TechFair LA Features More Than 250 High-Profile Tech Employers Looking to Hire Local Talent
LOS ANGELES — L.A. is home to one of the world’s fastest-growing and most dynamic tech sectors, and Mayor Eric Garcetti is hosting a job fair today to connect Angelenos with companies looking to hire in this expanding industry. More than 11,000 job-seekers registered to attend the event.
TechFair LA — the largest job fair of its kind in Los Angeles history — is a partnership of Mayor Garcetti’s Office of Economic Development and the City’s Entrepreneur in Residence, Jason Nazar. More than 250 of the city’s leading tech companies are participating in the daylong event at The Reef in Downtown L.A., including Snap Inc. (Snapchat), Dollar Shave Club, SpaceX, Riot Games, and Tesla.
“Today is about matching L.A.’s talent with new opportunities to shape how we communicate with one another, use our cars, or even take flight beyond Earth’s atmosphere,” said Mayor Garcetti. “But those dreams start with an interview — and at a time when our city is experiencing historic economic growth, Angelenos should be at the front of the line when companies need people to help envision and build that future.”
Funding for startups in Los Angeles has increased five-fold since 2011, helping to create America’s fastest-growing startup ecosystem — as well as the nation’s third largest startup ecosystem overall.
The L.A. region graduates nearly 11,000 master’s level engineering students every year, has more engineers than any other metropolitan area in America, and annually enrolls the highest number of graduate students in computer science programs. TechFair LA aims to retain local talent, and attract new entrepreneurs, by providing Angelenos with an opportunity to meet recruiters face-to-face.
“The L.A. tech community is the best in the world, with the most diverse entrepreneurs, talent pool and types of businesses,” said Nazar, who founded Comparably in Los Angeles. “TechFair LA is a first of its kind event to help thousands of Angelenos find their dream job in tech. We are lucky to have a Mayor so supportive of building the community and showcasing our industry.”
Mayor Garcetti has made it a priority to attract both established and new startup tech companies to L.A., including eHarmony, Ecosense, SolarCity, Honest Company, Faraday Future, Netflix, Fullscreen, Noribachi, Hyperloop, and TimeWarner Music — together representing thousands of new jobs.
L.A.’s growing digital profile has attracted wide notice. The Economist recently featured the City’s startup economy, and TechCrunch described Los Angeles as a “transportation tech powerhouse.” Los Angeles was named America’s top digital city in 2016 by the Center for Digital Government, and commended for “empowering innovation and engaging its citizens through digital services.”
L.A. also bucks gender trends in the industry. Local startups have teams that are 28 percent female — 6 percent higher than the North American average. In Los Angeles, 22 percent of startup founders are women.
TechFair sponsors include Comparably, Cooley LLP, Cornerstone onDemand, DAQRI, EY, JamCity, LegalZoom, Sabio, Silicon Valley Bank, The Reef, and Tronc, Inc. TechFair LA is a program of the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles.
Companies in attendance include Snap Inc (Snapchat), Tinder, Dollar Shave Club, Legal Zoom, Jam City, SpaceX, Airbnb, Youtube, Headspace, GumGum, General Assembly, Hired, Vow to Be Chic, Laurel & Wolf, Ticketmaster, Omaze, Lootcrate, Heal, Hyperloop One, Dogvacy, Dun & Bradstreet, Mitu, Ziprecruiter, NationBuilder, Nativo, RealtyMogul.com, Riot Games, Rubicon Project, Saucey, StackCommerce, StartEngine, SteelHouse, Tastemade, Tesla, The Bouqs Company, The Honest Company, TrueCar, Two Bit Circus, YouTube, and ZEFR.