Harbinger’s $240M + Mark Wong’s breath sensor + 24 OC events

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Hi friends! I’ve had the iPhone Duo for the last week and everyone is asking me what I think.

1) Not having Face ID is awful. I notice it 20x a day. Auth using Apple Watch helps but then it unlocks in my pocket and types random messages. Touch ID sucks.

2) The camera is noticeably worse and the battery life is amazing. I didn’t realize how much I zoom.

3) The phone feels fragile. I pull it out of my pocket less frequently because I’m worried about dropping it. That’s prob a plus.

4) The inside screen is incredible. Having an iPad Mini in my pocket is so cool, and only getting better as more apps use the different screens.

5) Coming from the 17 Pro Max, the outside screen (which I use 70% of the time) is TINY. This, along with no Face ID, are the biggest issues I have.

Overall, I’d give it a 7/10. If you love gadgets, you’ll like the Duo. If not, I’d wait for v2.

This week we have 24 OC events, news, and a profile of Mark Wong, who is building a breath sensor that detects drugs right here in OC.

👋 Hi, I’m Taylor, a tech founder in Dana Point. I started Tech:OC to follow the local tech scene after moving here from NYC. Reply with OC tech news, events, or with the name of an OC founder we should profile!

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🗓️ Upcoming OC Tech Events

Mon, Nov 9 · JATN Presents: Weizmann Institute of Science. Evening on taking breakthrough research from science to startup with Dr. Sharon Fireman
_{5:30 pm - 8:30 pm · Irvine}

Mon, Nov 9 · Harness & Loop Engineering Workshop: Claude Community Event for builders on systems that make Claude Code deliver
_{5:30 pm - 8:00 pm · Irvine}

Tue, Nov 10 · Face to Face with Investors: TCA Venture Group panels and investor roundtables for Seed to Pre-Series A founders
_{4:00 pm - 8:00 pm · Soka University Black Box Theatre, Aliso Viejo}

Tue, Nov 10 · Orange County AI Demo Day
_{6:00 pm - 8:00 pm · Ticket 500, Newport Beach}

Tue, Nov 10 · The Model Will Change. Will Your Application Survive? GenAI Meetup on designing AI apps so models stay replaceable
_{6:00 pm - 7:00 pm · OC Local Taproom, Laguna Niguel}

Wed, Nov 11 · AI Leadership: Tartini Advisors on the ethics and math of AI, whether it's a tool or a skill, and if it can ever feel
_{5:30 pm - 6:30 pm · HanaHaus, Newport Beach}

Wed, Nov 11 · Crypto AI And Chill: Fashion Island meetup on crypto, Web3, and AI
_{6:00 pm - 8:00 pm · Fashion Island, Newport Beach}

Wed, Nov 11 · Product Leaders on AI: What's Working, What Isn't. OC Product panel on how AI is being used inside product organizations
_{6:00 pm - 8:30 pm · Centercode, Mission Viejo}

Wed, Nov 11 · TCVN Workshop Series Session 2: AI-powered teams, leadership & operations. Hands-on AI workshop plus networking with OC founders and investors
_{6:30 pm - 8:30 pm · EvoNexus, Irvine}

Wed, Nov 11 · AI, Tech & Finance: Sum of Five mixer for founders, engineers, investors, and finance pros
_{7:00 pm - 9:00 pm · MESA, Costa Mesa}

Thu, Nov 12 · Healthcare CTO Session: Navigating SaaS & AI Integration in the Modern Hospital Environment. Candid talk with Adam Gold, CTO at Rady Children's Health
_{5:00 pm - 7:00 pm · University Lab Partners, Irvine}

Thu, Nov 12 · Friends of Figma: Fall UX Case Study Showcase. Designers share deep dives into real projects, hosted with OCUX
_{6:00 pm - 9:00 pm · Irvine Ranch Water District, Irvine}

Thu, Nov 12 · Orange County Executive Dinner: Leveraging AI Agents. Stack AI dinner for tech leaders on how companies use and govern AI agents
_{7:00 pm - 9:00 pm · Newport Beach}

Fri, Nov 13 · Creators & Coffee: morning meetup for artists, creators, and entrepreneurs using creativity for meaningful change
_{9:00 am - 10:00 am · FLDWRK, Costa Mesa}

Fri, Nov 13 · Founder Beach Walk: quick founder intros + a walk to Newport Pier
_{9:30 am · Ticket 500, Newport Beach}

Fri, Nov 13 · How Do You Get Funded? Fundraising Q&A Town Hall
_{6:00 pm - 8:00 pm · Ticket 500, Newport Beach}

Sun, Nov 15 · Founders and Funders Football Hang
_{1:00 pm - 4:00 pm · Ticket 500, Newport Beach}

