Here's What to Expect at LA Tech Week 2023

Samson Amore

Samson Amore is a reporter for dot.LA. He holds a degree in journalism from Emerson College. Send tips or pitches to samsonamore@dot.la and find him on Twitter @Samsonamore.

Here's What to Expect at LA Tech Week 2023
Evan Xie

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Los Angeles Tech Week returns for another year this June, and the packed slate of events ranges from lavish parties in Beverly Hills mansions to karaoke with venture capitalists.


This year, the festivities will be held from June 5-11. In addition to a16z, local investors including M13, Clocktower Technology Ventures, MaC Ventures, Science Inc. and Fika Ventures are all slated to attend or host their own networking or pitching events.

The weeklong event is bookended by other similar tech weeks in two prominent tech cities, San Francisco and New York. In total, there’s more than 100 events scheduled throughout the week, and attendees have to register for each individual activity. Here’s a selection of events that’ll take place during LA Tech Week 2023.

Black and Brown VCs and Founders Brunch: BLCK VC and LatinxVC, two groups created to promote and advance work done by people of color in the venture investing community, will host a meetup with “brunch-inspired” food and drinks in West Hollywood. The event promises the opportunity to network with a wide variety of industry professionals, from space technology to consumer packaged goods. It’ll take place Monday, June 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Proptech Meetup and Pacaso Open House: Spencer Rascoff, founder of Zillow and property broker startup Pacaso (and our very own dot.LA), will host a meetup with property technology founders and enthusiasts at a Pacaso home in Malibu, just off the PCH. The event will be held June 5 from 1-3 p.m. Register for the event address.

Techstars Aerospace and Defense Mixer: NASA’s Pasadena-based Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the U.S. Space Force and Techstars are hosting a networking and happy hour event at Techstars’ office in Culver City during tech week. The event will bring together both federal and startup players in the space tech space, and also include information for aerospace tech founders who might be interested in applying to be a part of Techstars’ space accelerator program. This takes place Tuesday, June 6 from 2-6 p.m.

Investor Oasis by the Beach: Local venture capital outfit TenOneTen Ventures is partnering with neighboring Nomadic Ventures and San Francisco-based Marcy Venture Partners to host a beachside happy hour for local investors and founders at Venice Beach on Tuesday. The event will take place at sunset, from 5-8pm on June 6.

UCLA Anderson Elevating Voices: A Pitch Competition & Networking Opportunity: Among the handful of university-sponsored events at LA Tech Week this year is this pitch competition sponsored by UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. The competition is open to any startups who have raised less than $500,000, don’t have a graduate business degree or have sold less than $20,000 last year. The top winner will receive a cash prize and access to UCLA’s incubator at the Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Scheduled for 6-9 p.m. on June 6 at Sip & Sonder in Inglewood.

Female Founders: Planning. Pivoting. Profiting: This pithily-named event is sponsored by New York University’s LA campus and will feature a panel of several female founders discussing how they’ve started and managed their businesses. It’ll be moderated by NYU adjunct professor Shivani Honwad, Esq. and take place from 2-4 p.m. on June 6.

Supercharge LA: In partnership with Pledge LA, dot.LA will be hosting an evening of live music, food, drinks and guest speakers (including Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler) on Wednesday, June 7 from 6-10 p.m. The event will take place at the 3rd St. Promenade at 1212 Santa Monica, and promises to bring together hundreds of entrepreneurs and investors, all eager to discuss the tech and startup ecosystem in LA. Register for our paid event here.

First Republic Bank Clubhouse: Got questions about First Republic Bank’s recent collapse? This may (or may not) be the time to field them. First Republic is hosting a “casual” midday lunch networking event featuring beverages and bratwurst in Venice on Wednesday, June 7 from 1-4 p.m.

a16z & Stonks: Gaming & Entertainment Demo Day Hosted by Google: Google’s Venice headquarters at 340 Main St. will host a demo day on Wednesday, where six startup founders in the gaming and entertainment industries will pitch their products to an audience of investors and press. Founders looking to be part of the pitch lineup can register here. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on June 7.

Aerospace Meets Climate Tech: A number of founders and investors in the aerospace and climate industries will converge in Hawthorne not far from SpaceX’s headquarters to discuss innovation in the climate technology industry during tech week. It’ll include electric speedboat company Arc Boats, LowerCarbon Capital, and former Chief Sustainability Officer of the City of LA Lauren Faber O’Connor, to name a few. The event will be held Thursday, June 8 from 5-8 p.m.

