SoCal Community Events & Deadlines
Connect with the innovation community in Southern California by checking out these regional events.
Community Innovation Events
The events listed are not hosted or organized by the Alliance unless specified
September 14-18
SoCal Deep Tech Week: Scaling American Manufacturing
Hosted by: Various
Location: Long Beach
Where breakthrough meets build-out. One week in Southern California for the founders, funders, and operators moving hard-tech from lab to factory floor to national priority.
September 23
Hosted by: San Diego Regional EDC
Location: San Diego
Join San Diego Regional EDC, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., NOVO Brazil Brewing Co., and a few hundred friends for EDC’s seventh annual Summer Bash. You’ll enjoy meaningful networking, live music, and local bites and drinks —all at Casa at Campus Point by Alexandria.
September 23
Pepperdine Most Fundable Companies Showcase & Startup World Cup Los Angeles Regional
Hosted by: Pepperdine Graziado Business School
Location: Malibu (+virtual option)
Join us to celebrate the winners of the 9th annual Pepperdine Graziadio Business School’s Most Fundable Companies List, and featuring keynote speaker Brett Johnson (MBA ‘05), CEO, Benevolent Capital! For the first time, the Showcase will incorporate the Startup World Cup Los Angeles Regional competition. One MFC winner will be chosen to advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco, where startups from around the world compete for a $1 million investment prize.
September 24
SoCal Deep Tech Symposium 2026
Hosted by: Alliance for SoCal Innovation
Location: El Segundo
Join us at the third annual SoCal Deep Tech Symposium, produced by The Alliance for SoCal Innovation, hosted by DTI at THE BR-DGE and proudly sponsored by Sunstone Management, KPPB, and Caltech. Our curated event features a keynote and a pair of startup pitch showcases with live Q&A that will provide insights into the unique opportunities and challenges of commercializing deep tech innovations in sectors such as Aerospace & Defense, Advanced Manufacturing, Autonomous Mobility, Robotics, and Cleantech. Stay for the investor panel “Fundraising in Today’s Deep Tech Sector” and networking reception. Register now for Early Bird pricing.
September 24
Hosted by: Octane
Location: Irvine
Octane will honor outgoing CEO & incoming Executive Chairman Bill Carpou with the 2026 Vision & Leadership Award — presented for the first time by incoming CEO Janelle Brunette.
Sept 28 – October 1
Hosted by: Long Beach Accelerator
Location: Long Beach
The multi-day experience brings together founders, investors, business
leaders, tech experts, business owners, educators, creatives, and civic leaders
across key growth sectors. Events include Kickoff reception, CSU Demo Day, LBA 3rd Annual Investors & Founders Summit.
Sept 29 – October 2
Hosted by: BioscienceLA
Location: West Hollywood, DTLA, Culver City
The premier annual community summit for LA County’s bioscience ecosystem. Four days of panels, pitches, lab tours, and career-launching conversations across the region. Each day of BioscienceLA Week is built around a different audience. Come for the day that’s built for you, or join us for the full week.
September 30
2026 REALIZE Accelerator Demo Day
Hosted by: University Lab Partners (ULP)
Location: Irvine
Join us for the culminating event of the REALIZE Accelerator, where 9 cutting-edge startups will take the stage to pitch their transformative medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health technologies. After completing a rigorous 12-week accelerator program, these founders are ready to share their breakthroughs with investors, industry leaders, and the broader innovation community.
October 12-18
Hosted by: a16z and Various
Location: LA
a16z is bringing Tech Week to LA, and we’re thrilled to be joined by our fantastic Featured Hosts. Event calendar not yet posted, but sign up for alerts.
October 13-15
2026 California Economic Summit
Hosted by: CA FWD
Location: Long Beach
Produced by CA FWD in collaboration with the California Stewardship Network, the annual California Economic Summit convenes regional leaders from business, community, government, philanthropy, labor, and more to catalyze a New California Economy that is resilient, sustainable, and inclusive. The Summit is the place to connect, collaborate, and drive change.
October 14
2026 BioTools Innovator Capstone
Hosted by: BioTools Innovator
Location: San Diego
The one day the life-science-tools community comes together — the founders building the instruments, platforms, and diagnostics, and the investors, strategics, and partners who move them to market.
October 19-24
Hosted by: Various organizations
Location: Orange County
Following the natural tech circuit from Silicon Valley down through LA Tech Week, we are opening our doors and inviting the global tech community, founders, investors, and innovators from around the country and the world, to extend their stay in Southern California and experience “Innovation in Paradise.”
