SoCal Community Events & Deadlines

Community Innovation Events

The events listed are not hosted or organized by the Alliance unless specified

April 16

G-REX Grant Tour – San Diego

Hosted by: ScaleReady

Location: La Jolla

The G-Rex Grant Tour brings the CGT community together to share insight, deepen collaboration, and advance purpose – all to support families facing cancer and rare disease. No matter your role in shaping the future of cell therapy, this tour invites you to learn and connect with a community determined to turn possibility into hope.

April 16

TechCon SoCal Startup Innovation Showcase Semi-Final

Hosted by: TechCon SoCal

Location: San Diego

The TechCon SoCal Startup Semi-Final brings together the top startups selected from our previous Quarter Final rounds for a high-stakes, in-person pitch event in San Diego. This is where momentum builds — and where the final seven startups will be selected to pitch live on stage at TechCon SoCal 2026 (May 21–23 at SDSU).

April 16

From Pitch to Term Sheet: What VCs Want in 2026

Hosted by: Women Founders Network

Location: Santa Monica

Learn what it takes to get funded from a company performance perspective — including the traction, metrics, and milestones that matter most when you’re just getting started. We’ll also break down current deal flow trends so you understand today’s funding landscape and how to position your startup within it. Plus, get all the details about the WFN Fast Pitch competition — including how to apply, what judges look for, and how this opportunity could accelerate your growth.

April 18

AI Agents: Friend or Foe?

Hosted by: Caltech Entrepreneurs Forum

Location: Caltech

AI Agents like OpenClaw are autonomous systems that execute real-world digital actions.  They embody a paradigm shift that can deliver transformative productivity gains but also hold huge security risks. Are Agents already the next paradigm in AI? What new entrepreneurial opportunities are possible? Are they ultimately friend or foe? ​Join us for a discussion of the key business and scientific issues with cutting edge researchers, a leading Venture Capitalist and executives from the major companies implementing this new paradigm.  There will be Keynote presentations, a panel discussion of experts and plenty of networking afterward. 

April 20-24

OC Innovation Week 2026

Hosted by: UCI, Octane, Sustain SoCal

Location: Irvine; UCI Beall Applied Innovation (the Cove)

A week of events and community gathering in OC, covering all things innovation. Featuring:

• BORN IN CALIFORNIA INNOVATION SHOWCASE (4/20) hosted by UCI Beall Applied Innovation
• WOMEN LEADERS OF OCTANE SUMMIT (4/21)
• DRIVING MOBILITY 13 (4/21) hosted by Sustain SoCal [Use Discount Code: DM13GUEST5];
• INNOVATORS & INVESTORS FORUM (4/22) and TECH INNOVATION FORUM (4/23) both hosted by Octane.

April 20-25

Compton Tech Week 2026

Hosted by: Various

Location: Compton

Compton Tech Week is a dynamic spring break technology camp focused on empowering marginalized youth through innovation, collaboration, and hands-on learning experiences. Together with leading industry partners, we’re building pathways to future careers in technology.

April 22

Burbank Tech Talks Presents: The New Media Career Playbook

Hosted by: City of Burbank / Neal Bloom

Location: Burbank

​Join us for an evening of conversation and connection focused on how creators, technologists, and operators are building careers across film, TV, streaming, gaming, and digital media today. From traditional studio roles to independent production, creator-led businesses, and media tech startups, we’ll explore what the new media career landscape really looks like. ​This gathering will bring together professionals across Burbank’s creative ecosystem to share insights on navigating the industry, developing new skills, and building sustainable careers in a rapidly changing environment.

April 22-23

USC VanEck Southern California Blockchain Conference

Hosted by: USC Marshall

Location: USC Campus DTLA

​University of Southern California and USC Marshall VanEck Digital Assets Initiative presents an unrivaled opportunity for the brightest students, faculty, and industry leaders to gather for the purpose of illuminating the bright future ahead for digital assets and blockchain technology. Join us at our annual 2-day marquee event to uncover emerging trends, explore cutting-edge research, and celebrate our community of builders.

May 9

Jewel City Hacks 4.0

Hosted by: Hacker Fund and City of Glendale

Location: Glendale

Hackathons are mentor-guided, computer-mediated invention-based learning competitions where founders prototype the technology project that will become the startup company — so get stoked, it’s time to LOCK IN and ship that project!

​​We’re bringing together the brightest inventors and rising entrepreneurs from the City of Glendale and beyond for a high-energy hackathon at Glendale Community College 

May 13 & June 10

Orange County Semiconductor Leadership Group 

Hosted by: Various

Location: Irvine

The newly formed OC SLG is a cornerstone of the CA Jobs First activation plans for Orange County to grow and attract semiconductor businesses in the region with a focus on Aerospace and AI. The meetings kick off in May and all interested leaders are invited to join as the group sets regional priorities and elects new leadership to advance the initiative. 

