On Friday, November 14th, we hosted our first-ever Startup Ventura Annual Benefit, bringing together an incredible cross-section of our community. Founders, Ventura Community College leadership, Chamber board members, city and county officials, and supporters all showed up despite the stormy weather to rally behind the future of entrepreneurship in Ventura.
With signature cocktails crafted by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, a full buffet from Santa Cruz Market, and keynote remarks from Startup Ventura leadership and local officials, the evening carried a sense of purpose and momentum. Most importantly, our community helped raise $17,000 to fuel Startup Ventura’s mission.
We heard from Luke Erickson, Deputy Mayor Doug Halter, Brent Kraus, Brian Gonzalez, and John Will III, each helping spotlight the vision for an incubator launching in early 2026.
Conversations throughout the night centered on Ventura’s entrepreneurial potential, and the role local leaders will play in shaping a thriving startup ecosystem.
A massive thank-you to our sponsors: Ventura Chamber of Commerce, Ventura County Credit Union, and Santa Cruz Market.
And we’re grateful to Doug and Randy for opening their beautiful space for the evening.
