Inaugural OC Tech Week Draws 3,000 From 12 Countries, Sends Finalist to $1M Startup World Cup
Nov 3, 2026
IRVINE, Calif. - Nov. 3, 2026 - PRLog -- OC Tech Week hosted by Tech Coast Venture Network drew an estimated 3,000 attendees from 12 countries to 59 events across Orange County, organizers said, and produced a regional champion who will compete for a $1 million investment prize at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco.
The six-day event, organized by Tech Coast Venture Network (TCVN) under the theme "Innovation in Paradise," ran Oct. 19-24. Instead of a single conference, it was built as a radically inclusive, decentralized series of community driven events hosted by companies, universities, investor groups and community organizations across the county. Organizers said the goal is a single regional identity for Orange County's innovation economy. OC Tech Week will return Sept. 20-25, 2027.
"Orange County has all the ingredients to become one of the world's leading innovation economies: exceptional talent, investment capital, research institutions and entrepreneurial ambition," said Farrah N. Khan, former Mayor of Irvine, co-chair of OC Tech Week. "Our vision is to connect those strengths and make Orange County a place where the next generation of transformative companies can thrive."
"Founders don't succeed in isolation. They need relationships, resources, visibility and a community that believes in them…before there is traction," said Tony Crisp, president of Tech Coast Venture Network, co-chair of OC Tech Week, and Founder of CRISPx brand marketing. "Farrah had the vision, we created the spark, and the community turned it into a fire. You don't find your community, you build it."
Startup World Cup regional champion
Jim O'Connell, founder and CEO of Vytala, won the Startup World Cup Orange County Regional Qualifier on Oct. 21 at the sold-out Best of the Best Startup Pitch Showcase, organized by the Alliance for SoCal Innovation and TCA Venture Group. Thirteen startups pitched to a panel of five judges.
Vytala advances to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco, Nov. 4-6, where regional winners from around the world will compete for a $1 million investment prize from Pegasus Tech Ventures. Pegasus also invited the other 12 competing startups to attend the Grand Finale.
"The million-dollar prize is exciting, but the real story is access," said Dave de Csepel, chairman of TCA Venture Group. "When founders get in front of experienced investors and build relationships beyond their own networks, that's how a strong regional ecosystem becomes globally competitive."
Global participation
The Oct. 20 Global Trade Summit, organized by International Impact Connections, featured perspectives from China, India, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Romania, South Korea and Europe's technology sectors. Speakers included Marques McCammon, CEO of Karma Automotive; John Shen, founding partner of Sunstone Management; and Christopher K. Lee, venture partner at GoAhead Ventures.
Week highlights
The week opened Oct. 19 at the Sunstone Courtyard in Irvine with a keynote by Don DiCostanzo, founder of Pedego Electric Bikes and CEO of The Ticket 500, titled "Moonshots: The Future Isn't Predicted. It's Built." Irvine Mayor Larry Agran opened with a warm welcome.
Other events included:
- FOX 11 Los Angeles covered The AI Lab's "The People vs. The AI Lab" debate and The AI Lab is now inviting NVIDIA, Meta, OpenAI, Google and Microsoft to adopt TIP
- Startup Pitch Fest, hosted by Startup Steroid, Sunstone and SGC Angels
- Quantum Security Day, at Microsoft's Innovation Hub with Quantum eMotion
- Gorilla Cars & Coffee, hosted by Adriana's Insurance, which organizers estimated brought together $10 million worth of vehicles, speakers OG Arabian Prince, founding member of Rock n Roll hall of fame rap group N.W.A., and founder of Rezvani Motors, Ferris Rezvani
- Pickleball with investors was a *hit*
"Ten million dollars in cars is impressive, but the real value is the community those cars bring together," said Adriana Gallardo, founder and CEO of Adriana's Insurance. "Gorilla Cars and Coffee give people a reason to connect beyond business cards and formal introductions."
The week closed Oct. 24 at the CU Center at Concordia University Irvine, in partnership with TiE Los Angeles and SoCal Celebrates Entrepreneurship.
Golden Unicorn Awards
OC Tech Week honored its founding committee with Golden Unicorn Awards, named for the event's orange unicorn mascot. In startup terms, a unicorn is a private company valued at more than $1 billion, and organizers said the award reflects a goal of building the ecosystem that produces them. The honorees are listed below.
All attendance and participation figures are preliminary organizer estimates.
2026 Golden Unicorn Award honorees
- Farrah N. Khan, co-chair, OC Tech Week; board member TCVN, former Mayor, Irvine
- Jennifer Huang, director of marketing, Sunstone Investment Group
- Karl Hoenecke, dean, School of Business and Economics, Concordia University Irvine
- Don DiCostanzo, CEO, The Ticket 500; founder, Pedego Electric Bikes
- Bob Genthert, managing director, EvoNexus Irvine; CEO, GlyTR Therapeutics
- Jerry Heikens, executive director, TiE Los Angeles
- Cynthia West, Ph.D., founder, Rezultant
- Vicente Sarmiento, Orange County supervisor, 2nd District
- Anshuman Sinha, board of trustee, TiE Global
- Dave de Csepel, chairman, TCA Venture Group
- Tedy Fugel, founder and CEO, KICKFLP
- Arabian Prince, founder, iNov8; board member TCVN; founding member, N.W.A.
