BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Alliance for SoCal Innovation - ECPv6.15.17//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://alliancesocal.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Alliance for SoCal Innovation REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20240310T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20241103T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20260308T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20261101T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250903T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250903T133000 DTSTAMP:20260414T212257 CREATED:20250902T205753Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250903T031328Z UID:6796-1756893600-1756906200@alliancesocal.org SUMMARY:Health Systems Innovation Council Meeting - Q3 2025 DESCRIPTION:Topic: Data Management & Privacy in the World of AI\n\n\n\nHosted by the Lundquist Institute\, Medical Research Labs \n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Sponsors\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\nStartup Showcase Sponsors\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Hosts\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nAGENDA \n\n\n\n10:00 am  Tour of the Lundquist Institute’s Medical Research Lab \n\n\n\nLed by Joe W. Ramos\, PhD\, President & CEO \n\n\n\n10:30 am  Welcome + Rapid Fire Introductions \n\n\n\n11:00 am  Update: Innovation Venture Fund \n\n\n\nAndy Wilson\, Vice President\, University of Southern California \n\n\n\n11:10 am  Panel: Data Management & Privacy in the World of AI \n\n\n\nSpeakers: Travis True (Oracle)\, David Morony (Casa Colina)\, Moderated by Sam Juraschka (BCGX) \n\n\n\n12:00 pm  Break + Grab Lunch \n\n\n\n12:15 pm  Startup Presentations \n\n\n\n Ready\, Set\, Food: Daniel Zakowski\, Co-Founder & CEO \n\n\n\n BDI: Jonathan Taub\, CEO \n\n\n\n12:45 pm  Group Discussion  \n\n\n\n1:30 pm  Adjourn \n\n\n\nSpeakers\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Joe W. Ramos\, PhD \n President and CEO at the Lundquist Institute\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Joe W. Ramos\, PhD \n President and CEO at the Lundquist Institute\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dr. Joe W. Ramos\, PhD became the President and CEO of The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in early 2025. TLI is a leading nonprofit biomedical research organization in Los Angeles dedicated to advancing medical research\, delivering on our mission to improve patient outcomes through cutting-edge research\, education\, and community engagement. \nPreviously\, Dr. Ramos was the Director and CEP of the Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) and Director of the Louisiana State University LCMC Health Cancer Center in New Orleans. Before his time in Louisiana\, he was the Interim Director at the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center (an NCI-designated Cancer Center)\, where he served more than 10 years in various leadership roles through two renewals of NCI designation. \nDr. Ramos grew up in a small town in Virginia and completed his undergraduate degree and his PhD at the University of Virginia Medical School. He went on to do postdoctoral studies at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla\, CA. Driven by a passion for research that makes a difference in people’s lives\, he works to assemble and lead formidable teams to conduct groundbreaking research\, deliver exceptional clinical care\, foster education\, and engage with communities\, all dedicated to addressing the unique needs of local populations. \nsource: https://lundquist.org/profile/joe-w-ramos-phd/ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dave Morony\n Chief Financial Officer at Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare \n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dave Morony\n Chief Financial Officer at Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dave Morony joined Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare as the Chief Financial Officer in June 2012. He is responsible for overseeing the financial and business affairs of Casa Colina. He has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare accounting\, auditing\, reimbursement\, and consulting. Morony spent the first seven years of his career at KPMG Certified Public Accountants. Immediately prior to joining Casa Colina\, he spent 17 years at Ashtabula County Medical Center (an affiliate of the Cleveland Clinic)\, where he was both the Chief Financial Officer and a Vice President. Morony received his Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Accounting from West Virginia University in 1987 and is a Certified Public Accountant. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Travis True\n Senior Director Health Network at Oracle Health\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Travis True\n Senior Director Health Network at Oracle Health\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Travis True is a senior leader responsible for Oracle Health clients across North America who have a vested interest in their Consumer\, Value-Based care strategy\, and AI. Travis has been a leader in Oracle for the past five years and has been in the healthcare industry for the previous twenty years. \nThroughout his career\, Travis has held leadership roles at industry-leading organizations\, including Oracle\, Vista Equity Partners\, and DaVita. His experience spans a wide range of healthcare domains\, including health networks\, information technology\, and consumer engagement. This breadth of knowledge enables him to develop innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of healthcare providers\, payers\, and patients. \nTravis graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arizona with a BS in Aerospace Engineering and a minor in MIS. He received his MBA from the University of California\, Irvine\, where he studied Healthcare Management and Policy. \nAs a dedicated advocate for the power of healthcare technology\, Travis is committed to fostering a healthier future for individuals and communities worldwide. His work embodies a steadfast belief in the potential of innovation to transform lives and create a more equitable healthcare system. \nTravis currently lives in Sedona\, Arizona\, with his wife and 2-year-old son. