Nearly 3,000 founders, investors, and community members gathered across 22 events during Glendale Tech Week, held from September 17 to 19, to celebrate the region’s thriving tech industry. The event featured a wide array of activities, from industry-led panels to a Demo Day entrepreneurial pitch competition, highlighting the strength and diversity of the local tech community. For those unable to attend, a wrap-up video with event highlights is available to watch online.
One of the standout events was Demo Day, hosted by SmartGateVC. This competition provided an opportunity for ten startups to present their ideas to a panel of investor judges, who evaluated them based on various criteria. The 2024 winner, TACTUN, received a prize package valued at over $20,000, designed to accelerate the company’s growth. A spin-off from RAFA Solutions, with over a decade of Systems Integration expertise, TACTUN develops AI-ready hardware controllers and a no-code software platform specifically for smart machinery manufacturers. Their cutting-edge solutions enable the creation of autonomous, AI-enabled machines capable of making real-time decisions using either local or cloud-processed data. By combining advanced hardware with an intuitive no-code builder, TACTUN improves productivity by up to 40% while optimizing resource utilization.
“Winning Glendale Tech Week’s Demo Day is a tremendous honor for TACTUN. This recognition validates the years of effort we’ve put into our work and opens up exciting new opportunities with investors and partners. We’re deeply grateful to the organizers and judges for selecting us from such a talented group of startups,” said Rafayel Ghasabyan, co-founder of TACTUN.
Another notable highlight during Glendale Tech Week was the recognition of Evite, a Glendale-based tech company. At the event’s closing ceremony, Glendale Mayor Elen Asatryan presented a commendation to Evite CEO David Yeom, celebrating his contributions to the local tech scene and recognizing his recent win as a 2024 EY Greater LA Entrepreneur of the Year. The commendation acknowledged Evite as a leading example of innovation in Glendale.
The week also featured panel discussions on a variety of topics, including “How to Create Compelling Pitch Decks for Investors” and “Real World Strategies for Cybersecurity and Operational Governance.” Events encouraging young people to explore careers in tech were also part of the program, such as a family-friendly hands-on STEM challenge.
“I’d like to congratulate all the organizations that came together to make this year’s Glendale Tech Week such a valuable event. We covered a wide range of technology, from AI to innovations in beauty tech, and showcased the exceptional talent that exists here in Glendale and throughout the region,” said Mayor Asatryan.
One unique event during the final day of Glendale Tech Week was the “Biohack Your Beauty” event, held on the lawn at The Americana at Brand. The event featured demonstrations from beauty experts and included panels discussing the latest advancements in beauty technology.
Glendale Tech Week once again demonstrated Glendale’s emergence as a central hub in the Southern California innovation ecosystem. The city’s strategy to foster tech growth includes networking events like Tech on Tap and Investors on Tap, as well as inter-city collaboration through initiatives such as Upstart Valley and #EarlyStageLA. Partnerships with key innovation drivers further support the city’s technological advancement.
Glendale is home to several prominent technology companies, including three unicorns: LegalZoom, Age of Learning, and ServiceTitan. The city’s proximity to major film studios like Disney and DreamWorks, as well as institutions such as Caltech, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Glendale Community College, gives Glendale a distinct competitive advantage in the tech industry.
