting editor at RealClearLife, Ranker and GritDaily. You can find her across all social media platforms as @Videodrew and send tips to drew@dot.la.
We're so excited to be bringing back our annual dot.LA Summit, held in-person October 21st-22nd at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. Featuring hundreds of top founders, investors and operators for the largest celebration of L.A.'s tech and startup ecosystem, this year's program has a lot going on... and there's still time to register!
Here's what to expect from this year's Summit.
summit graphic dot.la
October 20th (Doors Open at 5 pm PST):
Join on us on our preview night, which begins with a VIP cocktail reception, three fireside chats and a pitch competition. First, we have 2021ās āEntrepreneur of the Yearā Alex Israel of Metropolis Technologies, who will be doing exclusive one-on-one interviews with Arena Club co-founder Brian Lee, followed by two-time Dodgers All-Star Shawn Green.
After that, dot.LA co-founder Spencer Rascoff will host a discussion with Julia Boorstin about her new book, "When Women Lead."
Finally, we wrap up the evening with our annual Pitch Competition, hosted by Fenwick. The winner will be announced the next day, during the main event!
October 21st (Doors Open at 7:30 am PST):
Get ready for a big day by exploring the Bond Exhibit at the Petersen Museum while enjoying a quick breakfast, then head on over to the main stage, where dot.LA co-founder and CEO Sam Adams will be joined by sweetgreen founder Jonathan Neman to discuss L.A.'s historically unique relationship to health food and salads... and what Angelenos eating habits can tell us about the future of sustainable eating.
Also on the main stage will be our Web3 panel on virtual avatars, hosted by reporter Samson Amore. Panelists include Tricia Biggio from Invisible Universe, Asid Malik from Jadu, and MELON CEO Josh Neuman. The panel will provide a chance for startups working on avatars to explain how we could navigate the web and interact with each other using our digital proxies.
Following that, Sam Adams will host another restauranteur and Los Angeles staple, Alex Canter from Canter's Deli and Nextbite, followed by a panel on tackling the housing crisis in Los Angeles hosted by dot.LA reporter Decerry Donato. This panel will discuss techās impact on developments in the industry, including how tech can be used to address affordable housing, homelessness and innovation in a rapidly changing market and be hosted by Crate Modular's Jaren Grady; Deputy Mayor of Budget and Innovation of the City of Los Angeles Jeanne Holm and Ross Maguire of Azure Printed Homes.
Wrapping up the morning we have three breakout rooms, which include a workshop on Scaling Your Leadership, hosted by Evolution and moderated by Evolution Managing Director and Co-founder Matt Auron, featuring panelists Janine Davis, Carolyn Jones, and Erik Kellener. Following that, Pacific Western Bank will host a breakout session called Funding Growth Beyond The Term Sheet. Attendees can also sit in on a panel on Creators, Curators, and Community Builders, hosted by dot.LA writer Lon Harris and featuring guests Jon Bodenheimmer from Spotter, Evan Britton from Famous Birthdays, Jamie Gutfreund of Whaler and Rosie Nguyen of Fanhouse. The panel will focus on the creator economy and how Big Tech money has changed the way influencers monetize their brands.
After a two-hour lunch, we'll return with three more breakout rooms. First up is Charging Up Clean Mobility, hosted by dot.LA writer David Shultz and featuring Paul Gioupis from Zeem Solutions, Ramy El-Bartrawi from EV Mobility and Scott Painter from Autonomy. Following that we have Revolutionizing Online Marketplaces moderated by Grace Kangdani from Bank of America and sponsored by Zoolatech, featuring panelists Roman Kaplun from Zoolatech and Dan Dan Li from Popshop Live. And finally we have Equity in the L.A. Ecosystem, featuring Kojuan āKoā Trinidad-Williams of L.A. Tech and featuring panelists including Stuart McCalla from Evolution, Marcos Gonzalez from Vamos Ventures, Derek Smith from Plug In South LA and Aisling Carlson from Diversity VC.
