01
Workshops
Structured sessions with immediate application. Highlighting our exclusive AI series for modern scaling.
Pillar
By Invitation · Newport Beach · Est. 2026
Where EntrepreneursCome to Build What's Next.
A private membership for founders, operators, and investors focused on execution, access, and momentum.
Seats Filled14 / 500Current cohort · refreshing
MembershipBy Invitation
DisciplineExecution
HouseNewport Beach
01 — The Stance
This Isn't Another Business Group.
Most environments are built for talking. Ticket 500 is built for doing.
- 01Solve real problems.
- 02Build alongside others.
- 03Move faster with better inputs.
02 — What You Get
Four Pillars. One Discipline.
A private operating system for builders — designed around real-world output, not theory.
02
Ideation Workshop
Physical space with tools to build and experiment on your boldest ideas without friction.
Pillar
03
Curated Network
Founders, operators, and investors — not spectators. You are surrounded by people actually moving the needle.
Pillar
04
Execution Focus
Everything designed for real-world results. We leave the theory at the door.
Pillar
02b — Inside The Room
Who's Already Here.
Operating roles only — no spectators. Names withheld until verified applicants reach interview stage.
[verified]
T-500 · M·266
Founder
AI infrastructure
Seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·175
Operator
B2B SaaS
Series A
[verified]
T-500 · M·336
Founder
Robotics
Pre-seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·084
Founder × 2
Consumer apps
Exited
[verified]
T-500 · M·231
Investor
Early-stage capital
Active
[verified]
T-500 · M·392
Studio Founder
Venture studio
Active
[verified]
T-500 · M·126
CFO
Healthtech
Series B
[verified]
T-500 · M·294
Founder
Climate / hard tech
Seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·210
Founder
Vertical AI
Pre-seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·154
Operator
E-commerce
Growth
[verified]
T-500 · M·350
GM
Marketplace
Series C
[verified]
T-500 · M·245
Founder
Dev tools
Seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·266
Founder
AI infrastructure
Seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·175
Operator
B2B SaaS
Series A
[verified]
T-500 · M·336
Founder
Robotics
Pre-seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·084
Founder × 2
Consumer apps
Exited
[verified]
T-500 · M·231
Investor
Early-stage capital
Active
[verified]
T-500 · M·392
Studio Founder
Venture studio
Active
[verified]
T-500 · M·126
CFO
Healthtech
Series B
[verified]
T-500 · M·294
Founder
Climate / hard tech
Seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·210
Founder
Vertical AI
Pre-seed
[verified]
T-500 · M·154
Operator
E-commerce
Growth
[verified]
T-500 · M·350
GM
Marketplace
Series C
[verified]
T-500 · M·245
Founder
Dev tools
Seed
Editorial placeholder · roles are accurate descriptors · attributed names available to qualified applicants
02c — In Motion
Member Companies Building Now.
A snapshot of what's in motion across the room. Wordmarks rendered as editorial placeholders pending member-company clearance.
AURIOM
northbeam.
L A T T I C E
Fjord & Co
RIVET
Quaye Labs
halcyon/
MERIDIAN AI
Cinder
Block & Bloom
PROBE.
Olivetree
VESPER
studio nyx
Atelier 47
FORGE/HQ
Saltlight
OBELISK
Trailhead.
ION SYSTEMS
Camber
Wayfarer/Co
DRAFT 9
Lumen House
24 of 500 slots · editorial placeholders · swap to real logos pending member clearance
03 — The Space
Where it happens.
A 100-year-old workshop in Newport Beach — reimagined for modern entrepreneurship. Drop-down video, podcast capture, ideation tools. Make the conversation, then capture the work it produces.
500
Seats · max
1
House · Newport Beach
∞
Output · members ship
Plate 01 / 03
The Loft
Cohort in session · wood beams · 100-year-old workshop
Photograph · The Ticket 500, Newport Beach
Drop-Down Video Rig
Speaker-night capture, broadcast-grade. Members can take the recording with them.
Podcast Capture
Acoustic booth, multi-mic, member-operated. Capture the conversation that just happened in the room.
Workshop Tools
Physical space with actual tools. Build, prototype, sketch, ship — without leaving the building.
Curated Programming
Workshops, speaker nights, and build days. Members vote in the next month's calendar.