Gen AI Virtual Worlds Hackathon: This event actually takes place over multiple days; Beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, June 9 and running through June 11. The hackathon encourages developers to use artificial intelligence tools to create “immersive virtual worlds” corresponding to this year’s theme of “heroes and villains,” with the chance to win a combined $10,000 worth of prizes. It’ll be held at Loyola Marymount University’s Playa Vista campus all three days; Attendees can apply to register here.

Sports in LA: Investing, Founding and Growing: Join sponsor Athlete Strategies and its CEO Anthony Baldini for an event discussing LA’s sports and technology ecosystem at the 3rd Street Promenade on Friday. The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 9.

Rooftop Angel City FC Watch Party and Innovator Panel, with Carta: One of the few tech week events scheduled over the weekend, San Francisco-based startup Carta is hosting a watch party for local women’s pro soccer team Angel City FC at Venice’s Neuhouse on Saturday. In attendance will be Angel City FC’s vice president of strategy Kari Fleischauer and several other investors and founders. The event will be held from 2:30 to 6 p.m. on June 10.

Registration information and a full list of LA Tech Week events can be found here.

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⚖️FTC’s "Click to Cancel" Rule and Its Ripple Effect on Tech

🔦 Spotlight

Happy Friday Los Angeles,

The FTC’s new “Click to Cancel” rule is shaking up subscription-based tech. Now, instead of navigating a maze of cancellation hurdles, users can cancel subscriptions as easily as they signed up—with a single click. This shift is a wake-up call for SaaS, streaming, and app-based companies, where once-hidden exit options often kept users around simply because canceling was a hassle.

The rule also requires businesses to send regular renewal reminders, ensuring customers stay informed about upcoming charges. It's more than a cancellation button—it’s about transparency and giving users control over their decisions.

For startups, the impact goes deeper than UX adjustments. Many have relied on "dark patterns," which subtly discourage cancellations by hiding the exit. Now, companies must shift toward building genuine loyalty by delivering real value, not by complicating exits.

While this might affect retention rates initially, it could lead to more sustainable business models that rely on satisfaction-driven loyalty. Investors may start prioritizing companies that emphasize transparent, long-term engagement over those that depend on dark patterns to maintain retention metrics.

The rule opens the door to more ethical UX design and a truly user-centered approach across the tech industry. It may even set a precedent against manipulative design in other areas, such as privacy settings or payment methods.

Ultimately, the “Click to Cancel” rule presents an opportunity for the tech industry to foster trust and build stronger customer relationships. Startups and established companies that embrace transparency will likely stand out as leaders in a new era of customer-centric tech, where trust—not tricky design—is what retains users.

As the tech landscape continues to evolve, LA Tech Week 2024 offers a chance to explore these shifts in real-time. Check out the upcoming event lineups to stay informed and make the most of your time:

For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • Ghost, a company supporting top brands and retailers with streamlined logistics and fulfillment solutions, raised a $40M Series C funding round led by L Catterton to fuel its continued growth and innovation. - learn more

LA Venture Funds
  • Assembly Ventures participated in a $27M Series A round for Monogoto, a provider of software-defined connectivity solutions that enable secure, cloud-based IoT and cellular network management on a global scale. - learn more
  • Angeleno Group participated in a $32M Series C round for REsurety, a company that recently launched an innovative clean energy marketplace aimed at providing better financial and operational insights to support renewable energy transactions. - learn more

    Download the dot.LA App

    🌴🧑‍💻 Your Guide to LA Tech Week 2024

    🔦 Spotlight

    Happy Friday Los Angeles,

    As many of you know, LA Tech Week is right around the corner, kicking off next Monday October 14th bringing together founders, creatives, investors, and engineers for a week of immersive events, panels, and socials across the city. From blockchain and AI to biotech and design, LA Tech Week is a chance to dive into the ideas shaping today’s technology landscape.


    What to Look Forward To

    Insights from Visionary Leaders: Hear firsthand from industry trailblazers as they share stories, challenges, and key lessons from their experiences. Expect fresh perspectives on AI, venture capital, biotech, and the ethical questions around emerging technologies.

    Interactive Panels: This week isn’t about watching from the sidelines; it’s about engaging directly with the tech community. Participate in hands-on panels discussing everything from startup scaling to ethical AI, with honest insights from those actively shaping these fields.

    Networking Mixers & Social Events: Meet and connect with founders, VCs, developers, designers, and fellow techies across LA. Rooftop mixers, lunch meetups, and creative gatherings offer the perfect chance to spark ideas and collaborate.

    Plan your week with the daily lineup, organized by location for easy navigation:

    For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

    Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!!


