Darren Eng

Executive Director at Los Angeles Venture Association

Speaker

Darren established leadership presence in LA’s venture ecosystem during the dot-com era overseeing the rapid expansion of VIC, LA’s dominant association for the venture-backed “new media” industry. After two decades of executive and entrepreneurial leadership, Darren now leads the Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA) & CozDev, LLC.

As executive director, Darren rebranded and re-animated LAVA to a refreshed vision based on its investor-focused roots via fresh programs, expanded communities & new advisory boards of VCs, family offices, fund managers, and angel investors. As cofounder and managing partner of CozDev, he creates high-return, lower-risk, tax-free capital gains investment funds by combining property ownership with ownership of green-industry tenants while meeting federal Opportunity Zone social impact goals.

Previously, Darren gained invaluable experience as CEO, chairman and investor in Greenbelt Resources Corporation, and as executive director of multiple real estate development associations. Before VIC, he held management roles in the environmental sector, including directing teams of scientists & engineers at AECOM, the world’s premier infrastructure firm.

Darren graduated from Yale with a degree in environmental biology, is a member of the California Club, a proud father and a two-time Santa Monica YMCA Coach of the Year.