Consulting Groups Los Angeles

Prediction Markets: Beyond the Bet

Prediction markets allow people to trade on whether a future event will happen, from election outcomes and interest rate decisions to economic indicators and business events. While prediction markets have been around for years, they’re rapidly evolving beyond betting and speculation. Growing participation, new technology, regulatory changes, and the rise of AI are expanding their potential uses for forecasting, risk management, financial products, data, and decision making. Maria Cannizzo, Founder & CEO of Kelvon, will break down how prediction markets work, what’s driving their growth, who’s participating, and where the industry is headed. She’ll also explore the challenges created by a market that is currently fragmented across different platforms, contracts, terminology, and settlement rules — and how new infrastructure is being built to help businesses reliably tap into prediction market data and intelligence. Whether you already follow prediction markets or are simply wondering what all the buzz is about, this conversation will offer an accessible look at this emerging financial and technology ecosystem and why its potential may extend well beyond the bet. **About Maria Cannizzo** Maria Cannizzo is the Founder and CEO of Kelvon, an intelligent infrastructure and data platform for event and prediction markets. She has spent more than 15 years building enterprise financial technology at both large corporations and early-stage startups, with experience developing and scaling global FinTech infrastructure across traditional finance and digital assets. Today, she is building Kelvon for a future where event markets are embedded across financial products, AI systems, data platforms, and enterprise applications. **Networking** Come early to connect with fellow founders, technologists, creatives, and community members. Friday Coffee Meetup is as much about the people in the room as it is about the conversation on stage. FoundrSpace Coworking: 87 North Raymond Avenue · Pasadena, CA Street parking is available and there is a Public Parking lot 1 block north of the building. Accessibility: FoundrSpace is located in a historical building without elevator access. If you require assistance, please email pasadena@foundrspace.com and admin@innovatepasadena.org by September 25th.

American Freedom Alliance conference on WW3

***We tend to recognize war when it is kinetic—bombs, missiles, militaries. But the conflicts confronting America and the West are also being waged through ideological subversion, foreign influence, institutional capture, demographic pressure, information warfare, economic power, education and political warfare.*** ***Just because it doesn't look like war doesn't mean we're not in one.*** ***World War III: Status Update brings together leading experts to examine these different fronts: where we stand, how they intersect, and what America must do to prevail.*** The urgency of the midterm elections and the rapidly changing national-security landscape have prompted us to convene another all-day conference examining the status of World War III. In 2023 and 2024, AFA held six conferences under the banner World War III: The Early Years. Now we return to assess what has changed—and where the threats are growing. We will examine the major challenges confronting us both at home and abroad, including the Middle East and Islam; China and its influence within the United States; the Red-Green Axis and the ways in which these ideological movements work together; changing demographics; and the influence of foreign nations throughout American institutions. The conference will be held on October 18 in Los Angeles, from 10:00 AM–5:00 PM. Details are still being finalized, but confirmed speakers already include: Gordon Chang, Capt. James Fanell, Frank Gaffney, Mark Krikorian, Trevor Loudon, Peter McIlvenna, and Bradley Thayer—with many more to come. https://www.eventcreate.com/e/world-war-iii-status-update

Networking with Professionals in a multitude of industries!

Networking with Professionals

DAVID BYRNE IN CONVERSATION

This event will definitely sell out asap. An Evening with David Byrne discussing his book: *Sleeping Beauties: why Good Ideas Go Dormant and How They Wake Up.* **When:** Tuesday October 13 **Time:** Starts at 8:00 PM - meet earlier to get good seats **Where:** Robert Frost Theater (Culver City High School) 4401 Elenda St Culver City CA [BUY TICKETS ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-david-byrne-tickets-1998616751505?aff=ebdssbdestsearch) **BE CAREFUL NOT TO BUY VIRTUAL TICKETS WHICH IS ON OCT 20.** ### **Elenda Street has permit parking with restricted hours. To avoid citations, free self-parking is available in one of the three designated parking lots:​** 1. ​Middle school parking lot, at the corner of Elenda and Farragut 2. Culver City High School Huron back parking lot off Braddock and Huron 3. Culver City Student parking lot, off of Harter

Pasadena Tech Happy Hour

**Join us on the 3rd Thursday of every month for an evening of networking and community building in the heart of Pasadena.** We're fostering a vibrant tech ecosystem that's accessible to everyone, regardless of background or experience. **Here's what you can expect:** * **Connect with fellow tech professionals:** Meet entrepreneurs, investors, designers, developers, and more. * **Showcase your talent:** Whether you're seeking funding, looking for collaborators, or simply want to connect with like-minded individuals, this is the place to be. * **Access valuable resources:** Discover opportunities, learn about local events, and find support for your tech endeavors. **Part of a Larger Community** The Pasadena Tech Happy Hour is part of Innovate Pasadena, a thriving Los Angeles tech community dedicated to learning, networking, and achieving shared goals. **What to Bring:** * **Business cards or a LinkedIn profile** (optional, but highly recommended!) **Come ready to connect, collaborate, and grow within Pasadena's dynamic tech scene.**

