Long story short, there’s a really great event down in the OC on May 15th, where entrepreneurs have the chance to speed date with VCs. Give a 2.5 min pitch to VCs, get feedback, and move onto the next.
I found out about the event from Angel Launch, an LA based resource for helping entrepreneurs connect with investors. While their focus seems to be events, their members get 10 hrs of free consulting with each expert on a one-time basis, and joining is free (for now). This leads me to believe they’re just launching (also their website seems to be broken), but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a good resource.
Angel Launch was launched by the producers of iHollywood Forum. They’ve been hosting events around the topic of digital entertainment in LA (and other Cali cities) for some time now. iHollywood Forum is run by Michael Stroud, who is also putting on Concentric on June 3rd in Culver City, a conference focused on the future of content.
But back to the meat of this story, the event that Angel Launch emailed me about was…
VC in the OC 2012, a full day conference on Venture Capital in Southern California. The events agenda is badass; it includes:
- Panel on Southern California Tech Incubators w/ K5Launch, Frost Venture Partners, Muckerlab, and Amplify,
- Panel on OC Medical Device Incubators,
- An hour and a half scheduled for VC Speed Dating,
- and more!
Based on other agenda items and the speakers they’re bringing in, this event is definitely geared toward VCs. What’s great is that they’re not only inviting entrepreneurs to the event, but also setting aside time to connect them with VCs.
VC in the OC is put on my OCTANe, an organization fueling innovation in the OC since 2002. Of the organizations I’ve seen targeting entrepreneurs, OCTANe has the most about of board members who are involved with major universities and large corporations. It’s wonderful to see one organization connect with such prominent individuals, while also providing support for early entrepreneurs.
OCTANe developed the LaunchPad, a pro bono accelerator for OC based start-up companies in technology, life-science, and clean tech. They also work with the local Small Business Development Center, which is a collaborative opportunity waiting to happen in the LA area.
We’re seeing mad collaboration here: LA/OC/Hollywood, Tech/Media/Cleantech/Life Science, and Entrepreneurs/Angels/VCs/Corporations/Investment Firms. Badass, right?
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