For the fifth year in a row, Silicon Beach Fest is happening at the Marina del Rey Hotel from August 24-27. AKFF has covered all the major conferences in the past 5 years and #SBFestLA is the premiere Startup,Tech & Entrepreneurial Silicon Beach Conference to attend!
#SBF16 Highlights include: keynotes with top tech leaders, panels, hands-on workshops, and more. Plus multiple networking parties and mixers, and a VIP yacht cruise. Attend pre-events to celebrate all week: Monday, August 22 is Downtown Fashion Tech Day, and Tuesday, August 23 is Playa Vista Open House day. The Women’s Luncheon for SBF pass holders is on Tuesday from 12-2pm at CTRL Collective.
Attendees include startup CEOs, accelerators, VCs, investors, Hollywood execs, agencies, content creators, social media gurus, developers, designers, virtual reality experts, and more from LA, Silicon Valley, OC, San Diego, New York, and international.
Wednesday kicks off with a keynote by Founder Kevin Winston, plus panels, Startup Village, Startup Showcase and the not to be missed Opening Party!
Thursday brings the VR Lounge, which is sure to be a popular part of the conference, plus more panels, Startup Village, Startup Showcase and parties.
Friday is packed with panels, Startup Village, Startup Showcase Finals where the winners will be announced, plus the closing party.
SBF continues on the weekend with beach activities Saturday and a pool party on Sunday.
Check out NextSpace Venice Beach – the coworking space in Venice located on Windward Circle. Walk right to the beach, restaurants, shops and Abbot Kinney!
Yes, it is actually possible to have an office in Venice that’s affordable and in a great location! NextSpace is a co-working space that offers “cafe space,” open seating areas on two floors, plus dedicated desks plus offices within the building. Cool!
AKFF works here and knows it. Besides the great location in a unique round building that lets natural light in, there’s a kitchen (ya gotta eat), conference rooms and a weekly happy hour, an opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs and startups in Silicon Beach. Plus a Culver City space.
There’s a Summer Special going on now through August 31, 2016:
Arena Fest is Coming on April 12, Tuesday 2:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Arena Venture will be looking for the next great startup to fund!
Expert Dojo in Santa Monica is hosting the Arena Fest, with over 40 other investors there to meet with startups and help get them funded. Expert Dojo’s Founder Brian MacMahon tells us, “Its a chance for startups to expose their business”.
It’s a great opportunity for Expert DOJO Academy Members to pitch to Paige Craig, Founder and General Partner of Arena Ventures, one of the most progressive new venture funds in Los Angeles. It’s easy to become an Expert Dojo Member – see below.
Key Aspects of the Arena Fest:
Pitch to Paige Craig from Area Ventures (2 minutes per startup)
Meet up to 40 more investors during the power mentoring hour
Investor Mentors give feedback on their faves and why after the mentoring hour
Expert Dojo is located in Santa Monica Place on the 3rd floor near the Cheesecake Factory. 395 Santa Monica Place, 90405 Unit 308, Santa Monica, California 90405
The Arena Festival at Expert Dojo in Santa Monica is for startups who are looking to get funded. Join Arena Ventures in the afternoon, then LAVA and then over 50 investors who will be there to help you. Join now before the price increases!
Pitch one on one to the Arena Fund:
2 – 5pm Expert DOJO tribe members have access to one of the most progressive new venture funds in Los Angeles hear you pitch in their search for the best new companies to fund in LA. The entire afternoon will be companies pitching to Paige Craig along with his lieutenants and all you have to do is impress him to get a full pitch meeting scheduled.
LAVA Guides You to Funding Success:
5 – 6pm LAVA (Los Angeles Venture Association), will have their experts guide you through the venture process. Its a fast fire session by the most influential venture association in California.
Meet 15 More Investors:
6 – 9pm Mentor evening at Expert DOJO where startups will have the opportunity to meet with leaders in the institutional investment arena and get direction on their business. Respected leaders in the investment sector will provide the advice and help that startups need to be successful.
Schedule:
6pm to 7pm – networking and open bar
7pm to 8pm – 15 of LA’s top investors speed mentoring startups / listening to pitches.
8pm to 9pm – Networking and open bar
Confirmed mentors:
Orchard Capital
March Capital Partners
Mid Stage Ventures
Elite Crowdfunders
2 angels from TCA
3 active angels in Los Angeles
WSGR
6 more to be confirmed
Expert DOJO started these pay it forward events years ago to help startups everywhere and their record of getting clients into incubators, accelerators and into the pockets of funding sources speaks for itself. Come during the day to find your next investor or in the evening to meet the core of the investment market in LA.
Join Expert DOJO as a tribe member and get access to this event, free conferences, free startup workshops, CEO roundtables and much more: Register for Expert Dojo Success Academy
Details:
The Arena Festival, Networking For Business Growth SoCal Tuesday, April 12, 2:00 – 9:30pm
The Arena Festival is for startups who are looking to get funded – over 50 investors in attendance. See video from last years Arena Festival>
Expert DOJO, top level of Santa Monica Place Unit 308, 395 Santa Monica Place 90401 Register for Arena festival before price increase >
The last week of January and start of February bring a cool bunch of haps from Venice and Beach areas to West LA and yes, Downtown LA! Updated Jan 29
Mark your Calendars for First Fridays on Abbot Kinney – February 5, 6-10pm
Abbot Kinney First Fridays in Venice is at it with the monthly smorgasboard of food trucks and fun! See our blog, aka #AKFF #AKFFBlog next week! Are you ready for another contest?
