Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.

Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.

No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso.

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

LA Tech Week just dropped their whopping lineup of 1,500 events scattered across the city, all kicking off on October 13, 2025.

On a different note, Apple’s latest event was... well, kind of meh. Sure, they unveiled another new iPhone 17, but the buzz is all about the iPhone Air. Whispers are swirling that this could pave the way for Apple to jump into foldable phone territory as soon as 2026.

Plenty to unpack here, keep reading!

DemoDayLA is happening next Thursday, September 18, 2025, starting at 3:30 PM in Venice Beach. Get ready to witness 10 incredible startups pitching their innovative ideas to a panel of 15 top-tier investors. From cutting-edge software to groundbreaking hardware, and all the latest AI magic packed into it, this event has something for everyone, even a water dispenser with AI! How cool is that?

Oh, and did we mention there's a killer fireside chat with none other than Joshua Lee? Yep, the guy with 9 impressive startup exits under his belt. He’s dropping in to share his insights, strategies, and maybe even a few behind-the-scenes secrets. If that doesn’t get you hyped, we’re not sure what will. This is your chance to soak up wisdom from one of the best in the game!

And yes, tacos are making a glorious comeback! This year, it's bigger, better, and plenty enough to satisfy your cravings for the entire night. Because, honestly, who doesn’t love tacos? Don’t miss out on this epic evening of tech, talks, and tasty bites. See you there! REGISTER

You might want to sit down for this one. The LA Tech Week team just dropped the official schedule, and it is absolutely packed! We’re talking a mind-blowing 1,500 events happening all week long. Yikes!

From founder talks to investor panels and wild launch parties, there are so many amazing things to attend. Our team will be on the ground covering as much as we can, so if you see us, say hi! We hope to bump into you while we’re out there exploring everything the week has to offer. It's going to be epic.

With the best kind of back-to-school energy, Techstars Space MD Gabriel Schlumberger and his team last night rolled out the red carpet (plus JP Morgan-sponsored empanadas and drinks) for the five space startups that just joined the program. Plenty of alumni from the LA, Healthcare and USC programs, plus mentors and investors, kept the party humming until well past closing time!

It might be one of the smallest cohorts ever to call the Culver City office home, but these companies (listed in the Techstars Fall 2025 roundup) are promising to make various aspects of space access and operations cheaper, faster and less risky.

We spoke with four of the five space teams – all boast impressive tech (though it’s not easy to understand it), and all of them want to grow their businesses :) Let’s see by December’s Demo Day what they can accomplish!

It’s technically based in SF, but we gotta shout-out Amazon-backed Showrunner because the company is using AI to shake up Hollywood. They plan to reconstruct the famously destroyed 43 minutes of an Orson Welles film called The Magnificent Ambersons – and secured this Hollywood Reporter story with all the details.

Showrunner first got attention for its AI-generated, “South Park”-style episodes. Its first series is “Exit Valley,” which makes fun of, what else, Silicon Valley culture (btw, you can only watch these episodes on the Showrunner Discord).

But the company’s ambitions are firmly set on making feature-length films with AI…which is something everyone in this town knows is coming (!!).

Join 3-time best-selling author and seasoned investor Mike Dusi, together with Vak Sambath, visionary co-founder of CreatorIQ, for a rare look at the future of PropTech and AI.

The evening will also feature a special tribute, honoring a billionaire magnate whose vision is reshaping California’s rebuilding efforts and redefining the ecosystem as we know it.

Their company, Bestia, isn’t just another PropTech startup—it’s a new force in AI, built to make real estate faster, smarter, and more accessible than ever.

This event is exclusive to WeeklyHap readers, with the first 100 attendees admitted FREE. REGISTER

WeeklyHap is a weekly newsletter published by Schmoozd, focusing on events, people, and things around Los Angeles, sometimes beyond. We partner with StartupCoil, demodayLA, DigitalLA, AI LA, among other organizations, on events. If you participated in any of these events, it is probable that you will receive this email.