French Conversational Class

French Conversation in Pasadena is a relaxed group for adults who want to become comfortable actually communicating in French — even when they don’t know every word. Our philosophy is very simple: Don’t stop because you don’t know the perfect word. Find another way to say it. Keep talking. Communicate. This is almost the opposite of the traditional language-class mentality where people become afraid to speak until they know exactly how to construct the sentence. Here, we want you to jump in. Use the French you already have. Make mistakes. Describe the word you don’t know. Use another expression. Ask a question. Gesture if you need to. Find your way around the problem and get your point across. That ability is one of the most important skills in actually speaking another language. If you forget the French word for “umbrella,” for example, the conversation doesn’t have to stop. You can say: “The thing you use when it rains…” And suddenly, you’re still communicating in French. That’s what we practice. THIS IS ABOUT COMMUNICATION, NOT PERFECTION You are absolutely allowed to make mistakes. In fact, mistakes are expected. The objective is not to create a perfect sentence in your head before opening your mouth. The objective is to develop the confidence and spontaneity to use whatever French you know at that moment. We work on learning how to think around a missing word instead of freezing because of it. Over time, something important happens: you stop translating every sentence in your head and start finding ways to communicate directly in French. That is where real confidence begins. NOT A TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR CLASS We are not sitting around doing two hours of worksheets or correcting every sentence somebody says. Of course, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation matter, and we work on them naturally during the class. But communication comes first. A sentence that isn’t grammatically perfect but is understood is far more useful than the perfect sentence you were too afraid to say. WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY DO? The sessions are built around conversation, listening, improvisation, pronunciation, vocabulary, role-playing, games and real-life situations. We might talk about: Travel, food, relationships, work, French culture, movies, everyday life, current topics or simply what happened during your week. We also practice situations such as ordering in a restaurant, shopping at a French market, meeting someone for the first time, asking questions, telling a story, describing something when you don’t know its name, or expressing an opinion. We use conversation games and exercises specifically designed to make you react and speak spontaneously instead of preparing every sentence beforehand. You’ll also learn the French people actually use — everyday expressions, informal vocabulary and phrases that often never appear in traditional textbooks. ALL LEVELS ARE WELCOME You do not need to speak perfect French. You don’t even need to feel “ready.” If you studied French before but freeze as soon as someone starts speaking to you, this group is particularly designed for you. Beginners can learn to communicate with the vocabulary they already have. Intermediate speakers can become much more spontaneous. Advanced speakers can keep practicing and developing natural conversation skills. Everyone participates at their own level. A RELAXED ENVIRONMENT Classes take place inside a French restaurant in Pasadena, in a small and friendly group. The atmosphere is deliberately relaxed. Nobody is being tested. Nobody is expected to perform. Nobody is going to stop you every five seconds because you used the wrong tense. The purpose is to create a place where speaking French becomes normal — and where you slowly lose the fear of making mistakes. The group is led by a native French speaker, born and raised on the French Riviera, with a background in acting and performance. That background influences the class heavily: language is treated as communication, reaction, listening and expression, not simply memorization. 2-hour conversation sessions — $50 per person. If you want to stop worrying about whether your French is perfect and start becoming someone who can actually communicate with it, this is the group. Speak first. Make mistakes. Find another way. Be understood. Keep going. That’s how you become comfortable speaking French.

Mailbox Power Users: Are You Maximizing Your Account?

**Dive deep into your Mailbox Power account and unlock all the hidden perks you didn’t know you had!** ## **[ATTEND LIVE IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL ON ZOOM](https://mailboxmarketingworkshop.com)** **Join us in-person (limited seating) or live on Zoom.** **Date & Time: Saturday, October 03, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Pacific Time)** **You already have the tool, now let’s help you actually use it to grow your business.** **[Click HERE and join us for a FREE Mailbox Power Success Workshop](https://mailboxmarketingworkshop.com) designed to help you connect with customers, stay top of mind, and create more opportunities.** **Bring:** * **Your computer** * **Your questions** * **Your first 10 contacts** **We’ll start with those 10 contacts and walk through the system together. We’ll have educators available live and on Zoom to help answer your questions and guide you through the process.** **Whether you’re brand new or have had an account for years, this workshop is all about helping you get more value from the platform. Come learn, ask questions, and take action!** **Let’s turn your contacts into customers.** **[REGISTER HERE TO ATTEND](https://mailboxmarketingworkshop.com)!**

