StrictlyVC is bringing its signature investor-focused event to Los Angeles on June 18, with just two weeks until doors open at The Aerospace Corporation Campus in El Segundo. The evening gathering will bring together founders, venture capitalists, and tech leaders for candid discussions on the shifts reshaping defense technology, artificial intelligence, and the broader venture capital landscape. Organizers are positioning the event as a rare opportunity for executives to engage directly with the people building, funding, and steering the next wave of companies, with conversations designed to go deeper than typical headlines or social media chatter.
The speaker lineup leans heavily into defense and "physical AI," two of the hottest categories in venture. Mach Industries founder Ethan Thornton will open the night with a session called "Built for a New Era of Defense Technology," addressing how autonomy, manufacturing advances, and national security priorities are reshaping how hard tech companies get built. Following him, Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov will pair with Shinkei Systems' Saif Khawaja to explore the rise of physical AI, examining how breakthroughs in robotics and automation are creating opportunities to transform industries beyond pure software.
Rounding out the announced agenda is Carter Reum, co-founder and partner at M13, whose talk "Finding the Next Big Thing" will focus on how investors are separating durable, long-term AI plays from short-term hype. Reum is expected to dig into where innovation is producing the most meaningful returns and how venture investing itself is changing as new categories emerge. Additional speakers and sessions are still being rolled out, with organizers promising more announcements in the lead-up to the event. Tickets and the latest speaker updates are available through the StrictlyVC event page.