An Open Letter to the Community
We possess world-class universities, a deep capital base, and industry leadership spanning MedTech, Clean Energy, Aesthetics, Gaming, and Defense Technology. Our region has every necessary ingredient to compete among the nation’s top ten startup and innovation hubs—except for one missing piece: a unified voice.
Following the natural tech circuit from Silicon Valley down through LA Tech Week, we are opening our doors and inviting the global tech community, founders, investors, and innovators from around the country and the world, to extend their stay in Southern California and experience “Innovation in Paradise.”
We want to show the world what makes Orange County’s innovation brand truly unique, uniting builders across all 34 cities, from our iconic coastline and university corridors to our industrial and creative epicenters of Irvine, Anaheim, and beyond.
OC Tech Week 2026 is that voice.
Hosted by Tech Coast Venture Network (TCVN), Orange County’s longest-standing founder-first nonprofit, OC Tech Week 2026 is a six-day, radically inclusive, decentralized celebration of entrepreneurship and technology running October 19–24, 2026.
Executing the Vision
True ecosystem development doesn’t happen in isolation. OC Tech Week is structurally aligned with the strategic industry clusters outlined in the Irvine Innovation Blueprint, serving as a “Front Door” to Orange County’s innovation economy:
Pioneering advancements and expanding clinical impact.
Driving the future of gaming, AR/VR, and digital media.
Scaling Defense Tech, clean energy, and advanced R&D.
The strength of OC Tech Week lies in an ecosystem that shows up together. While partner-hosted events are being added daily, here is a preview of the week:
Join us for an evening of executive networking – plus celebrate OCEAN’s 19th Year (and Todd’s birthday!) Thursday, October 15, 2026 5:30-8:00pm Serendipity Labs 3200 Park Center Dr 14th Floor Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Admission is $20 ($30 at the door) – Parking will be validated Beverages & light refreshments will be provided Yes, there will be cake! Sponsorship is $349 and receives: An exhibition table at the event. This will allow you to set up & display pamphlets, etc. A copy of the RSVP list for post-event follow-ups. Average list: 150-200 Inclusion in outgoing announcements – this includes Posts to the 19,000+ members of the LinkedIn group Mentions and links in the newsletter which has a subscriber base of 200,000+
Hosted by Quantum eMotion bringing together women and men involved in various technology sectors.
The Cove at UCI
Come join us for private room karaoke at the fabulous VIP Karaoke Lounge in Westminster! Please RSVP so we can get an accurate headcount of attendees before the event. Crypto & Chill is an OC meet-up group that has been on-going since 2024. We meet every other week at Fashion Island to discuss the latest technologies, happenings in financial markets, and to have meaningful conversations about politics, economics, and philosophy. We are open to newbies and OGs alike, and very welcoming. Afterwards, we go out and enjoy some food and drinks at local restaurants.
Join us for the 3rd Sino-American Symposium on Sustainable Development, hosted by the Leading Entrepreneur Alliance (LEA) and co-hosted by the Venture Capital Society at UCI. Building on the success of our previous two symposiums, this year’s event brings together entrepreneurs, investors, business executives, public officials, and community leaders to explore the future of Artificial Intelligence, Clean Energy, Future Mobility, Sustainable Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Featured Speakers & Guests * Eny Mohandesi — American Honda Motor Company | Technology & Digital Transformation Leader * Jiangtao “Tao” Lyu — Founder, Aboard | Electric Mobility Entrepreneur * David E. Argudo — Councilmember & Former Mayor, City of La Puente * Ricardo Ortega — Public Policy & Youth Development Leader * Scotty Hong — Sustainability Commissioner, City of Irvine (Tentative) What to Expect * Inspiring fireside chats and panel discussions * Insights into entrepreneurship, emerging technologies, and sustainability * Networking with entrepreneurs, investors, government officials, and industry leaders * Opportunities to build meaningful connections and explore future collaborations Event Details Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026 Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Location: 10 Hughes, Second Level, Irvine, CA Admission: Free Hosted by: Leading Entrepreneur Alliance (LEA) Co-Hosted by: Venture Capital Society at UCI From Innovation to Impact — Connecting People, Ideas, and Opportunities. We look forward to welcoming you!
