The LA Grind: Week of June 16th

Upcoming events, founder spotlight, venture deals, investment opportunities, and more.

Author

Justin Gordon
June 16, 2025

Curated events and standout stories for LA’s most ambitious founders, builders, and investors.

👋 I’m Justin. I run The LA Grind and Newsletter Founder, host the Just Go Grind podcast with 360+ founder and investor interviews, and scout for Headline. I’ve lived in LA since 2018, earned my MBA from USC (✌️), and I’m probably out running when I’m not writing this.

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Upcoming Events

🌴 Upcoming Events I’m Hosting 🌴 

🗓️ June 20: Startup Community Coffee Meetup. ​A super casual opportunity to grab a coffee and meet some interesting founders, operators, and investors.

🗓️ June 24: Startup Community Mixer. ​Taking place at one of my favorite locations in Santa Monica! Only room for 40 people. ~20 tickets left.

🗓️ July 8: Curated Founder Dinner. Our first one filled up fast, so I’m organizing another! Message me if interested in sponsoring.

🗓️ July 12: LA Startup Community Hike. We had our first one in months and it was so much fun so we’re running it back again.

This Week

🗓️ June 18: No Decks, Just Dough. Hosted by Anthony Mauceri, the event focuses on fostering genuine conversations among creators, hackers, and indie makers.

🗓️ June 18: Women's Leadership Symposium & Awards 2025. A half-day event celebrating and empowering women in leadership across various industries.

🗓️ June 18: Startup Cafe: Travel Talk with Jessica Blotter from Kind Traveler. Join Jessica Blotter, CEO & Co-Founder of Kind Traveler, the world’s first responsible travel platform.

🗓️ June 19: Pitch & Run LA: Run Club for Founders, Investors, and Tech. A founder-friendly Thursday morning run (with coffee after) I personally recommend and attend most weeks.

🗓️ June 19: AI Safety Meet-up Los Angeles. An event bringing together a diverse group of technologists, researchers, students, and curious thinkers.

Coming Soon

🗓️ June 26: Burbank Tech Talks Presents: Burbank Startup Pitch Fest. Bold entrepreneurs pitching their startups in front of a panel of expert judges.

🗓️ June 26: Cars & Capital | Presented by CarClub & Maserati. An exclusive event for Founders, Creators, Family Offices and Investors.

🗓️ June 27: AI LA Responsible AI Symposium 2025. Explores how AI is reshaping the future of work.

Want to submit an event for consideration in the next edition? Fill out this form.

LA Tech Walks are here!

Presenting the 2025 Summer Series powered by WeAreLATech.

A curated community of tech professionals exploring LA's most stunning landscapes while building meaningful connections.

Walks span across all areas of Los Angeles, north to south and east to west.

Tyler Denk is the co-founder and CEO of beehiiv, a fast growing newsletter platform that has become a popular alternative to tools like Substack and Kit. It’s what this newsletter is built on and it’s also my favorite.

Before launching beehiiv, Denk was the second employee at Morning Brew, where he helped grow the business newsletter into a major media brand that was later acquired by Business Insider.

In late 2021, Denk teamed up with former Morning Brew colleagues Benjamin Hargett and Jacob Hurd to launch beehiiv. Their goal was to create a platform that offered newsletter creators more powerful tools for growth, monetization, and customization. Beehiiv was built to support creators at all stages, from beginners to experienced publishers, addressing many of the limitations they faced at Morning Brew.

Beehiiv quickly found success in the growing creator economy. By 2024, the company had reached an annual revenue run rate of $15 million, more than doubling its earnings from the previous year. Its growth has been fueled by features like a user friendly design, strong analytics, and a native advertising network that helps creators earn revenue directly from their newsletters.

Connect with Tyler on X and tell him The LA Grind sent you.

Know a founder worth spotlighting? Submit yourself or a friend here.

Recent Notable LA Startup Deals

Commons Clinic announced a $26 million Series B round led by RA Capital.

Sauz raised $12M in funding in a round led by CAVU Consumer Partners.

Warp raised a $10M Series A led by Up Partners and Blue Bear Capital.

Coco Robotics (Which I’m sure you’ve seen all over LA) has raised $80M in a strategic funding round led by angel investors Sam Altman and Max Altman.

PopID closed a new equity financing round backed by multiple investors.

Rosebud raised $6M in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners.

Dataplor raised a $20.5M Series B led by F-Prime Capital.

Please send any fundraising news for LA-based companies or funds to [email protected].

Career Opportunities

Investment Opportunities

Spill is reimagining social media and currently raising on Wefunder. Current investors include MaC Venture Capital, Kapor Center, and Collide Capital.

A friend of mine in LA is raising a seed round for his trailer rental marketplace. Currently backed by LAUNCH and Forum Ventures.

Two other friends of mine in LA are raising their first venture funds, one just had his first close.

Email me at [email protected] if you want to know more about any of these opportunities.

Are you or your portfolio company hiring in LA? Looking for a co-founder? Raising capital? We’d love to help you. Fill out this form to get started or reply to this email.

The Magic Castle. A private, members-only club in Hollywood dedicated to the art of magic. Visitors can enjoy magic shows, cocktails, and a unique, mysterious ambiance that feels like stepping into a classic secret society.

Gjusta. A popular café and deli in Venice Beach offering artisan breads, smoked fish, salads, and coffee. It’s a bustling spot loved for its fresh, seasonal menu and laid-back atmosphere.

June 21: Oil Painting Class - Flowers. A 3‑hour beginner-friendly oil painting class in Echo Park.

Is there a cool place or fun event we should know about? Email me at [email protected] 

What’s the first thing on your LA summer bucket list?

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See you next week,

Justin

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