Orange County AI Startup Forum 2026
About this Event
🔷 Orange County AI Startup Forum 2026
Spotlighting the Founders, Startups & Ideas Shaping AI in Orange County
🚀 OverviewThe Orange County AI Startup Forum 2026 brings together AI founders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, technologists, investors, advisors, and ecosystem builders for an evening focused on what is happening in AI right here in Orange County.
Hosted in Irvine by , the Forum will spotlight emerging AI startups, local innovators, new technologies, and the people helping shape Orange County’s growing AI ecosystem.
Cleve Adams will join us for a fireside chat at the Orange County AI Startup Forum.
Cleve is often called the “Godfather of SaaS” — and his track record explains why.
Hear perspectives on how AI is developing across Orange County—from startups and entrepreneurs to established businesses, universities, investors, and emerging technologies.
This is more than a startup pitch event.
The AI Startup Forum is an opportunity to discover what is being built, hear from people working at the forefront of AI, exchange ideas, meet founders and business leaders, and build meaningful connections across Orange County.
🎯 What to Expect
🤖 The State of AI in Orange CountyMeet a select group of Orange County AI startups and founders building innovative products and companies.Selected founders will have an opportunity to briefly present:
What is being built here?
Where are the biggest opportunities?
What could Orange County’s role be in the next generation of AI innovation?
🌟 OC AI Startup SpotlightsHear from founders, AI practitioners, business leaders, investors, and experts discussing some of the most important developments shaping AI today. Topics may include:
- The problem they are solving
- What they have built
- How AI is being used
- Their progress and traction
- What they need next
Rather than a traditional high-pressure pitch competition, founders will receive constructive feedback and perspectives from experienced entrepreneurs, advisors, industry leaders, coaches, and investors participating in the Forum.
🎤 Featured AI Talks & ConversationsMeet people who are actively building, deploying, funding, advising, and using AI.The Forum is designed to create conversations between:
- Agentic AI and AI agents
- Applied AI and real-world business use cases
- Enterprise AI, Cybersecurity, SaaS
- Healthcare and Life Sciences AI
- AI startups and entrepreneurship
- Building and scaling AI companies
- AI adoption by small and mid-sized businesses
- AI Funding and commercialization
- What to expect from AI in 2027 and beyond
🤝 Meaningful OC AI ConnectionsAre you building an AI startup in Orange County or Southern California?Selected startups may receive an opportunity to:
- AI startup founders
- Entrepreneurs and business owners
- AI developers and technologists
- Corporate and industry leaders
- Angel investors and VCs
- Advisors, mentors, and coaches
- University and research communities
- Startup ecosystem organizations
🚀 Startup Spotlight OpportunityA limited number of showcase tables will be available for startups, technology companies, sponsors, and ecosystem organizations. Showcase participants can demonstrate their products, meet attendees, and continue conversations throughout the evening.
- Present their company during an OC AI Startup Spotlight
- Receive constructive feedback from experienced founders, advisors, and investors
- Meet potential customers, partners, mentors, and supporters
- Gain visibility through event promotions
- Participate in the startup showcase
- Receive post-event amplification through the oGoing ecosystem
- Be considered for additional visibility through oGoing.ai
Application required. Limited startup spotlight opportunities available.
🏢 Startup & Sponsor ShowcaseAgentic AI • Applied AI • Enterprise AI • Health AI • FinTech AI • Retail AI • Life Sciences AI • SaaS AI • AI Automation • Emerging AI Technologies
🔷 Featured AI AreasSelected founders present what they are building, followed by constructive feedback and conversation.
🔷 Agenda
🕠 5:30 – 6:00 PM
Networking + OC AI Startup Showcase
- Check-in and introductions
- Meet founders, AI professionals, investors, and business leaders
- Startup and sponsor tables open
- Light refreshments
🕕 6:00 – 6:15 PM
Welcome + State of AI in Orange County
- Welcome to the Orange County AI Startup Forum
- What's happening across the OC AI ecosystem
- Opportunities ahead for founders, businesses, and innovators
🕕 6:15 – 6:40 PM
Featured AI TalkMeet the founders, explore products, and continue conversations.
