🚀 Demo Day LA — Presented by Nerdstage

LA's most anticipated startup demo event is back, bringing together founders and investors in one room for an evening of pitches, candid insight, and meaningful connections.

If you're a builder turning hard problems into progress, you might be a fit for the Nerdstage Pitch Accelerator. Learn more about Nerdstage's Demo Day series here.

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🗓️ What's Happening

🔥 5:00 PM — Fireside Chat: Raising Capital in 2026

Eric Pulier has founded 16 companies and raised over $1.5 billion. In a fireside conversation with Jeffrey Chernick, Eric breaks down exactly what's working for founders raising money in today's climate — how to craft a compelling narrative, what investors are truly listening for, and how AI is rewriting the math on what it takes to reach MVP.

🎙️ 6:00 PM — Startup Pitches

Founders take the stage to pitch live to the VC panel.

🤝 8:00 PM — Networking & Connections

Food & conversations — the kind of networking that actually goes somewhere.

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👥 Demo Day LA Investor Panels

Demo Day LA has featured an impressive roster of investors and industry leaders delivering real, unfiltered insight to founders.

Highlights from previous special guests:

• 🎙️ Mike Jones, General Partner at Science Inc., helped build and invest in companies like Liquid Death and Dollar Shave Club. ▶️ Nerdstage Podcast Episode 01
• 🎙️ Josh Resnick, General Partner at OpenSky Ventures, previously co-founded Pandemic Studios and Sugarfina. ▶️ Nerdstage Podcast Episode 02
• 📊 Hank Leber, co-founder at Stanify — Case Study: from 5% to 220% funded using Demo Day

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🤝 Made Possible in Partnership With

⚖️ Venture Best — a part of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

The Venture Best® group is dedicated exclusively to serving entrepreneurs and investors — with team members who have personally been in those roles, bringing firsthand perspective to every client relationship.

Their services include:

• 🏗️ Counseling early-stage businesses on entity formation, financing, and growth needs
• 📋 Advising on business plans and pitch strategy
• 🤝 Investor introductions and team-building referrals
• 💼 Advising funds and sponsors on structuring, forming, and operating all types of investment funds

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💡 Expect strong ideas, serious conversations, and connections that move the needle.