The City of Glendale is doubling down on its commitment to tech startups, allocating a hefty $1 million grant for growth programs. This financial booster, courtesy of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-BIZ), was revealed by Glendale officials as they congratulated FoundersBoost Collaborative and SmartGateVC LLC on their winning proposals. This marks the second such initiative, with prior grants in 2019 leading to successful outcomes for Hero House and KidsX.
Scanning through the pack of 17 submissions, a city committee singled out the Glendale Growth Alliance—helmed by FoundersBoost Foundation, Hacker Fund, and the Alliance for SoCal Innovation—as a multifaceted program designed to foster innovation from the ground up. They intend to host events such as public hackathons and run an accelerator program in Glendale, which promises an all-around nourishing environment for startups. "We are thrilled to be part of Glendale’s tech growth and to contribute to building a dynamic, inclusive startup ecosystem,” FoundersBoost CEO Blake Caldwell said, as per the City of Glendale.
In an interview, SmartGateVC Principal Armine Galstyan shared her enthusiasm, saying, "We are excited to continue our collaboration with the City of Glendale. We have been working within the Glendale tech ecosystem through SmartGateVC and Hero House, focusing on early-stage AI startups in the last three years. Glendale is the perfect base for our U.S. operations, offering a thriving tech community, strong civic support, and a central location within the Greater Los Angeles area," the City of Glendale stated.
By drumming up support for such initiatives, Glendale reinforces its tech-friendly persona. Anchored by a clear strategic vision, the city has been attracting innovators and entrepreneurs, all aiming to tap into Glendale's potential. "The quality of proposals received by the city was impressive. More than that, we saw the incredible vision for our city’s future as presented by the two grant recipients,” David Crawley Delgado told the City of Glendale. With experiences rooted in community events like Tech on Tap and Glendale Tech Week, Glendale is mapping its route towards becoming a linchpin in SoCal's innovation landscape.
Those interested in the city's economic developments or upcoming tech events can follow their updates on platforms like X, Instagram, and Facebook at @ChooseGlendale.
