ABOUT US

SAWUBONA

Our mission is to build community for founders and creatives.

Our culture is defined by the full meaning of Sawubona. The South African Zulu greeting means: ‘I see you, you are important to me, and I value you.’ In seeing each other you are connected, you are one. When you look at a person and truly ‘see’ them, they come into existence in your world, and yours in theirs.

We soft launched with the NBA Foundation in October of 2056, kickstarting their 5th annual pitch competition which culminated at the NBA All-Star game 2026 in Los Angeles at Intuit Dome. We’ve since hosted companies and organizations like J.P Morgan, Amazon, Alloy Health, and UCLA. We’re a flexible event space that has hosted book launches, fireside chats, panel discussions, wellness activations, private dinners, and more.

TRUSTED BY

NBA Foundation

UCLA Anderson

J.P. Morgan

Amazon

Alloy Health

The Sawubona Difference

Elite
Leadership

Stanford and UCLA MBAs who are passionate about providing intentional, authentic LA experiences for guests.

Pristine
Location

In a pocket of Venice that feels like L.A. meets N.Y.C., there are cafes, hotels, bars, restaurants, wellness shops and more, within two blocks of walking distance. Not to mention, we’re only a block away from the historic Venice Beach.

Customer
Comes First

We believe in the oldschool mantra ‘the customer is always right’. We look to see this through all of our community activations and private events.

Our Values

We prioritize human connection

In a world where AI and digital connections are more prominent than ever, we believe there is nothing that matches the in-person human connection. We create a welcome space to all who enter.

Everyone feels seen

Sawubona isn't just our name, it's our promise. Whether you're a first-time guest or a longtime community member, you will be welcomed, acknowledged, and valued the moment you walk through our doors. No one is background noise here.

Authenticity is king

We don't do cookie-cutter. Every event, every interaction, every experience at Sawubona is intentional and real. We show up as ourselves and we create space for you to do the same. In a city full of performance, we're committed to genuine connection and honest community building.

Trust matters

If we say we'll do something, we do it. At Sawubona, integrity is the foundation of everything we build. We protect your privacy, hold your confidence, and show up with honesty, even when no one is watching. Our reputation is everything to us, and we've earned it the right way: one relationship at a time.