Economic Growth & Cultural Vitality: Santa Monica kicks off LA Tech Week with Innovation Hub Street Fair
October 11, 2024 3:30 PM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Oct. 11, 2024) – LA Tech Week comes to the heart of Silicon Beach Monday, Oct. 14, kicking off the weeklong celebration of innovation and technology with the Santa Monica Innovation Hub Technology Street Fair on Ocean Avenue.
The ticketed event, hosted by StartupStarter and sponsored in part by the city of Santa Monica, will close down Ocean Avenue between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway and a portion of the adjacent Palisades Park to bring startup showcases, live tech activations, and the opportunity to meet some of LA’s top investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Among those showcasing innovations in technology are the city’s own Information Services, Police and Fire departments. Free tickets were provided to local student groups and school robotics programs are expected to participate.
“Santa Monica is the epicenter of Silicon Beach, and we continue to grow as a hub for innovation, technology and startups,” Santa Monica Economic Development Manager Jennifer Taylor said. “We have built a strong tech community here thanks in part to city support including strategic investment in the CityNet dark fiber and community broadband infrastructure. Companies know this is the place their employees want to live, work and play.”
Beyond the networking and business opportunities, the fair will also feature VR/AR activations, a co-working lounge, a sound stage, food trucks, live music and a beer garden.
Attendees can also take advantage of a host of special discounts at bars, restaurants and shops throughout downtown Santa Monica with an LA Tech Week Passport provided by Santa Monica Travel & Tourism.
The Santa Monica Innovation Hub Technology Street Fair is one of more than 1,000 events hosted in Santa Monica and throughout the region as part of LA Tech Week presented by venture capital firm a16z, which recently opened a new headquarters in downtown Santa Monica.
Often referred to as “Silicon Beach,” Santa Monica has been a center for innovation in Southern California for more than 30 years with a high concentration of technology start-ups and ground-breaking companies already established, plus a growing number of new businesses choosing to come to Santa Monica.
Technology and creative industries remain one of Santa Monica’s leading economic sectors, comprising 34 percent of the city’s total employment with over 29,000 people and an average annual payroll of $6.3 billion, making up more than half of the city’s total. Notable companies calling Santa Monica home include Activision, Hulu, Cornerstone on Demand, Lionsgate Entertainment, Snap Inc., and Universal Music Group among others.
The Santa Monica Innovation Hub goes from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and tickets can be purchased here. Ocean Avenue will be closed between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway from 9 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13, until to 11:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 14.
For more on Tech Week, visit tech-week.com.
Media Contact
Tati Simonian
Public Information Officer
Tati.Simonian@santamonica.gov
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