Kicking off OC Tech Week: a free one-day hackathon with Illumination Health + Home. Local builders and healthcare and nonprofit practitioners team up to build tools that help people experiencing homelessness reach care and resources. Organized by Claude Community Orange County, hosted at EvoNexus Irvine.
Registration requires approval
Tech week isn’t just for grown-ups! Kids ages 4&10 and their grown-ups are invited to a special story and activity hour. Join founder of & children’s author, Neetal Parekh, for a story from the Pineapple Friends series.
Deal Flow Golf Series by Inov8 Capital, hosted by OG Arabian Prince.
Most nonprofits have touched AI. Very few have changed how the work gets done. Join Nithin Jilla, Founder & CEO of Dreams for Schools and The Meraki Collective, for a hands-on lab on rebuilding the nonprofit work week. See a live, behind-the-scenes look at how Dreams for Schools rebuilt its operations around its own data model, turning paper attendance for thousands of students into one tap. Then map one of your own workflows with a simple one-page method, paired with technologists from the OC Tech Week community. You’ll leave knowing which workflow to automate first, and what your team could do with the hours it gives back. For nonprofit leaders, staff, funders, and builders who want to help.
Kick off OC Tech Week 2026 with Sunstone Venture & Innovation Center and TCVN.
Keynote: Don DiCostanzo, Founder, Pedego Electric Bikes; CEO, The Ticket 500
“Moonshots: The Future Isn’t Predicted. It’s Built.”
Featured Speaker: Todd Herschberg, Founder, OCEAN
Putting Orange County on the map as its own professional market
Also featuring:
MC Tony Crisp, Co-Chair, OC Tech Week 2026
Farrah N. Khan, Co-Chair, OC Tech Week 2026
Jennifer Huang, Sunstone Venture & Innovation Center
Location: Sunstone Courtyard at Airport Tower, Irvine
Check-in at 5 PM. Program at 5:30 PM, followed by networking.
Free admission.
Stephen Parker Ellington, M.B.A. will present “Agentic AI in Healthcare Applications”. Stephen will explore how AI can transform clinical operations and patient workflows while keeping data private compliant and secure. This is a powerful topic for anyone working in healthcare and the insights will be invaluable.
Hosted by International Impact Connections. Consul Generals and trade offices from 12+ countries discuss foreign direct investment and global opportunities.
The AI Lab launches TIP Protocol, an open, post-quantum trust layer that proves who made content, how it was made, and whether it changed.
AgentOne designs, builds and manages websites, just like a person would. No slop, no surprises – full control.
Join us for an interactive workshop focused on what it really takes to move from experimenting with AI to putting it to work.
Presented by Startup Steroid, Sunstone, and SGC Angels, this Startup Pitch Fest is part of OC Tech Week 2026, bringing together founders, investors, industry leaders, and members of Orange County’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Ten preselected startups will pitch their businesses to a panel of four judges, presenting their business models, market opportunities, traction, and growth plans. Each founder will have 3 minutes to pitch, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A with the judges. Join us to discover emerging startups, explore new business opportunities, and connect with the people shaping Orange County’s innovation ecosystem. Whether you are a founder, investor, or startup enthusiast, this event offers an opportunity to engage with promising early-stage ventures and the broader startup community.
At this event business owners and decision makers will learn about the latest threats to their technology environments, participate in a live workshop demonstrating how breaches can occur (and how to resolve them) and walk away with tangible actions they can take to protect their business.
Most of the AI conversation right now is about software. Models, agents, apps. But all of that has to connect to the real world at some point, through a sensor, a chip, a medical device, or a machine on a factory floor. Software and hardware are shaping the AI industry together, and each one is changing what the other can do.
Orange County is one of the few places that does both. For more than 70 years, OC companies have built the aerospace parts, medical devices, semiconductors, and precision hardware that modern technology depends on. More recently, a real software and AI scene has grown up alongside them. The code and the hardware it runs on, made in the same county.
This panel brings together leaders from across OC’s tech economy to talk about how software and hardware are each driving the AI industry forward, where the two are starting to blur, and what that means for the people doing the work. Which roles are growing, which are changing, and what the next generation of engineers, technicians, and tech leaders in OC will need to know.
