Sean Percival Archive

The startup scene in Los Angeles is unique. So unique that many folks dispute L.A. has a significant tech community. The truth is L.A. has a vibrant tech space with everything you need for a healthy startup ecosystem: we have passionate entrepreneurs, several local VCs and even a few talented engineers. In Los Angeles you’ll find offices for the all big boys, including Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft. Along with them you’ll also find every other flavor of startup, from the scrappy bootstrappers to the well funded operations like Demand Media.

As far as backdrops go, you could do worse than L.A. Perhaps this is why coastal Santa Monica has become the central hub for most startups in Los Angeles. The combination of great weather and beach lifestyle seem to help drive innovation. The Westside (as we call it) also drives a very active social calendar for the tech space; during any given week you’ll find two to three great networking opportunities in the form of events and mixers. Whether you are looking to fund your digital dreams or just meet someone to launch your offline fantasies, you’ll likely find it here.

Want to know more? Here are a few online resources for getting acclaimed in Los Angeles:

• Blogs: There are a few key blogs that cover L.A. well. They include my site lalawag, which covers tech culture; Techzulu, which brings you video from events across the city; and socaltech, whoch covers tech business news from Southern California. Finally you’ll also want to check out laist, which covers all things Los Angeles.
• Coworking: With some many great restaurants, cafes and hotels in L.A., there is no shortage of good coworking spaces. If you find you need a more permanent coworking space, checkout Blankspaces, where you can rent space desk space and collaborate with other members.
• Events: Truth be told, there are A LOT of tech events in Los Angeles, perhaps too many. Be careful not to over-network: pace yourself. There are two semi-annual events you don’t want to miss: our local Barcamp and Twiistup. Both offer the best opportunities for networking, learning and having great time.

Sean Percival is the Director of Content for Tsavo and founder of lalawag, a blog that focuses on tech culture in Los Angeles.