Kick Off 2026 with GenAI, and Help Build the OC Tech Community
Ascend GenAI is back for 2026, and they’re starting the year by bringing together Orange County business leaders, builders, and technologists to learn, connect, and grow the local GenAI ecosystem.
Join them Thursday, January 29 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County, 1 Federation Way, Irvine, CA 92603.
GenAI is no longer experimental, it’s actively shaping how businesses operate. This session focuses on practical, real-world applications of GenAI, while creating space for the OC tech community to share ideas, learn from each other, and build meaningful connections.
Ascend GenAI events are designed to strengthen the local tech community by connecting business owners with practitioners, founders with operators, and experienced leaders with those just getting started.
Featured Speaker: Martin Prescher
Professor of AI & Data Science at the University of Southern California
CTO & Executive Vice President at Autonomy
Martin brings a rare combination of academic expertise and hands-on industry leadership. At Autonomy, he leads Product, Engineering, and Data teams behind a fully digital car subscription, payment, and insurance platform, using AI and data systems to automate pricing, manage risk, and deliver seamless customer experiences at scale.
He’ll share practical insights on:
How GenAI fits into real business systems
What leaders should understand about modern AI platforms
Lessons from building AI-driven products in production
Live Demo: Bubbl, AI for Everyday Team Communication
Tony Xiong, founder of Bubbl, will present a live demo of an AI sidekick that keeps track of group chat conversations and answers questions in real time.
This demo highlights how lightweight GenAI tools can immediately improve productivity and reduce communication friction for teams.
Who Should Attend
This event is ideal for:
Business owners and operators in OC
Founders and startup leaders
Product, operations, and marketing professionals
Technologists interested in applied GenAI
Anyone looking to plug into the OC tech and AI community
Tickets are live, spots are limited.
Early bird pricing ends Jan 21.
Student discounts available, DM them for a code.
Please register here to attend.
Thanks to Ascend GenAI for offering this local startup event, the details, and the graphic!