🕡 6:40 – 7:05 PM
OC AI Startup SpotlightsFounders, operators, investors, and industry leaders discuss where AI is creating real business value and where the next opportunities may emerge.
🕖 7:05 – 7:25 PM
Networking + Startup ShowcaseAdditional startup, technology, founder, or ecosystem presentations highlighting AI innovation happening across Orange County.
🕢 7:25 – 7:50 PM
Featured AI Conversation / PanelClosing perspectives, community announcements, and opportunities to stay connected.
🕗 7:50 – 8:15 PM
OC AI Innovation SpotlightsContinue conversations with founders, speakers, partners, investors, and fellow attendees.
🕣 8:15 – 8:30 PM
What's Next for AI in Orange CountyOrange County has entrepreneurs, engineers, researchers, businesses, investors, universities, and innovators working across many areas of artificial intelligence.
🤝 Open Networking
🌴 Building the Orange County AI Community
The Orange County AI Startup Forum is about bringing more of these people together. Come discover what is being built. Meet the people building it.And help shape what comes next for AI in Orange County.
Irvine Ranch Water District makes its facilities available for use by residents and nonprofit organizations merely as a public service, but does not, by allowing this use, endorse or support the purpose of the event or its sponsor.
Cleve Adams will join us for a fireside chat at the Orange County AI Startup Forum.
Cleve is often called the “Godfather of SaaS” — and his track record explains why.
A few highlights:
1. 6x CEO, 6x M&A exits
2. Built and led companies from pre-revenue to billions in value
3. Started and scaled web security firm Websense from pre-revenue to a $1 billion IPO in less than three years; Websense was later acquired by Raytheon for approximately $2 billion
4. Co-founder and CEO of a company recognized by Forbes as the #2 Most Promising Company
5. Raised more than $300 million from top-tier venture investors
6. Built a global sales ecosystem of 1100 resellers and distributors across 82 countries
7. Deep operating experience across cybersecurity, SaaS/cloud, AI and mobile security
8. Software industry expert and speaker at various conferences, universities, and corporations, including prestigious events like the Harvard Alumni Assoc, Amazon, Investor Conferences, Cyber Security, and Smart City Conferences.
9. Featured in the Premier Cybersecurity book Cyberminds and the book Right Leader – Right Time.
Cleve has built companies, raised capital, scaled globally, navigated IPOs and acquisitions — and has seen multiple generations of technology transformation firsthand.
The Living Brand Book
The words your business has been missing, written down.
Not a deck you present once and file — a book your team quotes on a Tuesday because it finally says the thing out loud.
Written, not summarized
Full sentences you can lift onto a page — not bullet points to interpret.
Living, not filed
It updates as the conversation continues, never a report left to go stale.
Validated before you rely on it
Confirmed with you, so nothing goes in you would not defend out loud.
Build My Brand
Generation IX
Generation IX is a SOC 2-certified managed IT and cybersecurity provider with 28+ years in business and an MSP 501 ranking, supporting clients across Southern California. We work with businesses every day who are excited about AI and want to make sure they're using it safely. If you're building or running a business and wondering how to adopt AI without opening the door to new risks, this conversation is for you. www.generationix.com
Yerika Garcia and her team will be representing Generation IX.
Dr. Pradip K. Shukla, CPIM is The Shah Family Endowed Chair in Innovativeness at Chapman University. Dr. Pradip K. Shukla previously served as Vice-Chancellor for Entrepreneurship at Chapman University and the Director of the Entrepreneurship program at Chapman University.
Dr. Shukla hosted an AI Impact Summit at Chapman University January 2026 for the Government of India and Consulate General Office of India Los Angeles. He sits on the Advisory Board of Starquiz.ai, an AI firm focused on using AI agents for formative assessments in education.
Dr. Shukla has consulted with entrepreneurial firms at all stages--- business plan, inception, growth, succession planning, going public, and liquidation. Dr. Shukla has served on the Board of Directors and Advisory Boards of for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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