Hint: get snapping!
2 Events in Venice & West LA, Wednesday, January 27:
Networking at Hotel Erwin
The Venice Chamber of Commerce hosts Venice Connect, their monthly mixer at the Venice hotel by the beach! It’s open to all – mingle and mix, $10 for Members, $20 for Non Members. 6-8pm. 1697 Pacific Ave Venice 90291
Laurie Anderson at Hammer Museum
The iconic singer. performance artists presents her film, Heart of a Dog at The Hammer Museum in West LA with a Q&A after the screening with Laurie Anderson. Starts at 7:30pm Free but you must RSVP with the Hammer Museum >
10899 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024
(photo Courtesy of Hammer Museum)
Silicon Beach: Investors Festival, February 3-5
A 3-day conference for investors and crowdfunding experts to meet, talk and shape the Future of Startup Investing at Expert Dojo in Santa Monica. Speakers include Brock Pierce, Richard Wolpert, Carolyn Liikala and more. Tickets are from free to fee. Get info and tickets for Investors Festival in Santa Monica >
395 Santa Monica Place, 3rd fl Santa Monica, CA 90401
Catherine Opie at Hammer Museum, Sunday January 31
A conversation with photographer Catherine Opie at the Hammer about her portraiture, gender, celebrity, and creativity at play. Starts 3pm. Free but you must get a ticket at the Hammer Museum >
10899 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024
Party at Ashland Hill, Friday, January 30, 11am – 1am Celebrate the 1 Year Anniversary at this bar on Main Street in Santa Monica with $1 House Draft plus food and wine specials.
2807 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Night on Broadway, Saturday, January 30, 5-11pm
What, a #DTLA event on #AKFF? Yes, this is a must attend event that we are looking forward to checking out on Saturday night! Free performances from LA’s own Ozomatli and Aloe Blacc on the main festival stage, plus performances at the cool oldtime theaters on Broadway! There will be art, food, dance, music and fun! Fab & Free! Get the Night on Broadway scoop here >
Broadway between 3rd & Olympic
There’s some cool events happening in Venice and Santa Monica this week and next week! Updated on January 19 – check out the Venice Art Crawl! (scroll down)
Thursday, January 14, 2016 It’s a double header of haps tonight!
Venice Beach Young Professionals Mixer at Bank of Venice
7:30-9:30pm
Start your year out right with the first monthly mixer from this group (found on Meetup)at Bank of Venice. This is a monthly mixer event for members to network within the community, introduce new people to the Venice Chamber, and showcase our members. Open to members and non-members alike. Free, buy your own… Specially priced appetizers and drinks!
Bank of Venice 80 Windward Venice, CA 90291
Food + Tech: The Ingredients to Success at General Assembly LA
7:00-9:00pm
Check out this panel discussion with leaders in the Food, Drink, and Technology industries, including TV Host and restaurateur Bobby Bognar . Today, technology influences the way food is prepared and consumed. The on-demand economy makes it easy for anyone to get food delivered straight to the home or office. Whole Foods and LAbite will be providing light appetizers.Drizly is providing beer & spirits. ClubW will provide wine.
General Assembly LA 1520 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Saturday, January 16, 2016
A Tribute to Marian Anderson from the Santa Monica Symphony
1:30pm
Make sure to join the Los Angeles Free Concerts Meetup before you go to rsvp your spot. This tribute to the groundbreaking moment in civil rights history when singer Marian Anderson sang before 75,000 fans in Washington, D.C in 1929. After Party and Free Parking info on the Meetup group page.
SGI Auditorium 525 Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90401
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
LA Tech Happy Hour at the Venice Whaler
6:00-9:00pm
Head out to happy hour for mixing and mingling in Silicon Beach! It’s the first #LATHH of 2016 – join in!
Venice Whaler 10 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Come out to mix and mingle with other Venice Art Crawlers at James’ Beach! James’ Beach is a Venice icon – you guessed, it – right by the beach! The Venice Art Crawl is always looking for new volunteers, artists and sponsors to get involved. Come meet the VAC team!
For the fifth year in a row, Silicon Beach Fest is happening at the Marina del Rey Hotel from August 24-27. AKFF has covered all the major conferences in the past 5 years and #SBFestLA is the premiere Startup,Tech & Entrepreneurial Silicon Beach Conference to attend!
#SBF16 Highlights include: keynotes with top tech leaders, panels, hands-on workshops, and more. Plus multiple networking parties and mixers, and a VIP yacht cruise. Attend pre-events to celebrate all week: Monday, August 22 is Downtown Fashion Tech Day, and Tuesday, August 23 is Playa Vista Open House day. The Women’s Luncheon for SBF pass holders is on Tuesday from 12-2pm at CTRL Collective.
