March 10, 2026
Every year around this time, the spotlight turns to Los Angeles as Upfront Ventures brings together many of the people building and backing the future of technology for Upfront Summit.
If you’ve been, you know the energy. If you haven’t, it’s a tech and venture summit that intentionally invites voices from well beyond that world onto the stage. This year alone featured people like Van Jones, Barry Diller, Sequoia’s Alfred Lin, and NBA legend Chris Paul. It’s a mix you don’t see at most conferences, and part of what makes the summit so compelling.
While AI was clearly one of the defining themes of the week, one of the more interesting surprises was how often the conversation came back to the human side of building: judgment, coordination, creativity, and what works differently in person.
Bonfire was thrilled to play a small part in the week by hosting our fifth annual party in celebration of the summit. Each year, we try to capture some of the same playful spirit that makes the summit what it is. The location and theme change, but the goal stays the same: to create a warm space where friends reconnect and conversations from the day carry into the evening.
This year’s theme was Venture Out West, inspired by our venue, Desert 5 Spot, a very "LA" California-country rooftop overlooking the city. The result was cowboy hats, 90s-country music (a personal fav), whiskey cocktails, and exactly the kind of easy, fun atmosphere we were hoping to create.
I was also able to spend some time at the summit and a few moments stood out. First, space was a big theme this year, so naturally we were greeted by a giant astronaut and moon at the entrance (as if to announce immediately that subtlety was not on the agenda). That same playful energy carried throughout the day, and by the end, enormous puppets were moving through the crowd as confetti and performers filled the room. It was unexpected, a little theatrical, and exactly the right way to close out a conference centered on big ideas.
One of the sessions I ended up thinking about most afterward was with journalist and social entrepreneur Van Jones. He spoke across an unusually wide range of topics, and I was struck by how grounded and thoughtful his perspective was throughout. What stayed with me was his view on how algorithms increasingly push people apart online, amplifying disagreement and conflict. His point was that when we're face-to-face, people tend to engage differently, with more context, more generosity, and less instinct to react. It was a nice reminder that proximity still matters, and it echoed one of the best parts of the week: getting people together in person and seeing what kind of conversations that makes possible.
Thanks to everyone who came out. It was a special week, a great party, and we were glad to spend it in such good company.
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Check out all of the evening's photos here.