Most panels are planned before anyone in the room says a word. This one isn’t. The OC Tech Week AI Townhall is built from your questions. Submit what you want to know about AI, vote on what everyone else is asking, and the experts on stage answer the top-voted questions live. No slides, no pitches. Just the questions this room cares about most. Submit and vote on questions online (no login needed): https://insightandaccess.com/events/ai-town-hall-newport-beach/questions. Free. Presented by Orange County AI, Execution Associates, and Insight & Access.
AI course for Beginners. This class will be our sixth of twelve classes. Instructor: Aditya Tomar Week 6 – Writing & Communication with AI Emails, reports, business documents, LinkedIn, resumes, cover letters, editing, summarization, and tone adjustment. Exercise: Improve or rewrite a real document using AI.
Hosted by TCA & Alliance for SoCal Innovation. SoCal’s premier startup pitch showcase.
Let’s have some fun!
Enterprises are rushing to hand the keys to autonomous AI agents. They are letting algorithms read emails, access databases, and execute workflows. But when an agent goes rogue whether it falls for a prompt injection attack or simply acts outside its intended boundaries the fallout hits the company deploying it, not the software vendor.
Master Your iPhone Video: Create, Connect & Show Up Join the National Association of Women in AI (NAWAIQ) for a special Orange County Tech Week experience at the Apple Store in Costa Mesa! We’re bringing our community together for our second Apple Store event, and this time we’re getting hands-on with one of the most powerful creative tools you already own: your iPhone.
During this interactive session, we’ll explore how to create better video using your iPhone, from capturing stronger footage to feeling more confident creating content for your business, career, and personal brand. Whether you’re a business owner, professional, leader, creator, or simply ready to sharpen your digital skills, come ready to learn, experiment, and have some fun. At NAWAIQ, we bring women together to learn, advocate, connect, and stay prepared for a rapidly changing AI and technology landscape. This event is a chance to experience that community firsthand, meet NAWAIQ members, build new connections, and learn something you can put to work right away. And we’re not stopping when the Apple session ends.
Afterward, we’ll head to a nearby location for a fun NAWAIQ mixer where you can continue the conversation, meet new people, exchange ideas, and connect with women who are learning, building, leading, and navigating the future of work together. Space for the Apple Store experience is limited, so reserve your spot early. Come learn something new. Meet some great women. Leave with better video skills, new connections, and maybe a few new ideas about what’s possible.
October 21 | Costa Mesa, California Presented by the National Association of Women in AI (NAWAIQ)
Featured Sessions Allan Colman A Leadership Octopus on Roller Skate Jenny Rae Le Roux Exposing Waste and Rooting Out Corruption Aloha Ley Leveraging Technology and AI to Support Mental Health Healing, Recovery, and Human flourishing Join richEntrepreneurs Club 2.0 for an evening of insights, ideas, and meaningful conversations with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals. This October, we bring together three thought-provoking sessions covering leadership, accountability, technology, and human flourishing. Leadership & Business Allan Colman shares his perspective on leadership through A Leadership Octopus on Roller Skate, exploring the challenges and realities of leading across different responsibilities and environments. Leadership, Accountability & Corruption Jenny Rae Le Roux discusses Exposing Waste and Rooting Out Corruption, offering insights into identifying inefficiencies, improving accountability, and addressing waste. Technology, AI & Mental Health Aloha Ley explores how technology and AI can support mental health healing, recovery, and human flourishing, and the opportunities for using these tools to make a meaningful impact. The evening will conclude with open discussion, Q&A, and networking, giving attendees an opportunity to exchange ideas, ask questions, and connect with fellow members of the entrepreneurial community. Come learn. Share. Connect. Grow.
What can you build with AI in 50 minutes? Come find out, then show the room what you made. Part of OC Tech Week.
The format is simple: you get 50 minutes to build something with AI, then up to 5 minutes to demo it. Come with an idea or start from scratch. Build solo or form a small team when you arrive. Rough, weird, incomplete experiments are welcome. The point is to make something real, show it, and trade notes.
Come find your people!