🎲 Strategy Games Only: Board Game Social at Moncha Cafe

Releasing insights from data: quarrying vs. sculpting (+an AI Robotics Tour)

RSVP Information: [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/7s7sdrw/lp/1d08e700-b83c-40ab-8b7f-9089bb2d206a](https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/7s7sdrw/lp/1d08e700-b83c-40ab-8b7f-9089bb2d206a) AIAA Los Angeles Section Town Hall Meeting 10/14 (A Hybrid Meeting with both In-person and online attendance) Wednesday\, October 14\, 2026 \(5:00 PM Check\-in\, Site Visit\, Networking \| 7 PM Presentation\) (In-person attendees will have the chance to enjoy a site visit as well at the Faraday Future Headquarters on AI/Robotics, and might also get better interactive and networking experiences in the event.) (Online attendees will enjoy the presentation as a webinar online at 7pm (in-person attendees will enjoy on-site in-person presentation and networking / interactions). The site-visit/tour is in-person only.) Oct 14 (Oct 14) Releasing insights from data: quarrying vs. sculpting (with Prof. Paul Ronney) Speaker: Prof. Paul D. Ronney Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089 Moderator: Dr. Jeff Puschell AIAA Region VI Deputy Director of Education, AIAA Fellow, SPIE Fellow, National Academy of Engineering, Northrop Grumman Corporation \| Space Systems Faraday Future Headquarters 1990 E Grand Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245 Virtual location You will receive a confirmation email with a URL. Oct 14 Wednesday, October 14, 2026 05:00pm - 09:00pm PT Add to Google · Outlook Web · Outlook Mobile · Yahoo · iCal [Register](https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/7s7sdrw/lp/1d08e700-b83c-40ab-8b7f-9089bb2d206a) Tentative Agenda (All Times PDT (GMT -0700) (U.S. and Canada)): 5:00 PM: Check-in, Site Visit, Networking (Welcome to bring your own dinner.) 7:00 PM: Welcome and Introdcution 7:05 PM: Presentation and Q&A 8:35 PM: Networking \| Adjourn 9:30 PM: Door closes Disclaimer: The views of the speaker do not represent the views of AIAA or the AIAA Los Angeles Section. Releasing insights from data: quarrying vs. sculpting When Michelangelo surveyed a block of marble, he saw a figure trapped inside; his goal was to release the figure that in his mind was already there. Research involves not only “quarrying” (obtaining) blocks of experimental, computational, or theoretical data but more importantly releasing the insights trapped within. For example, every student of physics learns about the H atom spectrum and every student of combustion learns about the 3 explosion limits of the H2-O2 system - but why these blocks of data? Because, trapped within the spectrum and the wiggly curve are critical, unequivocal insights - that energy levels of matter are quantized and that H2-O2 combustion proceeds through two entirely different sets of intermediates depending on temperature and pressure. In those two famous examples the insights and their significance are “obvious” given the benefit of years of hindsight - what important insights are trapped inside freshly quarried data? The focus of this interactive seminar is on examples of and methods for sculpting data into works of insight. Starting with the aforementioned case studies the audience’s sculpting skill will be challenged with case studies from both the presenter’s own work (some not yet published) and elsewhere within combustion research community, with an emphasis on examples where the insights were both difficult to sculpt and led to counterintuitive insights. Prof. Paul D. Ronney Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineer University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089 Paul Ronney is a Professor and former Chair of the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at USC. Prof. Ronney received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, an MS in Aeronautics from Caltech, and a Sc.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT. He held postdoctoral appointments at the NASA Lewis Research Center and the U. S. Naval Research Laboratory and a position as Assistant Professor at Princeton University before assuming his current position at USC. He was a Payload Specialist Astronaut (Alternate) for Space Shuttle Missions STS-83 and STS-94 in 1997. Professor Ronney's research areas include micro-scale combustion, turbulent combustion, internal combustion engines, microgravity combustion and fire spread. He has had experiments flown on three Space Shuttle missions. In recognition of his achievements, he is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Combustion Institute, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors. He is a recipient of the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award, the Engineer’s Council Distinguished Engineering Educator Achievement Award, and the Combustion Institute Distinguished Paper Award. (Moderator) Dr. Jeff Puschell AIAA Region VI Deputy Director of Education, AIAA Fellow, SPIE Fellow, National Academy of Engineering, Northrop Grumman Corporation \| Space Systems Dr. Jeff Puschell is Chief Engineer, EO/lR Payloads at Northrop Grumman Space Park in Redondo Beach, California. He is an internationally recognized expert in the system engineering of space-based imaging and remote sensing systems. He has >40 years of experience in developing advanced technology infrared and visible wavelength systems for a variety of operational and research applications. Dr. Puschell has authored or coauthored >160 papers on a variety of topics in astrophysics, imaging, remote sensing and optical communication. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2024 for development of optical, multispectral, and hyperspectral space-based remote sensing systems for Earth observation. Dr. Puschell is an AIAA Fellow and a SPIE Fellow. He and his wife Dana live in Solvang and Hermosa Beach, California. [AIAA Los Angeles Section], [contact@aiaa-lalv.org], [[https://www.aiaa-lalv.org](https://www.aiaa-lalv.org)]