    🤝 Venture Deals

    LA Companies

    • Clout Kitchen, a Los Angeles and Manila based startup, has raised $4.45M in seed funding, co-led by a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge, to develop AI-powered digital twins, which enables gaming creators to produce realistic virtual avatars for content and fan engagement. - learn more
    • MeWe, a privacy-focused social media platform, has raised an initial $6M in Series B funding led by McCourt Global to support Web3 integration and expand its decentralized network for 20 millions users. - learn more

      LA Venture Funds
      • EGB Capital participated in a $10M Series A funding round for MiLaboratories, which develops software that enables biologists to independently analyze complex genomic data, accelerating research and discovery in fields like drug development. - learn more
      • Crosscut Ventures participated in the $13.75M seed round for Airloom Energy, a company focused on developing airborne wind energy technology to harness high-altitude winds, with plans to accelerate a pilot project in Wyoming. - learn more
      • Overture VC participated in a $5.5M Seed funding round for Molg Inc., a company developing robotics and software for circular manufacturing, designed to disassemble electronics efficiently and recover valuable materials to reduce e-waste and support sustainable production. - learn more


        LA Exits

        • Options MD, a Los Angeles based telemedicine platform that provides care for people suffering from severe and treatment-resistant mental illness, is set to be acquired by Resilience Lab, an AI-driven provider focused on enhancing mental health care access. - learn more

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        LA Tech Week 2024: Saturday-Sunday Event Lineup
        tech-week

        Here’s what’s happening during the closing weekend (Oct 19 - Oct 20) of LA Tech Week 2024! Events are organized by location so you can easily catch the sessions that interest you most.

        SATURDAY EVENTS

        BEVERLY HILLS

        12:00 PM

        • BIG Showcase (Invite Only):

        BIG Showcase (Invite Only)

        2:00 PM

        Light Dao

        Struck Capital, Seahorse Express

        EAGLE ROCK

        12:00 PM

        Sunrise Integration, Shopify

        EL SEGUNDO

        9:00 PM

        Administratum, Valar Atomics

        HOLLYWOOD

        10:00 AM

        Passes

        MALIBU

        6:00 PM

        • Malibu Beachfront Investors Networking & Wine Tasting:See Details

        Gaya Ventures

        MARINA DEL RAY

        6:00 PM

        • Awaken Your Spirit: A Journey of Transformation (Invite Only)

        Sagos Distro, Alma Wellness

        SANTA MONICA

        7:00 AM

        Founders Running Club

        8:30 AM

        Techstars

        9:00 AM

        Magic Mind

        StartupStarter, Inc., City of Santa Monica

        10:00 AM

        Gen She

        AI LA

        Crea, Barry's, Unsubscribe

        10:30 AM

        Plantologist

        11:30 AM

        • Pickleball Palooza (Invite Only)

        YouTube

        1:00 PM

        • Realfren Games: From strangers to an inner Realfren within 52 weekends: See Details

        Office for Humanity and Circuit Works

        • Talking blockchain technology with special guests: See Details

        LadyDayDao

        5:00 PM

        KARD, What's Plots

        THE VALLEY

        7:00 AM

        Camino5

        VENICE

        9:00 AM

        Westside Yogis

        11:00 AM

        Open App

        1:00 PM

        Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

        4:00 PM

        • Fashion Forward: How AI is Redefining the Fashion Industry: See Details

        VIAVIA, BNTO.RENT, ALMA.AI

        VIRTUAL

        11:00 AM

        BLCK UNICRN

        WEST HOLLYWOOD

        7:00 PM

        Next Sequence

        SUNDAY EVENTS

        INGLEWOOD

        12:00 PM

        Entrepreneur Ventures, VCPE GROUPS

        PLAYA DEL RAY

        2:00 PM

        AI LA, DELL, NVIDIA

        SANTA MONICA

        10:00 AM

        • Women Founders, Cold Brew & Beach View, Rooftop: See Details

        Clutch Talent

        11:00 AM

        11DollarSunglasses.com, Less Litter Foundation

        12:00 PM

        Data in LA, Amplitude

        12:30 AM

        New Moon, Warner UK Innovations

        TOPANGA CANYON

        3:00 PM

        Dreamore

        VENICE

        8:00 AM

        • Surf session with founders, investors, creators: See Details

        Surfed Club, Bow Shock

        12:00 PM

        • Podcast Panel and Brunch: LA Tech Community Builders: See Details

        WeAreLATech.com, Blankspaces.com

        VIRTUAL

        2:00 PM

        BLCK UNICRN


        For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

        Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!


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