At 3 p.m., join Spencer Rascoff as we close out our conversation portion of the day in talks with Dana Settle, managing partner at Greycroft, for Founders & Funders: The Artistry Between Transformative Entrepreneurs and Key Investors. The two will discuss the unique relationship between founder and anchor VC in the world of high-growth startups.
Our last main stage panel will be Health in the Post-Roe Era, moderated by Kathryne Cooper of Jumpstart Nova. This panel seeks to address the discrepancy in intent and action from investors in the tech, and financial sides of reproductive health care, while also sharing developments in health tech for those living in the Post-Roe-Era. Panelists include Crystal Adesanya from Kiira Health, Kiki Freeman of HeyJane, Cindy Adam of Choix, and Dr. Jessica Nouhavandi, co-CEO, co-founder and lead pharmacist of Honeybee Health.
Following that, dot.LA will be presenting its annual Startup Awards, and announcing the winner's of the previous night's Pitch Competition. Enjoy appetizers and cocktails as we close down the evening with a mixer hosted by dot.LA, and chat with our editors and journalists about the future of LA Tech.
Register today for dot.LA's Summit 2022, we can't wait to see you there!
dot.LA Summit 2022 would like to thank its official sponsors, including: Bank of America, Fenwick, Metropolis, Zoolatech, Pacific West, Evolution, TriNet, RSM, Satellite Teams, Coda Search, iWallet, CoMotion, ELIQS, Popl, Curbivore, Not Flat Photos and WeWork.
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Drew Grant
Drew Grant is dot.LA's Senior Editor. She's a media veteran with over 15-plus years covering entertainment and local journalism. During her tenure at The New York Observer, she founded one of their most popular verticals, tvDownload, and transitioned from generalist to Senior Editor of Entertainment and Culture, overseeing a freelance contributor network and ushering in the paper's redesign. More recently, she was Senior Editor of Special Projects at Collider, a writer for RottenTomatoes streaming series on Peacock and a consulting editor at RealClearLife, Ranker and GritDaily. You can find her across all social media platforms as @Videodrew and send tips to drew@dot.la.
This Celebrity-Backed, Anti-Fossil Fuel Bank Is Going Public Via SPAC
10:23 AM | August 18, 2021
Aspiration
Aspiration, a banking company that's endeared itself to celebrities like Leonardo Di Caprio with its sustainable banking model, plans to go public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in a deal valued at about $2.3 billion.
By merging with InterPrivate III Financial Partners Inc., a publicly traded shell business, Aspiration will have access to more than $400 million in cash. The funds will in part go towards "marketing and further investment in product innovation and technology," the companies announced Wednesday. Aspiration expects to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ASP" sometime during the fourth quarter.
When the deal closes, Aspiration claims it will become "the only publicly traded consumer financial institution that is a Public Benefit Corporation."
With backing from DiCaprio, Cindy Crawford, Drake and other stars, Aspiration said its financial services "help individuals and companies fight the climate crisis in ways that are easy, automatic, engaging, and powerful." The fintech company pitches itself as an alternative to banks that continue to finance fossil fuel businesses even as the consequences of the climate emergency come into focus.
For individual users, Aspiration promises a platform to "help customers keep their deposits out of fossil fuels, automatically plant trees with every card purchase, and track business and personal Planet & People impact scores so they can shop with a conscience." The company also offers businesses a way to offset their carbon footprint.
The carbon offsets industry is growing rapidly despite facing widespread criticism.
"The risk with offsets is when they create moral hazard, which is when companies, or governments, or individuals would rather continue to emit carbon into the atmosphere and pay someone else to create offsets rather than taking a hard look at how to reduce their own emissions," Alex Rudee of the World Resources Institute told Grist in April.
Los Angeles-based Aspiration opened up to customers in 2015 and in the years that followed it has racked up more than 5 million members. In the past year alone, the company reports it has seen "7x growth" while "planting on average more trees each day than there are in New York's Central Park."
Before co-founding the company, CEO Andrei Cherny reportedly worked as a speechwriter for the Clinton administration, helped Senator Elizabeth Warren develop the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and worked as a fraud prosecutor and consulted for big banks.
