Glendale’s technology scene will buzz with activity from Sept. 12 through Sept. 14 during the city’s annual Glendale Tech Week.
Themed “Tech X-Road,” this year’s Tech Week will bring together innovators and entrepreneurs, startups and executives, angel investors and venture capitalists for a series of in-depth panel discussions and keynote presentations and more. The week will culminate with a closing party and awards ceremony on the rooftop of Glendale’s Glenmark Hotel.
“[Glendale has] many leading-edge tech companies founded here and that call Glendale home,” said Mayor Dan Brotman. “These firms prove this city and region has the right elements for success in a diverse number of tech sectors which is why we are thrilled to celebrate and build upon that success with Glendale Tech Week.”
The city holds Tech Week each year in collaboration with its local tech accelerator Hero House by SmartGateVC, a Southern California and Armenia-based pre-seed and seed venture capital firm investing at the intersection of AI with health care, biotech, security and IoT across Southern California, the wider U.S. and Armenia. Hero House by SmartGateVC is a startup and innovation hub. It connects science, technology, entrepreneurship and capital, fostering the creation and advancement of new ventures.
Glendale is home to 1,500 tech companies that employ more than 20,000 people. Some of its top local firms include LegalZoom, Service Titan, Dreamworks, Age of Learning and Beyond Limits.
The evolution of Glendale’s tech community is bolstered by the Glendale Tech Strategy, a roadmap for growing Glendale’s technology-based sector. Glendale Tech Week is integral to that strategy. The city is also part of Upstart Valley, a regional partnership with Burbank, to promote each city’s collective and unique position as a regional tech powerhouse.
Glendale Tech Week “Tech X-Road” schedule:
Day 1: Tuesday, Sept. 12: Tech Job Fair and Startup Insights
- Tech Job Fair at the Verdugo Jobs Center, located at 1255 S. Central Ave., from 9 a.m. to noon will foster a space for exploring different tech industries and careers.
- Bootstrapping vs. Attracting Venture Capital at Hero House, located at 326 Mira Loma Ave., at 6 p.m. will include a discussion on the different paths to startup success.
- Building a Strong Legal Foundation for a Startup at Hero House at 5 p.m. will be an informative and interactive event with Hayk Mamajanyan, partner at Rimon PC to share essential aspects of creating a solid legal framework to establish a path to success.
Day 2: Wednesday, Sept. 13: Empowerment and Women in Tech - The Art of Negotiation at Hero House at 5 p.m. will focus on collaboration, empathy and understanding throughout the entire negotiation featuring Christine Soussa, global client director of Equinix.
- Women in Tech at Phonexa, located at 505 N. Brand Blvd., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. will provide insights from leading women in tech.
- Navigating Finances for Startups at Hero House from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. will showcase industry experts shedding light on best practices in navigating finances, covering topics such as 409A valuations and investment taxation.
- Grand Chess Tournament from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 550 N. Brand Blvd. will allow participants to pit their chess skills against the renowned chess grandmaster Arman Mikaelyan.
Day 3: Thursday, Sept. 14: Demo Day and Grand Finale - Demo Day and Pitchfest at Glendale Community College from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. will feature early-stage tech startups who will pitch their products to a panel of early-stage investors that consists of venture capitalists and angel investors from major California investment groups.
- Closing Reception and Tech Awards at the Glenmark Hotel from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. will celebrate the success of the week as well as bring together industry leadership, fellow innovators, entrepreneurs and founders, VCs, angel investors and regional tech scene movers and shakers.
To learn more and register, visit GlendaleTechWeek.com.
First published in the September 2 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