October 21
The Best of the Best Startup Showcase
Hosted by: Alliance for SoCal Innovation + TCA
Location: Irvine
Join us for the 2nd Annual Best of the Best, an annual collaboration between TCA Venture Group and the Alliance for SoCal Innovation. This is a premier startup pitch showcase bringing together top founders and leading investors from SoCal. This half-day event will feature pitches from 10 innovative startups, plus a VC panel discussion and plenty of time to network with peers in the ecosystem. Whether you’re a founder looking for capital, an investor scouting the next big thing, or a community member eager to connect, this is your chance to plug into the heart of SoCal innovation.
October 22
Scripps Research Biotech Innovation Summit
Hosted by: Scripps Research Institute
Location: San Diego
In its third year, the Scripps Research Biotech Research Summit aims to foster strategic partnerships between academia and industry and accelerate innovation across the biotech spectrum. Under the guidance of the Strategic Investment Committee, this year’s program includes engaging sessions focused on empowering scientific talent and forging meaningful connections. This event provides an exclusive opportunity to engage with world-class scientists who are pioneering exciting early-stage innovations.
October 22
Hosted by: Sustain SoCal
Location: UC Irvine
This event draws hundreds of sustainability professionals to discuss advancing energy solutions, technologies, and policy needs. Our Sustainability Awards are announced at this event as well! There are opportunities to be recognized as our Sustainable Corporation of the Year, Sustainable Government of the Year, Cleantech Company of the Year, or Cleantech Startup.
October 27-30
Hosted by: AnitaB.org
Location: Anaheim
Grace Hopper Celebration is the world’s largest gathering of individuals in tech. Each year, thousands of women leaders, innovators, and allies come together to learn, connect, and accelerate representation and opportunity in technology.
Whether you attend in person or virtually, GHC is where careers grow, ideas take shape, and community becomes real.
October 27-28
Octane Medical Innovation Forum
Hosted by: Octane
Location: Irvine
Octane’s Medical Innovation Forum is an annual event that brings together investors, startups, and healthcare leaders to explore the forefront of innovation in ground breaking medical technologies. This year’s theme is “The Future of Human Health” and will explore innovations and disruptors in diagnostics, devices, technology, therapeutics and aging science. Don’t miss the keynote from Dr. Diana E. Ramos, California Surgeon General.
November 4
Hosted by: Alliance for SoCal Innovation
Location: Irvine
See startup founders quick pitch then respond to in-depth Q&A from a panel of investors and subject matter experts. We begin with the First Look SoCal MedTech Innovation Showcase which features very early stage startups commercializing IP created at top research universities throughout Southern California. This is your opportunity to get a glimpse of tomorrow’s tech before it hits the market. The second showcase will feature early stage MedTech startups seeking Seed and Series A funding who are referred from the region’s top accelerator programs and ecosystem support organizations. An investor panel will provide further insights into fundraising in today’s MedTech sector before we celebrate at the networking reception.
November 5
Hosted by: AUTM
Location: Pasadena
AUTM on the Road brings the power of the AUTM community directly to you. This one-day, in-person experience brings together your tech transfer community to connect, share insights, and tackle timely challenges — without the time and expense of long-distance travel. Each stop is rooted in the local ecosystem, blending national-level expertise with region-specific perspectives.
Innovation Program Deadlines
| SoCal Venture Pipeline Program Deadline: Ongoing SoCal Venture Pipeline Program Startups receive targeted introductions to investors through our unique no-cost program (no fees, no equity, totally free). SoCal entrepreneurs raising institutional funding are carefully selected and directly introduced to capital providers from our deep nationwide relationship network. Accepted startups may also receive funding through our Catalyst Fund. |
Nucleate’s Activator Accelerator
The Activator is the world’s largest open-access, equity-free biotech accelerator for early-stage founders. Our structured program guides founders through team formation, venture-building workshops, and expert mentorship—culminating in pitch showcases and global community connections.
Submission Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis from mid September to late October
UCSD Medtech Accelerator (IGE)
This program will help UCSD affiliated startups (students, faculty, alumni) navigate the complex processes of bringing medical innovations to market. Tailored for teams and startups across the spectrum of product and business development. Applicants can enter at any point in the sequence.
Submission Deadline: September 16
INNOVAR is a 7-week training program that helps aspiring founders transform technology concepts into real-world solutions with commercial potential. Whether you’re exploring innovations in sustainable farming, robotics, health tech, transportation, or other fields, INNOVAR gives you the tools to validate your idea, build a business model, and move confidently toward launch
Submission Deadline: October 2
Startups Apply to the SoCal Venture Pipeline Program
Get matched with the right Seed and Series A investors. These are warm introductions that could change your life.
Investors: Join our relationship network
The Alliance has established a nationwide network of over 200 institutional investors who receive curated personal introductions to high quality startups ready for Seed and Series A funding who match their investment thesis and previous investments. Join our relationship network to get connected to high potential startup founders.
Upcoming Alliance Events
Check out our events calendar to see upcoming opportunities to connect with the innovation community in Southern California.
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