May 14

Demo Day LA

Hosted by: LA Tech Events

Location: Venice, CA

LA’s most anticipated startup demo event, bringing together a room full of investors eager to back what’s next. The night features multiple founder pitch sessions, live demos, and a fireside chat with industry leaders sharing real, unfiltered insight. Expect strong ideas, serious conversations, and networking that actually goes somewhere.

May 16

SABPA OC/LA 18th Annual Biomedical Forum

Hosted by: SoCal Association for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Advancements (SABPA)

Location: Irvine

The 18th Biomedical Forum will spotlight the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) across drug discovery, advanced therapeutics, medical devices, and healthcare systems. This year’s program focuses on Innovation, AI, and the Power of Entrepreneurship, highlighting how emerging technologies are shaping the future of medicine and life sciences. The forum brings together life science entrepreneurs, industry leaders, investors, scientists, and cross-functional professionals to share insights, foster collaboration, and strengthen the biotechnology and life sciences ecosystem in Southern California and beyond.

MAY 18-21

UCLA LABEST Week

Hosted by: UCLA

Location: UCLA, Westwood

LABEST Week 2026 is the premier gathering for founders, innovators, and investors shaping the future of bioscience, therapies, MedTech, medical devices, and biotech. MedTech is on May 20 and Bioscience on May 21. The FIRST LOOK SOCAL BIOSCIENCE INNOVATION SHOWCASE is on May 21 at LABEST. 

May 30

Space-based Abundance

Hosted by: Caltech Entrepreneurs Forum

Location: Caltech, Pasadena

Space-based services like GPS revolutionized our world. Are free, abundant energy, data, and health solutions from space next? ​Join our expert speakers as they explore the exciting opportunities emerging for entrepreneurs and researchers. This dynamic program will feature Keynote Speakers, company presentations and an engaging panel discussion. Join us to connect with industry and research leaders for an interactive Q&A and a vibrant networking session.

June 10

San Diego Innovation Council Showcase

Hosted by: San Diego Innovation Council (SDIC)

Location: La Jolla

A full day of company presentations and networking, with high quality investment opportunities in the software, engineering, cleantech, bluetech, and life sciences sectors. The SDIC will present innovations created at top academic centers in San Diego and Southern California. These academic centers come together annually to present investment opportunities, commercialization success stories, and opportunities to develop new enterprises based on technologies developed by their researchers.

---

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.

Submission Deadline: soon

Postbac Research Fellow at Amgen

Let’s do this. Let’s change the world. Amgen is committed to training the next generation of industry scientists. We are looking to hire several highly talented, self-motivated individuals, passionate about science and interested in transitioning to doctoral programs and ultimately a career in the biopharma industry upon completion of the Amgen Postbaccalaureate Fellows Program.

Submission Deadline: May 1

Catalyzing Pediatric Innovation (CPI) Grant from CTIP

Supported through a pediatric device consortia grant from the FDA, the Consortium for Technology & Innovation in Pediatrics (CTIP) is pleased to provide grants to support the advancement of innovations in pediatric technology and devices. Funds will be granted to develop pediatric innovation from ideation through commercialization. Funds are available to support the achievement of milestones on the path to development of pediatric innovation in devices and technology. Pediatric medical device innovators can be awarded up to $50,000 per grant for a term of six
months.

Submission Deadline: May 15

Most Fundable Companies Competition run by Pepperdine University’s Graziado Business School

Founders of U.S.-based startups that make the 2026 Most Fundable Companies List will be invited to our gala Showcase event on September 23 in Malibu, CA and your startup will receive significant national recognition, including publication in Entrepreneur magazine. You do not need to be affiliated with Pepperdine to participate. Companies must be headquartered, with a majority of business operations, in the United States.

Submission Deadline: June 22

Michelson Prizes: Next Generation Grants

Michelson Prizes: Next Generation Grants are $150,000 research grants given annually to support promising researchers applying disruptive concepts and inventive processes to advance human immunology, vaccine discovery, and immunotherapy research for major global diseases. Michelson Prizes is looking for research proposals on human immunology and vaccine research. The committee will look for research that aims to tackle the current roadblocks to human vaccine development and expand our limited understanding of key immune processes that are fundamental to successful vaccine and immunotherapy development. While the Michelson Prizes are focused on research in the fields of immunology, vaccine, and immunotherapy discovery, applicants from the full spectrum of related disciplines, including clinical research, biochemistry, molecular biology, protein engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence/machine learning, biophysics, nanotechnology, etc., are encouraged to apply