Rise & Grow with BNI Early Bird Business Growers

Join BNI Early Bird Business Growers for a dynamic and informative event focused on mastering small business marketing strategies. This dynamic and engaging **IN-PERSON event** is built for **entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals** who want to grow their business through powerful relationships and high-quality referrals. ✨ Whether you're launching a new business or scaling an existing one, this is your chance to: * Expand your network with like-minded professionals * Showcase your business in front of potential referral partners * Learn how referral marketing can take your business to lightspeed 🚀 **RSVP now and join us Thursday! Bring a guest (or 2) with you 😉** [--> CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE REGISTRATION <--](https://socalbni.com/en-US/visitorregistration?chapterId=40122) We’re especially looking to connect with professionals in these industries: * **Legal:** Family Law, Elder, Business, or Real Estate Attorneys * **Home Services:** Electricians, Plumbers, HVAC * **Real Estate & Finance:** Property Management, Payroll, Human Resources * **Health & Wellness:** Chiropractors, Fitness Trainers, Estheticians, Acupuncturist * **Creative Services:** Graphic Designers, Event Planners, Coaches, Photographers Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your network, gain valuable knowledge with our dynamic members, and connect with other professionals in an IN-PERSON setting.

AI, Art & Vibecoding - StrangeNew.World @ 310 Coffee

We frame ourselves as **"a support group for the technological singularity"** and we are an eclectic mix of open-minded thinkers, artists, and tinkerers who believe in embracing the emerging technologies and capabilities in the most humanitarian way possible. Our meetings have a super casual and open atmosphere where all are welcome to contribute. Feel free to come late or leave early. So whether you're an AI enthusiast or skeptic, a creative professional already using AI on the daily, or someone just starting their first vibe coding project, this group may be for you! **NOW NEW & IMPROVED** We are doing "Hack-a-salons" after every meeting (starting at 5pm) now that 310 Coffee is staying open later. So please bring your laptops or art projects, or works in progress that you have questions on or want to present to the group. No podiums... only passion projects, good people and great vibes! ☺️ **What to Expect** Interesting conversations, relevant content, and educational resources. We are a diverse community of people who want to help each other and the world around us. We meet in person once a week at **310 Coffee in Culver City from 3-5pm**, we share our work and interesting news in our Whatsapp group, put on remote Learning Labs, go to events together, and encourage our members (who have the availability) to participate in a learning collective where we can volunteer to give each other one-on-one crash courses in various artistic, technical, and entrepreneurial disciplines. Here is a list of what we can teach: [https://strangenew.world/labs/what-we-know](https://strangenew.world/labs/what-we-know) We also encourage each of our members to take on a Passion Project, which could be as simple as getting up and running with a new artistic medium or project, or as complex as laying the groundwork for your dream business or career. We believe there has never been a better time (at least in OUR lifetimes) to set your sights on what your ideal life would be two years from now and then just start moving toward it. And maybe we can help you do that by giving you the hand-holding you need to get over that first hump, which can sometimes be the most difficult part. **How to Give Back** If you are a member looking to give back, or if you like what our organization is doing, then please follow, subscribe, rate us, and smash that like! 🤣 I know it seems silly to many of you, but in the attention economy, just the act of following us, liking our posts, and reviewing our events can make a huge difference in how the algorithm shines upon us. Also, if you would like to support us in a more direct way, please consider giving us a one-time donation, subscribing to one of our tiers, or sponsoring us. We pay for a lot of stuff out of pocket, so please consider becoming a patron to support the overall longevity of our group and vision. [https://strangenew.world/support-us](https://strangenew.world/support-us) **More Information** What we explore during our meetings really depends on who shows up and what they want to discuss: * The changing job market. What skills will matter in 10 years * The future of business and the creative industries * Chatbots, LLMs, and Agentic Workflows * Using AI for scientific or artistic exploration * Will generative art destroy Hollywood or save it? * What is consciousness? What constitutes intelligence? * The various types/platforms of vibecoding and which is best for your project * The end of capitalism as we know it * Are we entering the 2nd Cognitive Revolution? **Learn more at: [https://strangenew.world](https://strangenew.world)**

Cohort: Dialogue & Debate on a Timely International Issue or Problem Set...