Thursday, September 24, 2026; 1:00 PM - to - 7:00 PM PDT
El Segundo, CA
The SoCal Deep Tech Symposium 2026
Connect with Deep Tech innovators and investors at the 3rd Annual SoCal Deep Tech Symposium in El Segundo. Sponsored by KPPB, Sunstone Management, and Caltech.
What to know: The SoCal Deep Tech Symposium gathers over 130 top corporate leaders, government representatives, startup founders, and early-stage investors in fields such as Aerospace & Defense, Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics, Autonomous Mobility, Renewable Energy, AI and more.
Get a glimpse of the future and what’s getting funded today: 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 Deep Tech 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 Deep Tech 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 deep tech sector.
THE 2026 AGENDA
1:00 PM: Attendee Check-in
1:30 PM: Opening remarks
1:40 PM: Keynote. Dr. Crystal Dilworth, Ph.D. aka “Dr. Brain”, Instructor at Caltech Center for Technology and Management Education
2:10 PM: First Look SoCal Deep Tech Innovation Showcase
Get an early glimpse into exciting new deep tech science-based startups emerging from SoCal’s top research universities. Each of the selected startups will quick pitch for 3 minutes immediately followed by 6 minutes of Q&A with a panel of investors and subject matter experts.
Presenting Startups: lineup announced on Aug 14
3:15 PM: Break
3:45 PM: Deep Tech Startup Showcase
Early-stage startups raising Seed or Series A funding referred from the region’s accelerators and ecosystem support organizations will have the opportunity to pitch for 3 minutes followed by 6 minutes of Q&A led by investors, strategics and other subject matter experts. The interaction between the founders and expert panelists will reveal unique insights about fundraising and the startup journey that are rarely seen outside of confidential due diligence reviews.
Presenting Startups: lineup announced on Aug 14
5:00 PM: Fundraising in Today’s Deep Tech Sector
5:45 PM: Networking Reception
Continue the conversation and connect while enjoying refreshments and snacks
Look Forward To…
Connect with investors, peers, and mentors
Unparalleled opportunities to connect with investors, mentors and other support resources crucial for early stage startups. Past years attracted over 120 attendees including investors such as Lux Capital, Kairos, Wavemaker 360, Upfront, NEA, Elevation Ventures, FullCycle, Aligned Climate Capital, Mitsubishi Ventures and many more.
Startup quick-pitch presentations
See selected Deep Tech (Robotics, Aerospace, Advanced Manufacturing, Energy, Materials) startups doing 3-minute quick pitch presentations followed by 6 minutes of moderated Q&A led by a panel of investors, corporate leaders, and subject matter experts.
Top SoCal universities and regional accelerators represented
This is SoCal’s premiere gathering of the best startups emerging from the region’s top research institutions (UCLA, Caltech, USC, UC Irvine, UCSD, UCSB, UC Riverside SDSU, Cal Poly, LMU) and accelerators so it attracts the region’s community in a rare concentrated program that celebrates the entrepreneur’s journey from lab to market.
Networking Reception
Stay for drinks and small bites as we celebrate and connect with attendees and speakers.
Thanks to Alliance for SoCal Innovation for sharing the graphics and details with our LA Startup Events members and friends across Southern California.
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