We are going to meet at Hangar 24 at 6pm.
Parking is free with validation, just make sure to park in the lot off Von Karman or the parking garage off Gillette and grab a ticket. You are encouraged to get a drink or something to support the venue.
You do not have to be 21+ to enter the brewery. They have non-alcoholic drinks and various food items if you do not drink.
Look for the Tech Link Up sign and the people wearing tech link up name tags.
What we do:
This is a social meetup. Leave your laptops at home, grab a drink (or food), and find some new friends in tech!
Hosted by Peach Score.
Hosted by Microsoft’s Innovation Hub and Quantum eMotion
The 2026 IEEE Global Emerging Technologies Conference (iGET) is a leading, peer-reviewed international forum dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of emerging technologies across all fields of engineering and applied sciences. Organized by IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization, iGET brings together groundbreaking research and real-world application. iGET brings together researchers, practitioners, educators, and industry leaders to explore the technologies shaping tomorrow. Its strong commitment to rigorous academic standards and inclusive participation makes it highly relevant to academia and industry — from faculty and graduate students publishing cutting-edge results, to engineers and executives driving technology adoption in the real world. In 2026, iGET returns to Irvine, California, with an expanded hybrid format designed to maximize global reach and engagement. Whether you attend in person or join virtually, you will be part of one of the most comprehensive gatherings of emerging-technology minds on the IEEE calendar, helping you feel connected and aligned.
Exploring the full energy portfolio. Connecting technology, infrastructure, policy and capital.
Hosted by Sustain SoCal.
Hosted by WenInDoubt, a small, invitation-only coffee for senior executives.
Decision-makers, and technical teams working in or evaluating GovCloud, this working session explores how regulated and public-sector teams can put generative AI to work within their compliance boundaries.
Join the OC Startup Council for fun f2f startup growth and fundraising Q&A, investor pitch practice, and friendly networking! Limited Seats.
The OC C-Suite Tech Week Celebration at the Pendry brings together founders, investors, and tech leaders, and includes a book signing.
Pendry Newport Beach (690 Newport Center Dr)
AI is moving beyond screens and into the physical world. Join ASAN in Orange County for an evening exploring Physical AI, where intelligent systems perceive, understand and act in real-world environments. From robotics and autonomous vehicles to drones, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and smart infrastructure, Physical AI is transforming how machines interact with people and the world around them.
Join us for an evening of networking and conversation during OC Tech Week! Jami Eidsvold, a media and marketing professional and owner of Smarty Social Space, will share insights on the growing importance of social media in healthcare and how effective digital communication can help healthcare professionals and organizations connect with their communities. Enjoy drinks, light refreshments, and the opportunity to meet professionals across healthcare, technology, media, and marketing.
GABA and Orange County AI are delighted to invite you to an engaging panel discussion, bringing together three unique perspectives: academic innovation, manufacturing leadership, and enterprise strategy. Our experts will cut through the AI hype to offer practical, actionable insights on how to successfully adopt, deploy, and scale intelligent systems across high-stakes environments.
Join us during OC Tech Week for an interactive gathering exploring how AI can help you attract customers, build authority, and turn interest into business opportunities.
Connect with founders, business owners, executives, and technology professionals for practical examples, open discussion, and networking. Whether you’re already experimenting with AI or wondering where to start, you’ll discover ways to apply it to your business.
Hosted by Rohan Hall, founder of OceSha Ventures and author of The Convergence of AI and the Top 10 Emerging Technologies, this session will explore three connected strategies:
Get found: Expand your visibility through useful content, search, and AI-powered discovery.
Build trust: Turn your knowledge and expertise into content and educational experiences that establish your authority.
Win customers: Use AI to answer questions, engage prospects, capture leads, and support appointment booking.
Many companies can say they use AI. Far fewer can say what the actual ROI is. The Morning Prompt is an open conversation at breakfast for founders and executives. This event is hosted by Dailin Hu, founder & CEO of SafeLab AI Engineering in Irvine and a former Senior Applied Scientist at Blizzard Entertainment. Each participant leaves with one written ROI hypothesis for their own business, plus a one-page worksheet. Coffee and breakfast provided. Seating is capped at 15.
Founder Beach Walk is a relaxed Friday morning for founders, builders, and creatives who want to meet good people and make real connections. No pitch decks. No name tags. Just movement, ocean air, and conversations worth having.
Hosted by WenInDoubt with EvoNexus to bring founders, executives, and operators for candid conversations on scaling, navigating, and building high-impact businesses.
AI agents can now do real offensive security work. This free evening is for the people who defend against it: security practitioners, IT leaders, developers shipping AI-built code, and students. Muhammad Osama (“0x4m4”), creator of the open-source HexStrike project and Chief Cyber Security Operations at Lyrie.ai, gives a live technical walkthrough of how AI agents like Claude run security tools through MCP, how it is built, and what it means for defenders. Attendees get early access to the newest HexStrike release. Q&A and courtyard networking follow. Bring a laptop. Hosted by the Claude Community, Orange County.
Hosted by COR AI, a focused round table for marketing agency leaders on how AI is reshaping strategy.
Hosted by Gorilla Marketing & Adriana’s Insurance an exclusive event for super car owners in OC.
🥐 Come get brunch with us! 🚗 Free parking is available one block north at the city hall parking structure at 225 S Philadelphia St. (see picture) Working remotely? Tired of talking to avatars and staring at screens?
Come join us for a laid-back weekend brunch with fellow tech and tech-adjacent professionals! Whether you code, design, PM, or just enjoy good conversation, this is a great chance to connect, swap stories, and make new friends over coffee and waffles. No agenda, no pitches—just real people, real food, and some much-needed offline vibes. We’ll be hanging out for a couple of hours, so no worries if you show up later. We’ll be at the Anaheim Packing House when they open at 11am.
It’s a great venue and there will be a bunch of different food options available. If the weather’s nice we’ll be sitting outside the east entrance, just past Sumo Dog or Randy’s Donuts. There’s a nice shady spot there on fake grass. Otherwise we’ll head indoors. Will confirm exact location when we arrive. Any questions feel free to ask on our discord: Join Discord Server: http://discord.gg/XQ3yxvwYqT We’re all about bringing people together and building friendships, so come solo or bring a friend — we’d love to see you there!
Hosted by, Concordia University Irvine and Chapman University, Student innovation showcase.
OC Tech Week ends here! Join TiE Los Angeles for a Closing Ceremony that sends off the week in celebration. Come raise a glass to everything that happened this week, reconnect with the people you met, and meet the ones you missed.
This is your last chance to join the festivities, swap stories, and celebrate the best in Orange County innovation before OC Tech Week wraps.
The Closing Ceremony starts immediately following SCCE at Concordia University. Admission is free, but spots are limited. RSVP today!
Week-closing celebration to send off OC Tech Week.
Meet high school students turning real-world problems into technology and community impact. Experience live demonstrations, hands-on activities, student-led initiatives—and discover how Orange County’s community can help take their work further.
The strength of OC Tech Week lies in an ecosystem that shows up together. While partner-hosted events are being added daily, here is a preview of the week:
Mon · Oct
OC Tech Week is built by the community, for the community. Whether you are planning a founder breakfast, an investor panel, a rooftop mixer, or an intimate workshop, we invite you to bring your story to our official schedule.
Join us in building Orange County’s premier tech week. Click below to submit your event details, location, and preferred date. (Need a venue or have space to host? Let us know in the form so we can match event hosts with local venue partners.)
To maintain a high-value experience for all attendees, submitted events undergo a brief curation review by our steering committee before being published to the official schedule.
Participating Organizations & Partners
Passion & Purpose
OC Tech Week was created out of a deep passion for our community and a singular purpose: to finally unite Orange County’s most dynamic founders, investors, technologists, and civic leaders under one banner.
This is an open invitation to build the future right here at home. Thank you for your vision, your leadership, and your belief in Orange County’s potential.
Co-Chair, OC Tech Week 2026 Former Mayor, City of Irvine Board Member, TCVN
Co-Chair, OC Tech Week 2026 President, TCVN
Founder & CEO, CRISPx
We have (4) venues that are offering space (some with minimal fees) for OC Tech Week hosts.
Do any of these spaces fit your event?
