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Hello WeeklyHap fans! I’m Kirin Kalia, your new editor. The last time I considered myself a working journalist, Grindr was better known than Tinder, only nerds bought Bitcoin and checking in on Foursquare was still a thing.

I lived in LA back then and still do. Only now I’m a true believer in our ecosystem and an entrepreneur myself. My main business: helping founders deliver the right message to investors & customers. I also host a new podcast called Message Worth Millions (check it out on Apple and Spotify).

I’m excited to write about people, companies and trends worth knowing — and celebrating. My goal is to make this a must-read because you learn something that helps you build or create something the world needs.

Hit reply and let us know what you liked (and didn’t) so we can best serve YOU.

Yes, it feels like every city now wants to promote its ecosystem with a “Tech Week.” But Glendale Tech Week was ahead of the curve when it launched in 2016 as a public/private partnership.

BTW, that partnership includes the State of California, which has awarded two $1M grants to fund startup growth programs (aka accelerators) in LA County’s fourth-largest city. One grant came in 2020, the other in 2024. It’s why the nonprofit accelerator FoundersBoost currently runs a program just for Glendale! [ Applications close Sept 10 ]

No wonder the Jewel City — yes, that’s Glendale’s nickname — also calls itself “the tech jewel of the northeast side of LA.”

Lucky for all of us, the 9th edition of Glendale Tech Week is this week (today’s the last day). It has featured the usual mix of breakfasts and happy hours, workshops and keynotes, mixers and pitches. 

One session that’s not your typical Tech Week topic: “Parenting Little Engineers in the Age of AI,” hosted by a local STEM education group called the Tinker Club. Check out their Insta for a peek at future entrepreneurs in action.

Unless you’ve been under a rock this summer, you know that a16z has been hosting some fine VC firesides every Tuesday (plus a lovely charcuterie spread) at their Santa Monica office. Shout-out to Emlyn Thompson for organizing every single one!

I missed this week’s conversation but wanted to highlight something serial founder Ari Mir (best known for founding Clutter) said in his chat last week with Wonder Ventures’ Dustin Rosen — and not just because it was the answer to my question ;)

The thing Ari repeatedly tells first-time entrepreneurs he’s mentoring is that market size matters. “Go for big,” he said, in part because that’s what investors will back and in part because the best people want to work on big problems.

He noted that if you don't know the size of your market, it's too small (!).

He gave email as an example, asking “How many billions of people use email?”

On that note: Superhuman (better email) exited to Grammarly this summer for an undisclosed amount but had raised over $100M and was last valued at $825M (2021). For a nuanced take on that deal that actually shows market size isn’t the whole story, read this from investor David Kaye.

It's almost here! Apple’s big September 9 launch event is just days away, and the hype is real. We're expecting a full lineup drop, including the new iPhone 17, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Series 11, and AirPods Pro 3.

But what's the main event? All eyes are on the super-thin iPhone 17 Air, which is rumored to be the thinnest iPhone ever at just 5.5mm. We're also anticipating major camera upgrades for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, like a powerful 48MP telephoto lens. So, what are you most excited to see?

Get ready, because downtown L.A. is about to get way more fun! A massive new social club, Ballers, is taking over the 100,000-square-foot former Macy’s building at The Bloc next summer. Think of it as your new playground, centered on the super popular pickleball and the rising star, padel.

It's going to have 18 pickleball and four padel courts, the first in DTLA! But that's not all. The space will also feature golf simulators, soccer pitches, two bars, a restaurant, and even a recovery zone with a sauna and cold plunge. It's the ultimate spot to play, hang, and connect.

Countless incredible startups are working tirelessly every day, making impressive progress yet not receiving the attention they deserve. Here in LA, we have far more of these hidden gems than most of us realize.

That’s why we’re spotlighting a must-know startup based in LA. Want to support them? 

Here’s how: connect the founder with an investor or potential customer, introduce yourself at an event, or simply cheer them on from the sidelines! Every bit of support counts.

All Phenoms*

All Phenoms makes organic, fruit-infused, functional sparkling beverages that check all the boxes: pre/probiotics, vegan, no artificial stuff and with versions that include green tea caffeine. We first chatted with marketing-savvy CEO and Co-Founder Cristina Kown while sipping a free smoothie at LA Tech Week last year.

She’s in a crowded space but deserves to win because her drinks are truly yummy -- try the citrus ginger – placing third in Tasting Table’s recent ranking of 12 functional beverages (yes, they beat out Poppi and Olipop).

Available at: Erewhon Markets, Mother's Market's, Lazy Acres, Bristol Farms, Co-Opportunity Markets in SoCal and beyond.
Recent highlight: National distribution at GNC.
HQ: LA
Contact: [email protected]

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.