Innovation and Inspiration Shine at the SVP Alumni Mixer

The annual Socal Venture Pipeline (SVP) Alumni mixer, hosted by the Alliance for SoCal Innovation, was a night of celebration, connection, and inspiration for the Southern California startup community. Held at the Verizon Innovation Lab in Playa Vista, the event brought together some of the region’s brightest minds—founders, investors, and partners—to reflect on their successes and look ahead to the future of innovation.

Celebrating Founders’ Success

Founders are the bedrock of a thriving venture community, and the evening kicked off with a warm welcome from the Alliance, emphasizing the event’s purpose: to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the founders in the SoCal Venture Pipeline program.

“Founder success is our success,” Eric Eide, Managing Director of the SoCal Venture Pipeline, remarked, a sentiment echoed throughout the night. The program, which has seen 20 companies raise a collective $85 million, was lauded for its role in breaking down barriers to institutional capital—a notorious challenge for early-stage startups.

Investing in SoCal’s Top Founders

Andy Wilson, the Alliance’s Executive Director introduced the new SoCal Catalyst Fund, which is an investment vehicle that extends the impact of the SoCal Venture Pipeline by backing the next generation of change makers. “This fund represents the fabric of Southern California,” he said, noting the SoCal Venture Pipeline’s commitment to diversity as represented by the founders who apply and are accepted into the program: 40% are female-founded companies and 60% non-white founders. The Fund is actively deploying capital and has completed three investments into SoCal Venture Pipeline alumni in the past 90 days.

A Fireside Chat with Adam Hansmann

The most anticipated moment of the evening was a fireside chat with Adam Hansmann, co-founder of The Athletic, a sports news outlet acquired for $550 million by The New York Times in 2022. The chat was skillfully moderated by Mark diTargiani, Managing Director at Banc of California.

During the discussion, Mark asked Adam how he and his co-founder approached the need for founders “to grow faster than their companies.” Adam replied that “it’s important to know the strengths of yourselves and those around you and knowing where the gaps are,” even bringing on executive coaches as he did to ensure he grew as a leader and was successful in leading the growth of the business. Adam reflected on his hockey stick personal growth curve he achieved as a first time founder, going from never managing a team to managing over 500 employees at The Athletic. 

The candid and inspirational conversation rounded off to detail Hansmann’s journey that started “with nothing but a belief in our idea.” Hansmann, like most first time founders, needed to figure out quickly how to manage the three ring circus of customer acquisition, fundraising, and hiring. His advice to fellow founders? “Stay focused on your customer, and never stop believing in your vision, even when the odds seem insurmountable.”

Tim Stevens on the Future of Media

With support from Verizon, Tim Stevens, a veteran of the media and entertainment industry, took the stage to share insights on the role of technology in the ever-evolving media landscape and the challenges in building in Media & Entertainment. “Building your product is only half the battle,” Stevens said, addressing the audience of founders. He stressed the importance of not just innovation but also adoption—ensuring that groundbreaking technologies reach their target audiences. Stevens also highlighted the challenges traditional broadcasters face in transitioning to IP-based content delivery, positioning it as a necessary evolution to stay competitive in the digital age.

Connecting with the Ecosystem

As the program wrapped up, the energy of the evening carried over into the networking session. Attendees mingled in the sports bar, engaging in lively conversations that reflected the spirit of collaboration and mutual support that defines Southern California’s startup scene. It was clear that the connections made and the stories shared would continue to resonate long after the night ended.

The SVP Alumni event once again proved to be a cornerstone of the region’s innovation calendar, celebrating the past year’s achievements and setting the stage for future successes. As one founder aptly put it, “This is where the magic happens.”