- Aaron Klein, founder, LYNX Enterprise; executive director, TCVN
- Venkatesh Sankaran, president, TiE Los Angeles; board member, TCVN
- David Ochi, executive director at CSUDH Innovation Incubator
- Chris Weber, CEO, Only on the Rancho Productions
- Gia Ly, managing director, SoCal Celebrates Entrepreneurship
- Lillian Victoria, founder, Awesomeness Lifestyle; board member TCVN
- Tony Crisp, president, TCVN; co-chair, OC Tech Week; founder CRISPx
About OC Tech Week
OC Tech Week is Orange County's community-powered week of events on innovation, entrepreneurship and technology, organized by Tech Coast Venture Network. More information is at octechweek.com. Sponsorship and hosting inquiries go to OCtechweek.com.
About Tech Coast Venture Network
Founded in 1984, Tech Coast Venture Network is an Orange County entrepreneurial support organization that helps founders become fundable through pitch competitions, investor connections, education and community partnerships. Learn more at tcvn.org.
Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)
Source: Tech Coast Venture Network (TCVN)
Read Full Story - Inaugural OC Tech Week Draws 3,000 From 12 Countries, Sends Finalist to $1M Startup World Cup | More news from this source
Press release distribution by PRLog
More News
Dole launches 15/30 hotline amid El Niño preparations
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Tuesday, Nov. 3, launched a nationwide 24/7 hotline where workers, employers and other stakeholders can report workplace concerns and labor-related violations. Dubbed “15/30,” the hotline was introduced during the department’s flag-raising ceremony as part of its preparations for the expected El Niño, which could
PNP urges pet owners to file raps vs crematorium over dumped remains
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) urged pet owners who may have been defrauded by a pet crematorium in Cavite to file complaints after 29 dead dogs and cats were found dumped in a vacant lot in Bulacan. The deceased pets were reportedly taken to Ahjay Paws Aftercare Pet Crematorium in Bacoor City,
Cops rescue 16-year-old girl allegedly held over debt in Leyte
TACLOBAN CITY — After responding to an emergency 911 call, police officers rescued a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly prevented from leaving her companions because of an outstanding debt in Barangay Guindapunan, Palo, Leyte, on Sunday. The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) said personnel from the Palo Municipal Police Station and the Municipal Social Welfare
SC announces suspension of court operations on Wednesday, November 4, 2026
The Supreme Court announced that operations in some courts in the country are suspended on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 due to power interruption and local holidays.
Mayon emits ash plume on Tuesday morning
MANILA, Philippines — Mayon Volcano in Albay spewed an ash plume that rose more than 1,600 meters above its summit on Tuesday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. Phivolcs said the ash emission occurred from 8:22 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. “This event generated a plume that rose 1600 meters above the
Western Visayas schools suspend classes due to 43°C heat index
ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Schools across Western Visayas suspended classes or shifted to online learning on Tuesday as the heat index is forecast to reach 43 degrees Celsius in Iloilo City and 42°C in Roxas City, Capiz. The class suspensions and adjustments cover public and private educational institutions in Iloilo and Capiz, with some schools
/file/attachments/orphans/parliament2_666131.png)
What happened to promised 50pct vape tax allocation for health, MP asks
PARLIAMENT | The question comes amid second attempt to remove liquid, gel nicotine from poisons list.
Villar’s VistaREIT properties lost P13 billion in value in 2025
VistaREIT's delayed financial statements reveal a massive property valuation loss and nearly P2 billion in rental receivables from other Villar companies
Hate Is a Straight Line in a World of Casual Ableism
Before I even understood what a disability was, I understood what it felt like to be watched. Growing up with
P3.1M in smuggled cigarettes seized, 3 busted in Negros Oriental
BACOLOD CITY — Police intercepted some P3.1 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes and arrested three men during a joint anti-smuggling operation in Barangay Nagbo-alao, Basay town, Negros Oriental, on Monday morning. The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) identified the suspects as “Lom,” 25, the truck driver; and passengers “Joe,” 41, and “Ben,”
Singaporean tourist jailed in Australia for fatally running over man with stolen backpack
A Singaporean man has been jailed in Australia for five years and nine months for manslaughter after he drove over and killed a man who stole a backpack from his rental car.
YOUR NEWS, OUR NETWORK.
Do you have Great News you want to tell the world?
Be it updates about your business or your community, you can make sure that it’s heard by submitting your story to our network reaching hundreds of news sites across 6 verticals.