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Harri Weber
Harri is dot.LA's senior finance reporter. She previously worked for Gizmodo, Fast Company, VentureBeat and Flipboard. Find her on Twitter and send tips on L.A. startups and venture capital to harrison@dot.la.
The AI Arms Race Heats Up ā Whoās Really Winning?
06:50 AM | February 28, 2025
š¦ Spotlight
Hello, LA!
In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, tech giants are racing to outdo each other, unveiling innovations that promise to redefine our interaction with technology. This week, the spotlight shines on three major developments: Amazon's introduction of Alexa+, OpenAI's release of GPT-4.5, and Meta's announcement of a standalone AI app.
Amazon's Alexa+: Your New AI Companion
Image Source: Amazon
Amazon has unveiled Alexa+, a next-generation AI assistant powered by generative AI.According to Amazon, Alexa+ is designed to be more conversational, smarter, and highly personalized. It can manage tasks ranging from controlling smart home devices to making reservations and providing personalized recommendations. With the ability to understand colloquial expressions and complex queries, Alexa+ aims to make interactions feel less like commands to a machine and more like conversations with a trusted friend.
Alexa+ will be free for Amazon Prime members and available for $19.99 per month for non-members, adding a new premium tier to Amazonās ecosystem. For more details,Amazon's official release covers the top features.
OpenAI's GPT-4.5: A Leap Towards Emotional Intelligence
Image Source: OpenAI
Meanwhile, OpenAI has launched GPT-4.5, its largest and most advanced AI language model to date.In OpenAIās announcement, the company highlights how this upgrade enhances pattern recognition, connection drawing, and creative insight generation. Early testing indicates that interactions with GPT-4.5 feel more natural and intuitive, thanks to its broader knowledge base and refined personality.
This model is particularly adept at writing, programming, and practical problem-solving. However, OpenAI has clarified that GPT-4.5 is not a "frontier model", meaning it may not outperform highly specialized AI in certain areas. Still, it marks a significant step forward in AIās capabilities.
Meta's Standalone AI App: Expanding the AI Ecosystem
Not to be left behind, Meta is set to launch a standalone AI app in the second quarter of 2025.As reported by CNBC, this move aligns with Mark Zuckerbergās vision to position Meta as a leader in AI by the end of the year. The app aims to complement existing platforms like Facebook and Instagram, offering users a dedicated space to interact with Metaās AI technologies.
This initiative is part of Metaās broader strategy to enhance user engagement and stay competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. With rivals like Amazon and OpenAI pushing forward, Meta is making its move to claim a seat at the AI table.
The Bigger Picture
These developments underscore a significant trend: AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, with major tech companies striving to create more intuitive, personalized, and human-like interactions. As AI continues to evolve, users can anticipate more seamless and natural engagements with technology, blurring the lines between human and machine interactions.
In this high-stakes race, the real winners will be those who deliver AI that doesnāt just talk backābut truly understands.
