Orange County OC Startup Council

Name

Orange County OC Startup Council

Legal name

Orange County Startup Council

Website

https://ocstartupcouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Orange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Startup Company Memberships: Annual membership fees from startup companies seeking directory listings, publicity, and ecosystem access. Tiers range from Basic to Premium levels.
2. Corporate/Service Provider Memberships: Annual memberships for service providers, investors, and community partners wanting visibility in the OC startup ecosystem directory.
3. Sponsorships: Annual sponsorship packages at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Basic levels providing branding, publicity, and logo placement across newsletters and charts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Orange County Startup Council (OCSC) is a community service association that provides comprehensive directories, publicity, events, and networking services to connect Orange County technology, life sciences, and software startup founders with investors, service providers, and community resources. Its core offerings include categorized startup directories, service provider listings, an ecosystem map, an events calendar, twice-weekly newsletters, and monthly accelerator workshops designed to increase visibility and access to the OC startup ecosystem.

Product overview

The Orange County Startup Council (OCSC) operates as a community association platform offering a suite of interconnected directory, publicity, and networking products rather than a unified software platform. The core offerings include the OC Startups Directory (listing hundreds of local tech startups by category), the OC Startup Ecosystem Resources Directory (featuring service providers, investors, and community partners), the OC Service Providers Chart (printable PDF guide), the OC Startups Ecosystem Map (geographic Google Map), and the OC Startup Events Calendar. These directories are complemented by the OC Startups Blog & Newsletters for community news distribution, Startup Jobs Listings for recruiting, and the MasterMinds OC Startup Accelerator Workshops for education. Premium add-on modules include Members-Only Deals & Discounts Marketplace (offering discounts on enterprise software), Startup Investors Directory Access (investor research platform), Startup Fundraising Office Hours (mentoring sessions), and the Ambassador Program (community promotion initiative). The organization functions primarily as a directory and publicity service, not a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MasterMinds OC Startup Accelerator Workshops: Monthly startup accelerator workshops offering problem-solving, investor pitch practice, networking, and community for local founders.
• OC Startups Ecosystem Directory
• OC Startups Service Providers Chart

Products and services

• OC Startups Directory A comprehensive directory listing hundreds of Orange County technology startup ventures across 30+ categories including AI, Biotech, FinTech, Healthcare Tech, Software, Hardware, and more, serving early-stage OC founders and the broader ecosystem.
• OC Startup Ecosystem Resources Directory A directory of service providers, investors, VC firms, angel investors, and community organizations that support Orange County startups, organized by industry and service category, serving founders and ecosystem participants.
• OC Service Providers Chart A printable PDF guide featuring vetted service providers including accountants, attorneys, software developers, office space, HR help, investors, incubators, marketing consultants, and more, for OC startup founders seeking professional services.
• OC Startups Ecosystem Map An interactive Google Map displaying geographical locations of OC startup companies, investor offices, service providers, schools, and community organizations that support entrepreneurs, for founders and investors exploring the local ecosystem.
• OC Startup Events Calendar A free community calendar listing startup events in Orange County including conferences, workshops, meetups, networking sessions, and pitch competitions for entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem builders.
• MasterMinds OC Startup Accelerator Workshops Monthly startup accelerator workshops offering problem-solving, investor pitch practice, networking, and education on topics including fundraising, product development, marketing, staffing, and intellectual property, for OC founders and startup teams.
• OC Startups Blog & Newsletters A news blog and twice-weekly email newsletters featuring OC startup company announcements, investor news, events, and job listings, promoted through the OC Startups ecosystem blog, email newsletters, Meetup groups, and events calendar, reaching Southern California startup professionals.
• Startup Jobs Listings Free job listings for high tech, software, biotech, and medical devices career opportunities in Orange County, shared via blog postings and twice-weekly newsletters to Southern California professionals, for OC startup hiring teams and job seekers.
• Members-Only Deals & Discounts Marketplace Exclusive marketplace offering hundreds of discounts on software and services including Microsoft, Zoom, Dropbox, HubSpot, Gusto, Zendesk, and more, available to OCSC member companies, for OC startup founders and operations teams.
• Startup Investors Directory Access Discounted access to a proprietary directory of over 3,000+ searchable startup investors with filters for stage, industry, location, and demographic preferences including first-time, female, Black, Latinx, Immigrant, LGBTQ, veteran, or rural-focused investors, for OC startup founders seeking capital.
• Ambassador Program A volunteer leadership program where community leaders promote OCSC to recruit new Members and Sponsors, with perks including brand recognition, SEO backlinks, membership discounts, free event passes, and referral revenue share, for community leaders and evangelists.
• Startup Fundraising Office Hours Free monthly livestream mentoring sessions with angel investor and Startup Council CEO Scott Fox offering Q&A on fundraising, investor pitches, product/market fit, pitch decks, team building, and intellectual property for first-time, female, or minority founders.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, gold sponsor, silver sponsor, bronze sponsor and ecosystem partner.

• Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOCSC is an Official Partner of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, providing international connectivity for Orange County startups and access to global entrepreneurship resources and events including the annual Global Entrepreneurship Congress.
• Withum (Accounting & Advisory Services)gold sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Sponsor offering complimentary 30-minute tax consulting consultations to OCSC members including R&D tax credits and planning services.
• Nelson Mullinsgold sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Sponsor law firm offering special legal services deals including $1500 Formation Package for new startups and deferral of $15,000 in legal fees until financing for established startups.
• KPMGsilver sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Sponsor accounting, tax, audit, and valuations consulting firm.
• Stradlingsilver sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Sponsor law firm celebrating 50th anniversary supporting OC startups.
• Cake Equitybronze sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Sponsor platform for startup equity management offering 20% discount to OCSC members.
• TiE Socalbronze sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBronze Sponsor nonprofit fostering entrepreneurship including programs like TiE Women Program.
• UCI ANTrepreneur Centerecosystem partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner supporting student entrepreneurship and co-hosting events like Pitch Irvine competition.
• Greater Irvine Chamberecosystem partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner hosting events like Exemplars in Leadership and supporting local business ecosystem.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Plug and Play Tech Center: Global innovation platform operating accelerator programs, corporate venture, and industry-specific startup programs (fintech, health, brand & retail). Comparable to OCSC because both serve as regional ecosystem orchestrators, connecting startups to investors and corporate sponsors, though at significantly larger scale.
• MassChallenge: Global nonprofit startup accelerator running equity-free programs for early-stage founders, with sponsor and partner networks. Comparable to OCSC because both are nonprofit, sponsor-driven founder platforms offering programming and ecosystem access, though MassChallenge centers on cohorts and competition rather than directories.
• Techstars: Global startup accelerator and ecosystem operator running programs, mentorship networks, and Startup Weekend community events. Comparable to OCSC because both build founder community infrastructure, host startup events, and monetize via corporate partnerships, though Techstars operates accelerator programs rather than directories.

Direct peers

• Octane: Orange County–based nonprofit technology innovation hub running accelerator programs, investor networks, and industry summits. Closely comparable to OCSC because both are OC-focused, sponsor-driven, nonprofit ecosystem builders targeting early-stage founders and investors in the same geography.
• Founders Network: Paid membership community of vetted tech founders offering peer mentoring, master classes, and investor connections. Comparable to OCSC because it operates a subscription/fee-based founder community with directory-style member discovery and mentorship programs targeting early-stage technology founders.
• Startup Grind: Global startup community operating local chapters, events, newsletters, and founder resources. Directly comparable to OCSC because it monetizes via corporate sponsorships and community membership, running the same playbook of directories, events, and content for entrepreneurs — only at global scale.
• 1871 Chicago: Chicago-based nonprofit technology hub and startup community providing workspace, programming, events, and corporate partnerships. Comparable to OCSC because both are nonprofit, sponsor-supported, regional innovation hubs curating directory listings, events, and programming for a local startup ecosystem.
• TiE SoCal: Southern California chapter of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), a global nonprofit fostering entrepreneurship. Directly comparable because it operates the same regional charter model — chapters, sponsorship tiers, mentoring, and events — competing for the same OC founders, sponsors, and ecosystem mindshare that OCSC serves.

Regional players

• Tech Coast Angels: One of the largest U.S. angel investor networks, headquartered in Orange County/SoCal, focused specifically on early-stage deal flow. Comparable to OCSC because it operates in the same OC geography targeting founders and investors with directory-style visibility and deal-flow services, though it is investor-side rather than founder-side.
• Refresh (formerly SoCal Tech): Regional Southern California technology and startup media outlet providing news, directories, and event coverage for the SoCal tech community. Comparable to OCSC because both publish directories, news, and event coverage for Southern California startups and investors, though Refresh is media-first while OCSC is association-first.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ocstartups
• Facebookfacebook.com/ocstartups
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orange-county-startup-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Orange County OC Startup Council