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- 🌴 Meeting Y-Combinator's President Garry Tan
🌴 Meeting Y-Combinator's President Garry Tan
#016: Upcoming Events with Harvard Alumni, Healthtech Meetup, Coolwater Happy Hour, SuperReturn US West, Your First Million, LA Venture Partners
Brandon Hoffman
April 08, 2024
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Welcome to issue #016 of Emerging LA
Last week was a busy one, with a quick overnight flight up to SF to attend YC’s first in-person reception in years and covering the 6 hours of demo days.
I got to watch the Winter 2024 batch of 260 companies pitch and met the one and only Garry Tan in person!
This week, I am back home in LA and ready for a week that is shaping up to be a busy one! SuperReturn US West is in town, along with a new conference put on by VC influencer Arlan Hamilton.
We will also be hosting a couple events on Tuesday and Thursday, with Harvard and the Healthtech community, respectively.
Beyond playing co-host at those, you will be able to find me running around to attend events tonight and the next few days put on by our friends at Coolwater, Tau Ventures, the Economic Club of LA, LA Venture Partners, and more.
If that weren’t busy enough, I’ll be flying out to Cambridge this Friday to speak on a gaming & consumer panel at the Harvard Blockchain Conference, where Chris Dixon of a16z is giving a keynote!
(I’ll share more on that in a recap in the next issue 😉)
For those who don’t know me (yet) – hello! 👋
I'm Brandon Hoffman, the Host of Emerging LA & GP at Sunset Ventures. After years on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, I was excited to return to Los Angeles and do my part to support my hometown.
The vision for Emerging LA is an IRL community that unites people together to unlock LA’s full potential as a top emerging tech ecosystem in the world!
Enjoy the read, and see you soon. 🌴
📃 Table of Contents
🔥 Featured Events
Events hosted by Emerging LA that you don’t want to miss!
Harvard Alumni Talk on Indigenous Nations (04/09)
Join us for a gathering of Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) alumni in LA!
The meetup will take place in Downtown LA and will have a fireside chat titled "Sovereignty Matters: HKS builds its capacity to serve Indigenous nations".
HKS alumni will be prioritized, but if there is room, we will accept Harvard alumni from other schools and our friends from LA interested in policy.
Agenda Highlights:
5:30p: Registration & Mingling
6:00p: Fireside chat
7:00p: Networking
8:00p: Wrap up
Healthtech LA: Panel & Cocktails (04/11)
Ignite your journey in LA's Healthtech scene!
Healthtech LA is a must-attend event for those in healthtech, medtech, and life sciences.
This Emerging LA event is co-hosted with Cedars Sinai Health Ventures, Chasing Rainbows, Sunset Ventures, and Mercury.
Agenda Highlights:
5:30pm: Check-in
6:00pm: Expert Panel on Navigating LA's Health Ecosystem, featuring Cedars Sinai Health Ventures, Eko Health, and more.
7:00pm: Networking & Cocktails
8:30pm: Wrap-Up
✨ More Events
Upcoming events from our friends where you may find us!
Coolwater Happy Hour at SuperReturn US West on (04/08)
For those who don’t know, Coolwater is often considered the YC for emerging fund managers.
They are hosting a Happy Hour at SuperReturn US West on April 8th.
Here is a chance to meet some of the top limited Partners, investment firms, and founders on the West Coast.
This event is hosted by the leaders of Coolwater (Winter Mead and Raphael Leopold).
👉 Click here to sign up
As a Coolwater alum (go Cohort 6!), I will be there and hope to see many of you all! For anyone who is a new GP starting a venture fund, feel free to reach out if you want to learn more about the Coolwater community & experience.
LA Venture Partners Q2 Connect (04/09)
LA Venture Partners is inviting new and experienced investors alongside the LAVP community to their Q2 Investment Connect!
They are creating a unique space for you to discuss investing with young professionals and learn more about the VC ecosystem.
👉 Click here to sign up
Arlan Hamilton’s “Your First Million” Conference (04/09 to 04/12)
Your First Million LIVE in Downtown LA, April 9-12, 2024, is an event designed to amplify underestimated voices and talent.
This event is hosted by Arlan Hamilton, and it embodies her mission of nurturing the next generation of catalysts.
During the event, you’ll receive the tools, resources, and connections to empower you to thrive as you work towards Your First Million!
👉 Click here to sign up
I am looking forward to a VIP dinner with All Raise on Wednesday night. If you plan to be there, then please come say hello!
📸 Event Recap
Captured observations and insights from event speakers and attendees!
Y-Combinator W24 Demo Day
Hanging with Garry Tan (President of YC)
Observations
The energy was electric at the YC reception, with the room’s buzzing with excitement!
It was great to be able to attend YC in person, meet countless amazing startups, and get a chance to meet the current President, Garry Tan.
For those who don’t know Garry Tan, he is a legendary VC investor, influencer, and has shaken things up at YC lately in a good way!
One of the large rooms in the 3 story building filled with YC founders
Insights
Y Combinator is celebrating its 38th Demo Day, showcasing the accomplishments of batch W24.
The past year has seen significant growth for Y Combinator, including moving into a larger office space that has transformed into a vibrant startup campus.
The expansion of YC's office has coincided with organizational growth, with a strong roster of Group Partners supporting founders throughout their journey.
The W24 batch welcomed 260 companies out of over 27,000 applicants, making it one of the most selective cohorts in YC history.
AI is a prevalent focus for many companies in this batch, reflecting the trend of top founders choosing to build in AI due to its transformative potential.
The YC community now has 4,500 startups and 11,000 founders, with spanning verticals such as B2B SaaS, Consumer, Healthcare, Fintech, etc.
The demographics of the W24 batch show diversity, with representation from various ethnicities and 21% of companies having a woman founder.
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