Tue, Nov 17 · What's Next: the Orange County Tom Talks. Builder meetup to share what you're working on and get unstuck
_{6:00 pm - 10:00 pm · Palette Dim Sum, Tustin}

Wed, Nov 18 · The Morning Prompt: Use AI Without Leaking Data. Invite-only executive roundtable on AI tools and company data
_{8:30 am - 10:00 am · Irvine}

Wed, Nov 18 · Grand Rounds Pitch Championship: five MedTech startups pitch on the big screen for $40k in prizes
_{Doors 1:30 pm, pitches 2:00 pm · Regal Edwards Big Newport, Newport Beach}

Wed, Nov 18 · Pitch Practice Night: founders present to a supportive room and get feedback on story, ask, and delivery
_{6:00 pm - 8:00 pm · Ticket 500, Newport Beach}

Wed, Nov 18 · The LLM Paradigm Shift: From Determinism to General Intelligence. Orange County ACM Chapter evening program
_{6:30 pm - 8:30 pm · Knobbe Martens, Irvine}

Thu, Nov 19 · OC Global Innovation 2026: C-suite afternoon with keynotes and panels on OC capital, strategy and culture
_{12:00 pm - 4:00 pm · The Cove at UCI Beall Applied Innovation, Irvine}

Thu, Nov 19 · CXO Cadre: Securing the AI-Powered, Hyperconnected Enterprise. Dinner with Mesh Security and Nebulock for senior tech and security leaders
_{5:30 pm - 8:30 pm · Newport Beach}

👋 Tech:OC Profile: Mark Wong of Epinal

Mark Wong · Co-Founder & CEO, Epinal

Mark Wong is building a breath sensor that detects drugs and eventually disease
Mark is CEO of Irvine-based Epinal. Its Semiconductor Electrochemical Biosensor detects narcotics in a person's breath and is planned for production in 2028.

What do you do now, in one sentence a non-tech person would understand?
I'm the CEO of Epinal. We're bringing to market the world's first Semiconductor Electrochemical Biosensor (SEB), which detects tiny amounts of substances in a person's breath. We're starting with illegal narcotics. The long-term goal is catching diseases like tuberculosis and cancer early.

What's something you've built that you're proud of?
The SEB itself. Testing needs no needles, no sample transport and no lab wait. We've already detected THC, cocaine and codeine, plus biomarkers for tuberculosis. We plan to be in production in 2028, and we're working toward early cancer detection.

What would you never hand over to AI?
The development of our technology. We use machine learning to help map a breath signature. Our scientists and technical team lead everything underneath it.

Who/what in OC has been unusually helpful in building the business?
Mike Neshat, Epinal's founder and my business partner. He's a mentor and a close friend. He taught me how to build a company, a team and technology that matters. He has also been there for me through surgeries, medical emergencies and losing loved ones. I wouldn't be doing this without him.

Where do you meet other founders or tech people in OC?
Shows and conferences, mostly. Also LinkedIn and people from companies I've worked with before. OCBJ luncheons and OC Startup Council mixers are good too.

What's a great spot in OC for a coffee or happy hour?
Nirvana by Chef Lindsay in Laguna Beach. Great food and a friendly staff. Happy hour includes drinks and half off some of the food. Get the chicken wontons or the short rib ravioli.

Know an OC tech leader who should be next? Reply with their name and company!

📡 OC Tech and Fun News

OC Tech Week draws an estimated 3,000 across 59 events
Tech Coast Venture Network, an Orange County founder-support organization, says its inaugural OC Tech Week drew attendees from 12 countries. Vytala won the OC regional qualifier, earning a spot at the Nov. 4 to 6 Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco to compete for a $1 million investment prize. The community-run week returns Sept. 20 to 25, 2027.

Irvine's Hyperice adds heat to its Normatec recovery boots
The recovery-tech company's new Normatec Elite Heat Legs combines its HyperHeat technology with dynamic air compression in one wearable device. It's designed to increase circulation and soothe sore muscles while massaging the legs.

Garden Grove's Harbinger raises $240M Series D
Garden Grove electric truck maker Harbinger raised $240 million in Series D funding co-led by Tiger Global, Capricorn's Technology Impact Fund, and Ridgeline to fuel its next phase of growth, including scaling medium-duty platform manufacturing capacity. FedEx recently ordered 2,000 all-electric Harbinger trucks valued at more than $300 million.

Fun one: Tiny trains, big holiday spirit in Costa Mesa
Orange County Model Engineers will run miniature trains at Fairview Park's Goathill Junction on Nov. 21 and 22, from 10 am to 3:30 pm. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for the Orange County Fire Chiefs' Holiday Toy Drive, supported with Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue, and take a 12 to 15 minute ride around the park.