Military Tech, AI, and Big Capital Take Over the Stage at StrictlyVC Los Angeles

The countdown is on for one of the most anticipated tech gatherings of the summer. In just two weeks, the tech and investment communities will descend on Southern California for StrictlyVC Los Angeles. The evening event kicks off on Thursday, June 18, at the Aerospace Corporation Campus in El Segundo. Investors, founders, and industry leaders will gather to dissect massive shifts in venture capital, military technology, artificial intelligence, and heavy industry.

For startup executives trying to steer through a chaotic business landscape, finding clear signals amidst the noise has become incredibly difficult. This event bypasses standard talking points to give attendees direct access to the builders and funders shaping the next wave of industrial and digital growth. Organizers promise unscripted, candid stage interviews in front of a highly curated audience, meaning the ideas shared here will go far deeper than typical online headlines, news podcasts, or social media feeds.

The evening schedule kicks off with Ethan Thornton, the founder of Mach Industries. In his dedicated discussion, titled Built for a New Pivot of Defense Technology, Thornton will share his personal experiences building a hardware focused defense company at high speed. He will map out how fast moving breakthroughs in automation, hardware manufacturing, and national security are completely reworking the modern defense sector. His founder journey shines a light on a broader, rising movement of engineers who are tackling massive, complex technical challenges in heavy sectors that software alone cannot fix.

Following that presentation, the focus shifts to the physical applications of artificial intelligence. Bedy Yang of Founders Fund and Saif Khawaja of Shinkai Systems will share the stage to break down the rapid rise of physical AI. Together, they will dive into how recent milestones in robotics, heavy industrial automation, and real world intelligence are carving out massive commercial opportunities. Their conversation will reveal exactly what it takes to construct and scale hardware breakthroughs when standard software code hits its natural physical limits.

Later in the night, Carter Reum, co-founder and partner at M13, will take the microphone for a session titled Finding the Next Big Thing. Reum will share his views on how artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules for everyday consumer industries. He will also discuss how savvy venture capital investors are moving past short term speculative hype cycles to spot companies built for multi decade survival. He plans to map out where he sees the most valuable market openings emerging today and how the venture capital fundraising landscape is shifting as new industries take center stage.

Beyond the formal interviews on the main stage, the gathering serves as a major hub for networking and dealmaking. StrictlyVC designed the evening to bring together the exact people driving innovation and funding growth. Throughout the night, attendees can connect directly with venture firm partners, tech operators, and fellow founders in an environment built for honest conversations and real collaboration. Whether you want to grow your local network, land your next investment check, or spot major market trends before they happen, the true value of the evening extends far past the official speaker schedule. Organizers will announce more speakers and session topics as the event draws closer.