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sam Juraschka Allen \n Partner at BCG X\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sam Juraschka Allen \n Partner at BCG X\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sam Juraschka is a Partner at BCG X\, where she helps healthcare organizations — especially provider systems — build and scale innovation functions. She has led digital transformation and venture-building efforts across top U.S. hospitals\, with a focus on data strategy\, virtual care\, and digital infrastructure. Sam also advises on commercialization\, data governance\, and AI-driven care models\, drawing from experience across provider\, payer\, and life sciences ecosystems. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Daniel Zakowski\n CEO at Ready\, Set\, Food\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Daniel Zakowski\n CEO at Ready\, Set\, Food\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I build and scale consumer health businesses by combining breakthrough products\, rigorous evidence\, and targeted distribution. At Ready\, Set\, Food!\, I pioneered the food allergy prevention category\, transforming a novel idea based on clinical studies into a national wellness brand that reached 200k+ families\, generated $20M+ in online/Amazon sales\, $7M+ in retail (Target\, Walmart\, Meijer\, Wegmans\, Sprouts)\, and secured multiple Medicaid contracts with >25% opt-in among eligible new parents. \nI raised $37M from leading strategics and investors\, including Johnson & Johnson\, Kenvue\, Danone\, Providence Health\, and Memorial Hermann; earned US/EU patents; appeared twice on Shark Tank; and helped lead a 1\,100-baby clinical trial proving the ROI of food allergy prevention. We launched partnerships with 15 large health systems to implement fully automated EMR integrations delivering food allergy education to parents (Providence\, Advocate Aurora\, Northwell\, Trinity\, Memorial Hermann\, and more) and helped pass legislation mandating insurance coverage for early allergen introduction in Delaware\, with similar bills advancing in other states. \nEarlier in my career\, I led corporate strategy at AECOM\, driving enterprise-wide planning and board reporting; built go-to-market and growth operations at OpenX; and led strategy and sales/product operations at The Wonderful Company/Teleflora. I also founded a B2B dental supply distribution company\, scaling to 45 employees and $10M in annual revenue. \nFocus areas: omnichannel consumer healthcare GTM (retail\, Amazon\, DTC\, provider engagement)\, payer reimbursement (Medicaid\, commercial\, employer)\, clinical partnerships\, value creation and turnarounds\, and P&L leadership. I advise founders and investors and seek Advisory\, Board\, or operational opportunities where my track record in scaling consumer and B2B health businesses can accelerate growth and impact. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jonathan Taub\n CEO at BDI\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jonathan Taub\n CEO at BDI\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Before BDI\, Jonathan Taub was President of Sequoia/Tencent-backed medical image AI company VoxelCloud Inc.\, EVP of IP licensing company Acacia Research (helping grow Acacia’s market cap from $90 million to $2 billion in less than 5 years) and was the co-founder and CEO of ARCH-backed biopharma company Epirium Bio (previously Cardero Therapeutics). \nHe was previously director of strategic alliances at Microsoft and director of business development at Nortel Networks following Nortel’s $450M acquisition of cloud software pioneer Epicon\, where he headed business development. \nHe is a Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) and Harvard Law School graduate. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Health Systems Innovation Council Members\n \n \n \n Andrew Goldfrach\, CEO \nArrowhead Regional Medical Center \nGeoffrey Hall\, CEO \nAlex Jawharjian\, COO \nCalifornia Rehabilitation Institute \nKelly Linden\, President and CEO \nCasa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare \nBryan Croft\, EVP & COO \nCedars-Sinai \nNaser Mohammad\, CEO \nCentinela Hospital Medical Center \nOmkar Kulkarn\, VP\, Chief Transformation Officer | Chief Innovation Officer \nChildren’s Hospital LA (CHLA) \nHarlan Levine\, President\, Health Innovation and Policy \nCity of Hope \nMick Zdeblick\, CEO \nAnthony Russell\, CAO\, Ambulatory Medicine \nCommunity Memorial Healthcare \nRon Werft\, President and CEO \nCottage Health \nJeremy Zoch\, President and CEO \nDignity Health\, Northridge Hospital Medical Center \nCarolyn Caldwell\, Hospital President and CEO \nDignity Health\, St. Mary Medical Center \nLori Morgan\, CEO \nHuntington Hospital \nTad Funahashi\, Chief