Members Only
Approved guests by invitation. The space is small on purpose — proximity is the moat.
04 — Upcoming
View Full Calendar↗The Calendar
Live programming pulled directly from tickets.ticket500.events. Members and approved guests can request a seat per event.
Workshop
01 / 08
13
Jun
All Things Water
Educate yourself on the options
10:00 AMReserve ↗
Speaker
02 / 08
16
Jun
12 Lessons from Inspiring Leaders
Art Robbins
6:00 PMReserve ↗
Workshop
03 / 08
17
Jun
Agentic AI Vibe Coding
Scott O'Brien
5:00 PMReserve ↗
Workshop
04 / 08
18
Jun
Claude for Entrepreneurs: From Chat to System
Ethan Nava
6:00 PMReserve ↗
Workshop
05 / 08
19
Jun
Dreamotion Photo Shoot
Paul Houghton
8:30 AMReserve ↗
Hackathon
06 / 08
20
Jun
Workshop and Hackathon · Code Challenge
Francesca Sala
10:00 AMReserve ↗
Speaker
07 / 08
23
Jun
Vertical AI Presentation
Mo Johmani
6:00 PMReserve ↗
Speaker
08 / 08
30
Jun
Scale Without Burnout
Andrew Hartman
6:00 PMReserve ↗
Showing the next eight programmed sessions. The full calendar updates weekly — request access to see private speaker events not listed publicly.
06 — The Mission
The Vision Behind Ticket 500.
A premier entrepreneurial hub —
built for builders, by builders.
“We're building a destination where entrepreneurs do more than network. They turn momentum into measurable growth.”
The Ticket 500 is a modern entrepreneurial ecosystem designed to bring together founders, investors, operators, creators, and innovators who are building something meaningful.
We believe great businesses are built through access to the right people, practical knowledge, and high-value conversations. Ticket 500 exists to create that environment: a place where ambitious people can learn from real experience, exchange ideas, build strategic relationships, and move with greater clarity.
Through curated workshops, speaker events, strategic conversations, and community experiences, members gain access to the insight, relationships, and opportunities that help them move faster and build smarter.
Our mission is to create a premier entrepreneurial hub where people do more than network. They learn, connect, collaborate, and turn momentum into measurable growth.
REC · FOUNDER 001T-500
Don DiCostanzo
Founder · Newport Beach, CA
Photograph · Don DiCostanzo, The Ticket 500
07 — The Founder
The Founder Behind the Vision.
Don DiCostanzo is an entrepreneur, investor, brand builder, and community architect with decades of experience launching and scaling innovative businesses across multiple industries.
Known for bringing people together and creating momentum around transformative ideas, Don founded Ticket 500 to serve as a catalyst for entrepreneurial growth, collaboration, and practical business education.
His experience spans product development, marketing, manufacturing, strategic partnerships, and business scaling, with a focus on helping entrepreneurs turn vision into execution.
Through Ticket 500, Don is building a destination where entrepreneurs do more than network. They learn from one another, build meaningful relationships, and actively create what comes next.
ProductMarketingManufacturingStrategic PartnershipsScaling
06 — The Space
Built for Builders.
A 100-year-old workshop — reimagined for modern entrepreneurship. Drop-down video, podcast capture, ideation tools. Make the conversation, then capture the work it produces.
07 — Why This Works
Why This Works.
- 01Small, high-trust environment
- 02Real operators sharing real insights
- 03Hands-on, not theoretical
- 04Immediate application
08 — This is For You If
This Is For You If…
- 01You're actively building or scaling
- 02You want better conversations, not more noise
- 03You value proximity to serious people
- 04You're ready to execute
You don't leave with ideas.
You leave with progress.
If you're just browsing, this isn't it. If you're serious, you'll know.
The Room · Newport Beach
09 — From the Inside
Voices from the Room.
Excerpted from member conversations.
Attributed names available on request to qualified applicants.
The level of conversation here is unlike anywhere else. We executed more in three months than the entire year prior.
It is not networking. It is a collective of operators who actually care about the quality of the build.
The AI workshops alone changed how we scale. The community is just the massive multiplier.
10 — Apply
Limited. Curated. Intentional.
We are building toward 500 members. Not everyone gets in.