š¤ Venture Deals
LA Companies
- Mitico, a Pasadena-based carbon capture technology company, has raised a $4.3M Seed funding round led by Exergon with participation from Freeflow Ventures, Alliance for Southern California Innovation, and others. The funds will be used to accelerate pilot testing and scale its technology, which captures over 95% of COā emissions from industrial sources like gas-fired power plants and waste-to-energy facilities. - learn more
LA Venture Funds
- Alexandria Venture Investments participated in Eikon Therapeutics' $351M Series D funding round to support the company's advancements in live-cell imaging and protein movement analysis for drug discovery. Based in Hayward, California, Eikon is leveraging its proprietary technology to develop new treatments, with a focus on melanoma and other cancers. The funds will be used to accelerate drug discovery programs and expand clinical research efforts. - learn more
- MTech Capital participated in a ā¬14.4M Series B funding round for Napo, a London-based InsurTech startup specializing in comprehensive pet insurance solutions. The funds will be used to enhance Napo's AI and automation capabilities, aiming to provide more efficient and customer-focused services to pet owners. - learn more
- Mantis VC participated in a $15M Series A funding round for Edera, a Seattle-based company specializing in workload isolation technology. Edera's solutions enhance cloud and AI infrastructure security by providing strong workload isolation, enabling developers to build rapidly without compromising security. The funds will be used to expand Edera's product offerings, including support for AI infrastructure, and to accelerate the adoption of their technology in securing cloud-native environments. - learn more
- B Capital participated in a $13.4M Seed funding round for Goose, a Chicago-based technology company developing a next-generation operating system for pet care providers. Goose's platform integrates services such as boarding, day care, grooming, training, and retail, aiming to streamline operations and enhance customer interactions for pet care businesses. The newly raised funds will be used to accelerate product development, expand partnerships, and meet the growing demand for their enterprise-ready platform. - learn more
- 75 & Sunny Ventures participated in a $6.7M Seed funding round for HouseWhisper, a Seattle-based company developing an AI-powered assistant designed to enhance real estate agents' productivity by automating administrative tasks. The funds will be used to advance product development, expand the team, and enhance AI capabilities, aiming to transform agent workflows and improve client engagement. - learn more
- Dangerous Ventures participated in an $18.5M Series A funding round for Cambium, a Baltimore-based supply chain technology company specializing in sustainable wood products. Cambium leverages AI to transform salvaged wood into Carbon Smartā¢ Wood and mass timber products, aiming to modernize the $788 billion wood products industry. The funds will be used to deploy AI technology, strengthen their wood supply network, expand into mass timber offerings, and scale operations to meet the growing demand for sustainable building materials. - learn more
- Nomad Ventures led a $1.7M Pre-seed funding round for WilsonAI, a London-based company developing the world's first AI-powered paralegal designed to integrate directly into in-house legal teams. Founded in August 2024 by Gus Neate and Alex Wang, WilsonAI aims to automate repetitive legal tasks, such as handling routine requests and reviewing contracts, thereby streamlining workflows. The funds will be used to enhance WilsonAI's AI capabilities, expand integrations with existing legal tech systems, and accelerate customer onboarding across various industries. - learn more
- Bill Silva Ventures participated in an ā¬800,000 funding round for Solid IO, a Helsinki-based medtech company specializing in patient-specific organ-on-chip technology. Solid IO's platform replicates individual tumor microenvironments to provide real-time, accurate data on cancer responses to immunotherapies and combination treatments. The funds will be used to advance their tumor-on-chip platform, aiming to enhance personalized cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes. - learn more
LA Exits
- Loki Solutions, a company specializing in advanced cyber operations and intelligence analysis, has been acquired by VTG to expand its capabilities within the intelligence community. The acquisition strengthens VTGās offerings in national security and cyber defense, integrating Loki Solutionsā expertise to support critical missions. - learn more
- Dave's Hot Chicken, a Pasadena, California-based chain renowned for its Nashville-style hot chicken, has been acquired by private equity firm Roark Capital in a deal valued at approximately $1 billion. Founded in 2017, Dave's Hot Chicken has rapidly expanded to over 250 locations worldwide, generating around $1 billion in annual sales. The company is majority-owned by its foundersāDave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyanāand counts rapper Drake among its investors. Roark Capital, based in Atlanta, manages $38 billion in assets and owns a portfolio of major restaurant brands, including Arby's, Culver's, and Subway. - learn more
- Mob Scene, a premier Hollywood marketing agency specializing in film studios, television networks, and streaming services, has been acquired by Connekkt Media, one of Asia's largest media and entertainment-technology companies. This strategic acquisition aims to combine Mob Scene's creative marketing expertise with Connekkt Media's technological capabilities, enhancing their global reach and service offerings. Under the new agreement, Mob Scene's co-founder and CEO, Tom Grane, will continue to lead the company. - learn more
- Curious Refuge, a platform dedicated to supporting generative AI storytellers, has been acquired by Promise, a pioneering film and media company. This acquisition aims to empower and discover AI-driven storytellers worldwide, fostering a vibrant creative community that connects artists, filmmakers, and technologists. By integrating Curious Refuge's resources and community with Promise's innovative approach, the collaboration seeks to revolutionize the landscape of AI-generated storytelling. - learn more
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