Innovation Officer \nKaiser Permanente \nCamille Applin-Jones\, SVP & Area Manager \nKaiser Foundation Hospitals \nTJ Malseed\, CIO \nAlen Oganesyan\, Assoc. Chief Information Officer \nKeck Medicine of USC \nManeesh Goyal\, COO \nMayo Clinic Platform \nMichael Torgan\, Chief Transformation Officer \nMission Community Hospital \nKent Hoyos\, VP & Chief Information Officer \nPomona Valley Hospital Medical Center \nBernie Klein\, CEO \nProvidence Holy Cross \nMatt Bader\, Chief Strategy Officer \nProvidence St. Joseph Health \nJohn Chapman\, President and CEO \nSan Antonio Regional Hospital \nNana Deeb\, CEO \nSouthwest Healthcare\, Palmdale Regional Medical Center \nKhurram Mir\, Director of Innovation \nUCI Health \nJennifer McCaney\, Chief of Innovation \nUCLA Health \nArmand Dorian\, CEO \nUSC Verdugo Hills Hospital \nSteven Shapiro\, SVP for Health Affairs \nUSC Health \nAndy Wilson\, Vice President\, Business Development Health Affairs \nUSC \nGus Valdespino\, President and CEO \nValley Presbyterian Hospital URL:https://alliancesocal.org/event/hsic-meeting-q3-2025/ CATEGORIES:Alliance Events ORGANIZER;CN="Alliance for SoCal Innovation":MAILTO:info@alliancesocal.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250918T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250918T183000 DTSTAMP:20260414T212257 CREATED:20250310T230342Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T233059Z UID:6431-1758200400-1758220200@alliancesocal.org SUMMARY:The SoCal Deep Tech Symposium DESCRIPTION:Featuring the First Look SoCal Deep Tech Innovation Showcase\n\n\n\n\n\nConnect with Deep Tech innovators and investors at the 2nd Annual SoCal Deep Tech Symposium in El Segundo. Sponsored by Escalon Services\, Reitler\, Kenilworth Group at Morgan Stanley\, and TMX Group.\n\n\n\nWhat to know:  The Deep Tech Symposium gathers over 130 top corporate leaders\, government representatives\, startup founders\, and early-stage investors in fields such as Aerospace & Defense\, Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics\, Autonomous Mobility\, Renewable Energy\, AI and more. \n\n\n\nGet a glimpse of the future: This year’s symposium will also feature quick pitches from 5 selected startups commercializing breakthroughs created at top research universities in Southern California. The First Look SoCal Deep Tech Innovation Showcase is your opportunity to get a glimpse of tomorrow’s tech before it hits the market. \n\n\n\nSponsors & Partners\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\nTHE 2025 AGENDA: \n\n\n\n​PRE-EVENT WORKSHOP FOR FOUNDERS sponsored by Reitler and TMX (separate ticket required) \n\n\n\n​10AM – 12PM: Workshop with legal experts Gadi Navon and Daniel Erlikhman\, partners at Reitler law firm\, and fundraising expert Delilah Panio at TMX. This workshop will help startup founders navigate issues such as Protecting and Commercializing Deep Tech Intellectual Property; Fundraising\, and avoiding legal pitfalls. Lunch provided after the workshop. Combination ticket includes workshop\, lunch and General Admission to the symposium plus networking reception. \n\n\n\nWorkshop Leaders\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Daniel Erlikhman\n Partner at Reitler\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Daniel Erlikhman\n Partner at Reitler\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Daniel’s practice involves representing founders\, serial entrepreneurs\, emerging companies\, family offices and other sophisticated investors on a variety of corporate and financing matters\, including venture capital financings\, SAFE & convertible debt financings\, and other investment and corporate transactions. In his emerging company practice\, Daniel navigates clients through all growth milestones\, from basic formation to equity administration and founder arrangements\, to fundraisings and exits. Additionally\, Daniel acts as trusted legal advisor to middle-market clients and venture-backed and private equity fund portfolio companies in a mix of corporate matters\, ranging from leading traditional M&A transactions and later-stage financings\, strategic combinations and restructurings\, to advising on corporate governance\, intellectual property\, and commercial matters.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gadi Navon\n Partner at Reitler\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gadi Navon\n Partner at Reitler\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gadi Navon’s practice focuses on counseling clients with respect to the commercialization of their intellectual property\, technologies\, content\, brands\, and other assets. His expertise includes structuring and negotiating complex transactions involving the development\, licensing\, distribution or transfer of technologies and intellectual property assets; negotiating commercial agreements and service agreements; advising on e-commerce matters; counseling on IP protection strategies; and assisting in M&A transactions involving intellectual property assets.\nIn over thirty years of practice\, Gadi has represented clients in various industries\, including software\, semiconductor\, hardware\, medical device\, biotechnology\, mobile and e-commerce\, video game\, industrial goods and materials\, electric utility\, food and beverage\, supplements\, space ventures\, data collection\, tactical training products\, and clean energy. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Delilah Panio\n Vice President\, US Capital Formation at TMX Group\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Delilah Panio\n Vice President\, US Capital Formation at TMX Group\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Delilah Panio is passionate about helping entrepreneurs access the aligned capital they need to create and grow great companies. As the VP of Capital Formation for Toronto Stock Exchange\, I work with US companies to consider listing and financing in the Canadian capital markets. As the founder of Fortuna Funding (a consulting firm)\, she works with early-stage companies on their business and funding strategy and on getting investor-ready. As a capital markets expert\, she has advised many companies on the going public process and can provide an understanding of private and public financing options in Canada and the United States. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\nGeneral Admission Agenda:\n\n\n\n01:00 PM: Attendee Check-in \n\n\n\n​01:30 PM: Opening remarks: Dave de Csepel\, CEO at Alliance for SoCal Innovation; Mayor Chris Pimentel\, City of El Segundo; Drew “Murph” Busbee\, COO at DTI \n\n\n\n​01:45 PM: Keynote: Shahin Farshchi\, PhD\, Partner at Lux Capital in conversation with Ashutosh Shukla\, VP of Mechanical Engineering at Anduril \n\n\n\n​A candid conversation between one of deep tech’s most visionary investors and a leading executive at the frontier of autonomy\, defense\, and manufacturing. Together\, they’ll unpack the stories behind building category-defining companies. \n\n\n\n​02:15 PM Panels \n\n\n\nCommercializing and Scaling Deep TechThis panel will explore what it takes to bring cutting-edge technologies out of the lab and into the real world. Leaders from venture\, government\, and industry will share what works – and what doesn’t – when scaling deep tech companies in critical sectors like manufacturing\, energy\, and defense. \n\n\n\n\nModerator: Scott Stanford\, Founder & Partner @ ACME Capital\n\n\n\n​Panelists:\n\n​Shaun Stuger\, VP of Growth @ Space Kinetic Corp\n\n\n\n​Andrew Couillard\, Director & Investor @ Harpoon Ventures\n\n\n\n​Lt. Col Vinny Pande\, Materiel Leader & Deputy Director @ SpaceWERX\n\n\n\n​Rupika Brito\, Principal @ Alumni Ventures\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLessons from the Founder JourneyFounders behind some of SoCal’s most ambitious startups share the hard-won lessons from building and scaling in deep tech. From first checks to first shipments\, this session offers an unfiltered look at navigating the early stages of company-building. \n\n\n\n\nModerator: Krisztina (Z) Holly\, Operating Partner @ Good Growth Capital\n\n\n\n​Panelists:\n\n​Phillip Weicker\, Co-founder & CTO @ Harbinger Motors\n\n\n\n​Aleksey Matyushev\, Founder & CEO @ Natilus\n\n\n\n​Karl Pawlik\, Head of Technology & Life Science Verticals @ Escalon\n\n\n\n\n\n\n​04:00 PM Startup Pitch Showcase (aka the First Look SoCal Deep Tech Innovation Showcase) \n\n\n\n​Get an early glimpse into exciting new deep tech science-based startups emerging from SoCal’s top research universities. Each of the 5 selected startups will quick pitch for 3 minutes immediately followed by 6 minutes of Q&A with a panel of investors and subject matter experts. \n\n\n\n​Startups: \n\n\n\n\n​CISGAM\, Albert Cisquella\n\n\n\nNEXT Membranes\, Pat O’Brien\n\n\n\n​Neuramax Technologies\, Asish Satpathy\n\n\n\n​Super Foam Corporation\, Zef Neemuchwala\n\n\n\n\n(Additional info on each startup below) \n\n\n\n​Judges: \n\n\n\n\n​Krisztina (Z) Holly\, Operating Partner @ Good Growth Capital\n\n\n\n​Jennifer Byrne\, General Partner @ Grit VC\n\n\n\n​Abhi Mukherjee\, Operating Partner @ CerraCap Ventures\n\n\n\nJed Leidheiser\, Partner @ March Capital\n\n\n\nAaron Fyke\, Founder & General Partner @ Thin Line Capital\n\n\n\n\n​05:00 PM Networking Reception sponsored by the Kenilworth Group at Morgan Stanley \n\n\n\n​Continue the conversation and connect while enjoying refreshments and snacks \n\n\n\nSpeakers\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Dave de Csepel\n CEO & Executive Director at Alliance for SoCal Innovation\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dave de Csepel\n CEO & Executive Director at Alliance for SoCal Innovation\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dave brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial\, investment\, and leadership experience to the Alliance. He currently serves as Chairman of the TCA Venture Group and formerly held the same position at the Pasadena Angels. Both organizations are dedicated to mentoring and investing in early-stage companies\, with over 500 members offering deep\, cross-industry expertise throughout Southern California. \nDave is a serial entrepreneur and has spent the last decade as a lead investor and consultant at BioCorRx Inc.\, a publicly traded healthcare solutions company focused on treatments for alcohol and opioid addiction. Earlier in his career\, he was a founding member and owner of Veritas Realty Investments\, where he led design\, project management\, and sales for a portfolio of residential projects across Greater Los Angeles. \nDave also brings media and communications expertise from leadership roles at Discovery Networks\, Turner Entertainment\, and ESPN\, and is passionate about education—he currently serves as an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Drew "Murph" Busbee\n Chief Operating Officer at DTI\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Drew "Murph" Busbee\n Chief Operating Officer at DTI\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As COO of DTI\, Drew leads initiatives at the intersection of government\, startups\, and venture capital architecting programs like I2A that help dual-use companies scale from concept to capability. In just over a year\, I2A-backed startups have secured $1.62B in government contracts\, $693M in venture capital\, and $125M in commercial deals\, making it one of the most impactful defense innovation efforts to date. \nOver the past decade\, Drew advised early-stage companies and venture firms on how to navigate the federal funding landscape\, resulting in $500M+ in non-dilutive capital raised across portfolios. He has helped build founding frameworks for government innovation orgs like SpaceWERX and SSC Front Door\, secured CRADAs to bridge venture and DoD priorities\, and served as a Defense Ventures Fellow. