Friday, June 5, 2026, 8:15 AM - to - 9:45 AM PDT
FoundrSpace Coworking, 87 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA
Friday Coffee Meetup - From Months to Days: How AI Is Rewriting Commercial Production
Friday Coffee Meetup (FCM) is Innovate Pasadena's monthly gathering where the region's innovation community comes together on the first Friday of each month in Old Pasadena.
Since 2013, FCM has been a cornerstone gathering for entrepreneurs, investors, technologists, and innovators of all stripes. Each session features dynamic presentations from industry leaders, followed by engaging Q&A and valuable networking opportunities.
Join for a behind-the-scenes look at how AI is transforming commercial production—and what it takes to build creative systems that actually perform.
Jethro Rothe-Kushel is the Founder & CEO of Ritual Ads, a studio using AI to take brands from concept to finished commercial in days—not months—while improving performance through rapid iteration and real-time analytics.
After more than 20 years producing major campaigns for brands like Google, Apple, and Amazon, Jethro saw firsthand how slow, expensive, and inefficient traditional production could be. Instead of accepting that model, he built something different.
At Ritual Ads, the commercial production process is reimagined end-to-end—using AI to move from storyboard to finished spot in days, not months, while enabling faster iteration, real-time testing, and stronger performance.
In this session, Jethro will break down how this approach works in practice, including:
How AI is compressing the timeline of commercial production
Why more iteration leads to better creative outcomes
What a modern “creative + performance” stack actually looks like
Lessons learned building and scaling a system designed for speed, consistency, and results
This is a practical, real-world look at how advertising is evolving—and what builders, marketers, creatives, operators, and investors need to understand to stay ahead.
Co-hosted by CALE at Caltech, FCM delivers authentic, inspiring content focused on entrepreneurial journeys, lessons learned, and innovation insights. Join us for complimentary coffee and connections with Greater Pasadena's vibrant startup ecosystem.
Networking
Come early to connect with fellow founders, technologists, creatives, and community members. Friday Coffee Meetup is as much about the people in the room as it is about the conversation on stage.
Thanks to Innovate Pasadena for the listing and graphics for this startup event.
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