About Tech California Advocates

About Us

Connecting California'stech ecosystemto the world.

Tech California Advocates (TCAA) is a community-driven organization dedicated to building the bridges that expand California's tech ecosystem globally — one meaningful connection at a time.

10+
Years of Community Building
1,100+
Active Members
10
Regions in California
Global
Reach & Partnerships

Our Story

A decade of buildinglasting connections.

Tech California Advocates (TCAA) was founded with a simple but powerful belief: the best ideas emerge when the right people find each other. Tech Bay Area Advocates, founded in 2016, expanded into Tech California Advocates in 2024. We grew from a small gathering of Bay Area tech professionals into a statewide community spanning 10 regions across California.  Tech advocates in California are connected with much of the world and have access to a global network, increasing their impact.

Tech California Advocates is aligned with the values of the Global Tech Advocates ecosystem, founded by Russ Shaw CBE, who also founded Tech London Advocates. The ecosystem now exceeds 40,000 Advocates globally and includes founders, funders, tech entrepreneurs and professionals.

Numerous companies that started through TCAA connections continue to succeed in their sectors. We are proud to be connectors of California's tech community into the world. Coming up is our tenth anniversary in December 2026, and we are just getting started.

Tech California Advocates team at an outdoor event
Tech California Advocates community event audience

What We Stand For

Our values guide everything we do.

Global Reach

California's tech ecosystem thrives when it connects globally. We build bridges between California innovators and the world's tech communities.

Community First

Every connection matters. We foster genuine relationships between founders, executives, investors, and technologists across all 10 California regions.

Purposeful Networking

We go beyond casual meetups. Every event and introduction is designed to create meaningful, lasting professional relationships that drive real outcomes.

Ecosystem Growth

Numerous companies that started from connections in the Global Tech Advocates and Tech California ecosystem continue to be involved in our network. Now established companies, they continue the work of championing, connecting and supporting other startups, scaleups and successful exits.

Collaborative Spirit

We believe collaboration beats competition. When California tech professionals support each other, the entire ecosystem becomes stronger and more resilient.

Russ Shaw CBE, Founder of Global Tech Advocates, speaking at a TCAA community event

Russ Shaw, CBE, Founder of Global Tech Advocates and Tech London Advocates, is the visionary behind this vibrant ecosystem.

Where We Are

10 regions acrossCalifornia.

From the Bay Area to Southern California, TCAA has an active presence in every major tech hub in the state — with global reach through our partnership with Global Tech Advocates.

SF Bay Area
Silicon Valley
Northern California
Southern California
Los Angeles
San Diego
Sacramento
East Bay
Peninsula
Orange County

Global Tech Advocates

Tech California Advocates is proud to be a chapter of the GTA community — connecting California's tech community to innovators, funders, and founders worldwide.

Next Global Summit

Istanbul, Turkey — Biennial 2026

Details forthcoming on the Tech Summit in Turkey.

Always Free

No Sign-Up or Membership Fees

Our mission is to connect tech entrepreneurs, professionals, funders and founders. Tech California Advocates remains cost-free. If you want to join the network, please email [email protected] and introduce yourself. We will send you a confirmation email indicating you are part of the network and thus able to receive more extensive comms and insights.

Ready to be part ofthe community?

Join 1,100+ tech professionals across California and beyond. Always free to join.