First Look SoCal Life Science Innovation Showcase 2025
May 21 – May 22
Save the date for the First Look SoCal Life Science Innovation Showcase on May 21 + 22
The First Look SoCal Innovation Showcase is an annual event that celebrates the best early-stage startups commercializing deep tech and life science breakthroughs emerging from the top universities and research institutions in Southern California. This year we are dividing the annual event into two separate showcases to provide the best experience for Life Science and Deep Tech startups.
Each startup will present a 3-minute quick pitch followed by 9 minutes of Q&A led by a panel of leading investors, corporates, and subject matter experts who will provide invaluable insights and access to capital. Celebrate and connect with industry leaders and investors at the post-event networking reception.
LIFE SCIENCE STARTUPS: APPLY NOW
THE FIRST LOOK SOCAL LIFE SCIENCE INNOVATION SHOWCASE IS PARTNERING WITH UCLA
For the first time ever, we are partnering with UCLA to host the First Look SoCal Life Science Showcases at UCLA’s pair of world-class conferences on the UCLA campus. Selected startups (representing all of SoCal’s research and academic institutions) focused on medtech will present at the UCLA MedTech Partnering Conference on Wednesday, May 21, while biotech startups will present at the UCLA LABEST Conference on Thursday, May 22. Both of those events attract over 1,000 life science industry professionals per day from leading corporations, VCs, and research institutions around the world. Plus there are workshops and panels for early stage founders and much, much more.
THE FIRST LOOK SOCAL DEEP TECH SHOWCASE
The First Look SoCal Deep Tech Showcase will take place during our Deep Tech Forum on September 18 in El Segundo, the marquee event of SoCal Deep Tech Week (September 15-19). This event gathers hundreds of top corporate leaders, government representatives, and early-stage investors in fields such as Space, Aerospace & Defense, Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics, Energy, Cleantech, and AI.
Look Forward To…
Connect with investors, peers, and mentors
Unparalleled opportunities to connect with investors, mentors and other support resources crucial for early stage startups. Past years attracted over 300 attendees including over 130 investors such as Lux Capital, Alexandria Venture Investments, Kairos, Wavemaker 360, NXT Biomedical, NEA, Elevation Ventures, FullCycle, Aligned Climate Capital, Mitsubishi Ventures and many more.
Startup quick-pitch presentations
Two separate events for Life Science (MedTech and Biotech) and Deep Tech (Robotics, Aerospace, Advanced Manufacturing, Energy, Materials) where each event features 12 startups doing 3-minute quick pitch presentations followed by 9 minutes of moderated Q&A led by a panel of investors, corporate leaders, and subject matter experts.
The largest showcase of university-based deep tech and life science startups
This is SoCal’s premiere gathering of the best startups emerging from the region’s top research institutions so it attracts the region’s community in a rare concentrated program that celebrates the entrepreneur’s journey from lab to market.
Workshop for startup founders
Learn from subject matter experts in IP law and licensing best practices for protecting and monetizing intellectual property as well as early stage startup commercialization of deep tech and life science innovations.
Networking Reception
Stay for drinks and small bites as we celebrate and connect with attendees and speakers.