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Chris Pimentel\n Mayor\, City of El Segundo\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Chris Pimentel\n Mayor\, City of El Segundo\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Mayor Chris Pimentel is a risk management executive and a former Marine Corps infantry officer. Chris was elected Mayor on December 17\, 2024 by his fellow Councilmembers and has served on El Segundo City Council since 2018. He has served on several committees focused on interaction with other cities and the state. Chris focuses much of his effort on preserving and sustaining the elements of El Segundo that make it the unique and thriving engine of the region.\nChris is active with little league\, softball\, soccer\, the Military Officers Association and joins his wife and children in their volunteer groups. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shahin Farshchi\, PhD\n Partner at Lux Capital\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shahin Farshchi\, PhD\n Partner at Lux Capital\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Inspired by Knight Rider and Star Trek\, Shahin grew up passionate about using engineering to give humanity “superpowers\,” from coding on an IBM PC XT clone in grade school to taking apart engines at his uncle’s shop. After founding his own startup based on his PhD research in brain–computer interfaces\, he joined Lux Capital in 2006\, where he has since co-founded and led investments in companies that became public (AEVA\, PL) or were acquired by Amazon\, Intel\, and others. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ashutosh Shukla\n VP of Mechanical Engineering at Anduril\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ashutosh Shukla\n VP of Mechanical Engineering at Anduril\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ashutosh Shukla is an experienced engineer and leader in the world of developing mass scale hardware and currently serves as VP of Engineering at Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa. Prior to joining Anduril\, Ashutosh has been a part of product design teams at Apple\, Bose\, Rivian\, Snap\, and Meta leading teams and architecting category defining products spanning from EVs to smartphones to AR/VR devices\, and more. Ashutosh holds over 25 patents in electronics design and manufacturing technologies and earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. Beyond hardware engineering\, he is a limited partner at Everywhere Ventures and advises emerging startups. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Scott Stanford\n Co-Founder & Partner at ACME Capital\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Scott Stanford\n Co-Founder & Partner at ACME Capital\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Scott Stanford is a co-founder of ACME Capital and has spent over 25 years as an investor\, operator\, and advisor in technology. Previously\, he co-founded Sherpa Capital and co-headed Goldman Sachs’s Global Internet Investment Banking team\, advising and investing in companies such as Facebook\, Uber\, LinkedIn\, Palantir\, and Square. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shaun Stuger\n VP of Growth at Space Kinetic Corp\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shaun Stuger\n VP of Growth at Space Kinetic Corp\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shaun Stuger is Vice President of Growth at Space Kinetic Corporation\, a VC-backed startup advancing national security with next-generation capabilities for missile defense and space superiority. He previously held senior business development roles at Parsons\, Peraton\, GDMS\, Braxton Technologies\, and Raytheon\, following a 25-year career as a U.S. Air Force Colonel leading satellite operations\, engineering\, and acquisition. Shaun holds an Executive MBA from NYU Stern\, LSE\, and HEC Paris\, along with master’s degrees from Air War College and Pepperdine\, and a BA in Computer Science from Boston University. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Andrew Couillard\n Director & Investor at Harpoon Ventures\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Andrew Couillard\n Director & Investor at Harpoon Ventures\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Andrew Couillard is an investor at Harpoon Ventures\, where he focuses on dual-use defense technology from pre-seed to growth stages and has helped incubate and scale a defense tech startup. A former U.S. Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal Officer\, he led global teams\, managed a $50M unmanned undersea vehicle portfolio\, and drove AI/ML adoption in defense operations. He is currently pursuing his MBA at Stanford GSB\, holds a BS in Industrial & Systems Engineering from USC\, and previously worked as an engineer at Northrop Grumman. Outside of work\, Andrew is an avid endurance athlete\, snowboarder\, and skydiver with a passion for advancing innovation at the intersection of AI and defense. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rupika Brito\n Principal at Alumni Ventures\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rupika Brito\n Principal at Alumni Ventures\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rupika Brito is a Principal at Alumni Ventures’ Deep Tech Fund\, with experience spanning venture capital\, private equity\, and entrepreneurship. She previously led corporate ventures at Blockstream\, executed multi-billion-dollar transactions at Bank of America\, and co-founded a search fund\, bringing a uniquely versatile perspective to investing in transformative technologies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Lt. Col Vinny Pande\n Partner (Materiel Leader) at SpaceWERX\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Lt. Col Vinny Pande\n Partner (Materiel Leader) at SpaceWERX\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Lieutenant Colonel Vinny Pande is the Materiel Leader for SpaceWERX Ventures\, where he oversees the U.S. Space Force’s $450 million annual venture portfolio encompassing all stages of SBIR investments. Previously\, he has led strategic space and defense commercialization programs\, ranging from proliferated LEO satellite communications to high-value procurement initiatives and international tech diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific region. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Krisztina "Z" Holly\n Operating Partner at Good Growth Capital\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Krisztina "Z" Holly\n Operating Partner at Good Growth Capital\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Z Holly is a seasoned innovation leader and venture capitalist with three decades of experience helping entrepreneurs and organizations turn cutting-edge ideas into global impact. Currently an Operating Partner at Good Growth Capital\, she has a track record of pioneering innovation programs (including the first TEDx event)\, founding multiple successful ventures\, advising the Obama Administration\, and investing in transformative science and technology companies across sectors like aerospace\, energy\, and life sciences. She combines deep technical expertise (from MIT) with extensive business acumen\, having helped founders raise over $1 billion in venture capital while maintaining her adventurous spirit through activities like skydiving\, flying planes\, and SCUBA instruction.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Phillip Weicker\n Co-Founder & CTO at Harbinger Motors\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Phillip Weicker\n Co-Founder & CTO at Harbinger Motors\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Phillip Weicker is the Co-Founder and CTO of Harbinger\, leading innovation in electric vehicle powertrains and battery systems. With over 20 years of experience at Canoo\, Faraday Future\, QuantumScape\, and CODA\, he is a recognized expert in EV energy storage\, high-voltage systems\, and electrification technologies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Aleksey Matyushev\n Founder & CEO at Natilus\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Aleksey Matyushev\n Founder & CEO at Natilus\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Aleksey Matyushev is the CEO and co-founder of San Diego-based aircraft manufacturer Natilus\, the developer of a family of next-generation blended-wing-body aircraft delivering sustainable solutions to the commercial aviation industry. One of the foremost experts in commercializing aircraft\, Aleksey has nearly two decades of experience in the aerospace and aviation industries\, including at Piper Aircraft and Kratos Defense. Aleksey holds an Aerospace Engineering degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Karl Pawlik\n Head of Technology & Life Science Verticals at Escalon Services\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Karl Pawlik\n Head of Technology & Life Science Verticals at Escalon Services\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Karl Pawlik leads our Technology and Life Sciences practice at Escalon Services.  Karl has over 20 years of experience working in various leadership roles in finance\, accounting\, and strategy\, with the last 10+ years being dedicated to the role of CFO of venture and pre-venture funded start-ups.  Earlier in his career\, Karl held global finance\, business development\, and strategy roles with Fortune 500 companies including Applied Materials\, and St. Jude Medical (now Abbott)\, where he was part of the team that acquired CardioMeMs and NanoStim. \nKarl has a passion for setting up organizations for success and gives back to the community by coaching competitive youth water polo. \nKarl received his B.S. degree in Finance and Accounting from the University of Arizona and an M.B.A. from California State University at Northridge. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jennifer Byrne\n General Partner at Grit Capital\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jennifer Byrne\n General Partner at Grit Capital\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jennifer Byrne is a General Partner at Grit Capital Partners investing in early-stage applied AI\, with over 20 years of experience across fintech\, insurtech\, and telecom. She’s an entrepreneur who founded global accelerators for women-led startups (Female Founders in FinTech\, InsurTech) and previously held executive roles at Fortune 100 companies including American Express and Verizon\, where she led strategy\, partnerships\, and innovation programs. