LA Tech Week returns October 12–18, 2026, with conversations spanning venture capital, creative AI, and building businesses that last. Here are 10 names worth planning around.

All times Pacific. Listings checked September 24; schedules may change. Apply early, Gap/fal registration initially places guests on a waitlist, and Michelle Phan’s salon has limited capacity.

​LA Tech Week doesn’t end when the panels do.

Join us for AFTERHOUR, a tech social gathering in Santa Monica bringing together founders, investors, operators, builders, and the people shaping LA’s tech community. No panels. No pitches. Just good people, better conversations, drinks, and a chance to connect outside the conference room.

Plenty of FOOD all night!

📍 Santa Monica, CA
📅 October 13, 2026 (TUESDAY)
⏰ 5:00–9:00 PM

Come for an hour. Stay for the AFTERHOUR. JOIN US

Events worth going …

2027 is just around the corner. Here are the major events worth planning for now, especially if you’ll need to book flights and hotels before prices start climbing.

On October 1, 2026, two very different events will bring ambitious business leaders together in Southern California.

Hawkefest at the Santa Monica Pier will welcome founders, marketers, CMOs, operators, and brand builders from all sorts of industries. The event will combine discussions on business growth, marketing, and artificial intelligence with festival-style entertainment. For people looking for new growth ideas, potential clients, or new business partners, Hawkefest offers a wide, lively environment. (We got 50 more invites, wanna go? Claim yours HERE)

A bit further west in Malibu, Founderland will attract a more specialized group of attendees: entrepreneurs in food and beverage, beauty, wellness, supplements, and health technology, along with retailers and investors. The event will include pitch competitions, panels, brand activations, and organized networking. Since only applicants and invited people are allowed to attend, the atmosphere is expected to be more selective and focused.

Whether it's worth going or not depends on your objectives. Hawkefest could be worth attending if you want a wide range of marketing and business contacts, exposure to new ideas, and a vibrant atmosphere where you can meet potential clients or partners. Founderland might be worth the trip if you are developing a consumer brand and want targeted access to retailers, investors, and other founders.

If your goals align well with those of the attendees at either event, the networking and learning opportunities may make the time and money worthwhile. If you're seeking a very specific connection or prefer a smaller, more select environment, Founderland might offer a better return. If you want wider exposure and more industry diversity, Hawkefest is probably the better option.

The best choice depends on your objectives: if you want wide-ranging marketing and business contacts,, choose Hawkefest; if you want focused consumer-brand networking with retailers, investors, and founders,, choose Founderland.

Essential information for founders, creators, and tech professionals.

Investor type: Accelerator-turned-investor (Y Combinator) / VC (Smith Point Capital, Seraphim, RPM Ventures) Date: Sept 23, 2026 | Round: Series C, $200M | Lead: Smith Point Capital Participants: Seraphim, Carthona Capital, Earthshot Ventures, Y Combinator, RPM Ventures Why it matters: Y Combinator continuing to follow-on into later, mega-rounds (not just seed) shows accelerators are staying in cap tables longer — worth knowing if you're building a YC-alum relationship for credibility or intros. Source: Tech Startups funding roundup, Sept 23, 2026

Investor type: Private equity / growth equity (bank-affiliated alternatives arm) Date: Sept 22, 2026 | Round: Series G extension, $400M | Lead: Goldman Sachs Alternatives (Growth Equity) Participants: Evolution Equity Partners (from prior round) Why it matters: Goldman's alternatives arm writing nine-figure growth checks into AI-agent security shows Wall Street PE money is now underwriting "AI safety infrastructure" as a durable category — a useful investor class to reference when discussing enterprise trust and compliance angles in brand content. Source: Tech Startups funding roundup, Sept 22, 2026

Investor type: Growth equity (Insight Partners) / VC (S32, Lightspeed, Greylock, GV) / Strategic bank investor (Wells Fargo) Date: Sept 22, 2026 | Round: Series E, $350M | Lead: Insight Partners, S32 Participants: Addition, Lightspeed, Greylock, GV, Wells Fargo Why it matters: A major U.S. bank taking a direct equity stake in an AI data-labeling company — tripling the startup's valuation to $3.5B — signals financial-services strategics are moving from "AI pilots" to conviction bets; relevant for fintech and B2B brands pitching bank-adjacent partnerships. Source: Snorkel AI triples valuation to $3.5B as demand for AI training data booms, TechCrunch, Sept 22, 2026

Investor type: Corporate venture (Samsung Electronics) / Growth equity (EQT, PSG Equity) / Government investor (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) / Public asset manager (BlackRock) Date: Sept 8, 2026 | Round: Series D, €3B (~$3.6B) | Lead: Samsung Electronics, EQT-managed Scaleup Europe Fund, PSG Equity Participants: a16z, Nvidia, Salesforce Ventures, Advent, BlackRock, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Why it matters: A European government taking a direct equity position in a private AI lab, in what's reported as the largest equity raise ever by a European tech company, shows sovereign-AI ambitions are now backed with real capital, not just policy — relevant context for brands building "AI made in Europe" or data-sovereignty narratives. Source: Mistral raises €3B as sovereign AI becomes big business, TechCrunch, Sept 8, 2026

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