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Abhi Mukherjee\n Operating Partner at CerraCap Ventures\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Abhi Mukherjee\n Operating Partner at CerraCap Ventures\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Abhi Mukherjee is an Operating Partner at CerraCap Ventures with 25 years of experience spanning corporate leadership at major tech companies (Infosys\, Wipro\, UST)\, successful entrepreneurship (sold his AI startup Nirveda Cognition in 2021)\, and venture capital. He has managed over $1.2 billion in enterprise innovation engagements and now focuses on investing in and mentoring mission-driven entrepreneurs in AI\, quantum computing\, and frontier technologies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Aaron Fyke\n Founder and Managing Partner at Thin Line Capital\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Aaron Fyke\n Founder and Managing Partner at Thin Line Capital\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Aaron Fyke has spent thirty years as an investor\, engineer\, and entrepreneur\, having cofounded six companies\, including two unicorns\, in a number of technology areas including fuel cell\, ocean power\, concentrating solar\, and grid-scale energy storage. He is currently Founder and Managing Partner of Thin Line Capital. Thin Line Capital is deploying their second fund to bring investment capital to extraordinary clean energy/climate change companies\, participating in the biggest economic opportunity since the Industrial Revolution. Aaron earned his MBA and MSME as an LGO fellow at MIT\, and his BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Victoria\, graduating at the top of his class. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jed Leidheiser\n Partner at March Capital\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jed Leidheiser\n Partner at March Capital\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Jed Leidheiser is a Partner at March Capital with two decades of enterprise experience across investing and operating roles. He leads cybersecurity investing at March and is involved in the firm’s investment activities and industry networks. Jed has board responsibilities at Expel\, Immuta\, and SpyCloud. \nJed graduated from the University of California\, Los Angeles\, Anderson School of Management (MBA) and the University of Virginia (B.S.\, Computer Engineering; B.A.\, Economics). Having written his senior thesis at UVA on cybersecurity\, Jed’s role at March continues a lasting interest in the field. \nBefore joining March\, Jed invested throughout the startup lifecycle\, from an early stage at Work-Bench Ventures in New York City\, to public equities at Balyasny Asset Management in San Francisco. Earlier in his career\, Jed spent a decade at Accenture\, where he consulted Fortune 500 CxOs on strategy and technology. He credits this experience with teaching him how to sell 7-figure contracts\, develop go-to-market partnerships\, own a P&L\, and manage distributed teams. Jed first learned of March Capital while volunteering at The Montgomery Summit in 2015; after March closed its first fund in 2016\, Jed sought out the firm’s partners and became the first employee on the investment team. \nOutside of the office\, Jed is on the board of the UCLA Anderson Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and serves on the Advisory Council for the Alliance for Southern California Innovation. A lifelong outdoorsman\, Jed also enjoys skiing\, backcountry backpacking\, and rooting for UVA basketball to win another national championship. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Eric Eide\n Managing Director at Alliance for SoCal Innovation \n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Eric Eide\n Managing Director at Alliance for SoCal Innovation \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Eric is a seasoned economic development professional with experience spanning the private sector\, federal and municipal government\, and academia. He currently serves as the Managing Director at the Alliance for Southern California Innovation where he leads the Alliance’s Capital Access programs with VCs and founders as well as innovation community building efforts with startup communities\, local government\, and community partners. \nBefore joining the Alliance\, Eric grew the Government Relations team at startup electric scooter rental company Bird and expanded operations domestically and internationally. Previously\, Eric served as Director of International Trade for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. In this role\, Eric worked to increase international business activity\, facilitate the import and export of goods\, and attract investment to Los Angeles. Eric also served in the U.S. federal government as an Advisor for Strategic Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State\, where he collaborated with U.S.-based entrepreneurs\, firms\, and universities with interests in South and Central Asia. In a prior role\, Eric represented the U.S. Small Business Administration with the startup community and improved the overall performance of a $2.6 billion federal program that funds early stage technology companies. \nEric holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California\, Santa Barbara and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Michigan\, where his research focused on innovation ecosystems\, industrial policy\, and globalization. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\nThe First Look SoCal Deep Tech Innovation Showcase\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEach startup will present a 3-minute quick pitch followed by 6 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. \n\n\n\nMeet the presenters\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Albert Cisquella Serra\n Co-Founder & CEO at CISGAM\n UC Irvine\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Albert Cisquella Serra\n Co-Founder & CEO at CISGAM\n UC Irvine\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Albert Cisquella Serra is a deep-tech entrepreneur and MEMS process engineer with a PhD and postdoctoral research in electrospray propulsion from the Electric Propulsion Laboratory at UC Irvine\, where CISGAM’s core technology was developed. At Iridia\, he co-developed a prototype DNA data writing chip for molecular storage. At Miltenyi Biotec\, he contributed to the development of the fastest MEMS-based cell sorting device on the market. Co-inventor of CISGAM’s propulsion system\, he brings extensive experience in microfabrication\, system integration\, and the transition of lab-scale technologies into scalable hardware platforms. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Pat O'Brien\n Co-Founder & CEO at NEXT Membranes\n UCLA\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Pat O'Brien\n Co-Founder & CEO at NEXT Membranes\n UCLA\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Patrick O’Brien is a U.S. Army veteran and former DoD Counterintelligence Special Agent\, with a career dedicated to safeguarding national defense technologies. As a counterintelligence operative\, he led operations and investigations protecting sensitive defense innovations in AI\, machine learning\, and aerospace. \nBuilding on this deep-tech defense background\, Patrick is now the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of NEXT Membranes\, a cleantech venture pioneering advanced membrane technologies for water reuse and mineral recovery. He is currently pursuing his MBA at UCLA Anderson (Class of 2026)\, where he is focused on scaling breakthrough technologies that sit at the intersection of sustainability\, security\, and economic growth. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Justin Wheeler\n Co-founder & CTO at Neuramax Technology\n UCLA and ASU – Skysong Innovations\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Justin Wheeler\n Co-founder & CTO at Neuramax Technology\n UCLA and ASU – Skysong Innovations\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Justin Wheeler is a former DoD civilian engineer with applied experience in machine learning and RF systems. He develops AI for embedded edge environments under operational constraints and is the architect of NeuraScan\, a real-time RF fingerprinting pipeline for drone detection and airspace security. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Zef Neemuchwala\n Co-founder & CEO at Super Foam Corp\n San Diego State University\n View Bio \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Zef Neemuchwala\n Co-founder & CEO at Super Foam Corp\n San Diego State University\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Zef Neemuchwala is a serial entrepreneur\, business development expert\, and startup advisor with over a decade of experience helping early-stage and scaling ventures refine product-market fit\, secure strategic partnerships\, and accelerate go-to-market execution. As CEO of Super Foam Corp.\, he leads a team developing patented\, eco-friendly impact protection solutions\, and as host of the Be A Maker podcast\, he champions creative innovation through storytelling. Zef has successfully closed pre-seed funding rounds\, built business development funnels from scratch\, and guided startups through pitch competitions and grant evaluations. His collaborative leadership style\, deep expertise in product strategy\, and ability to forge partnerships with global brands like Google\, BCG\, and TechStars LA have helped over 100 startups reach critical growth milestones. A multilingual communicator\, published researcher\, and award-winning educator\, Zef is driven by a mission to help founders align business strategy with authentic market needs\, using humility\, empathy\, and a data-driven approach to achieve meaningful impact. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\nCompany Information\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLook Forward To…\n\n\n\nConnect with investors\, peers\, and mentors\n\n\n\nUnparalleled 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\, Kairos\, Wavemaker 360\, Upfront\, NEA\, Elevation Ventures\, FullCycle\, Aligned Climate Capital\, Mitsubishi Ventures and many more.  \n\n\n\nStartup quick-pitch presentations\n\n\n\nSee selected Deep Tech (Robotics\, Aerospace\, Advanced Manufacturing\, Energy\, Materials) startups doing 3-minute quick pitch presentations followed by 6 minutes of moderated Q&A led by a panel of investors\, corporate leaders\, and subject matter experts. \n\n\n\nTop university-based deep tech startups\n\n\n\nThis 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. \n\n\n\nWorkshop for startup founders\n\n\n\nLearn 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 innovations. \n\n\n\nNetworking Reception\n\n\n\nStay for drinks and small bites as we celebrate and connect with attendees and speakers. URL:https://alliancesocal.org/event/deeptech-symposium-first-look-socal-dt-innovation-showcase-2025/ CATEGORIES:Alliance Events END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR