What The Hero Workshop does

The Hero Workshop is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 2020 by Scott Stevens, operating a community center at 4445 Overland Avenue in Culver City, California, that delivers structured tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) programs — primarily Dungeons & Dragons — for children ages 8 and up and adults 21+. The organization runs weekly in-person game sessions in five private rooms using a roster of ~14 professional Game Masters, with proprietary campaign settings (Living World of Richton, Multiversal Mega Quest), multiple RPG systems (D&D 5e, Daggerheart, Kids on Bikes/Brooms/Capes, Monster Hunter, and one-page RPGs), and supporting programs including Kayl's Tales for ages 5-7, after-school and school-volunteer programming, summer day camps, birthday party hosting, and adult bar events. Revenue derives from monthly memberships ($180-$320 for kids; $30/session for adults), summer camps ($300-$595/week), birthday parties ($350), and a tiered donation program ($10-$2,500) that funds scholarships and operations. Distribution combines an owned community center with channel partnerships at Cantrip Candles (Hollywood), No Smoking and Idle Hour (bars), Mike Bennett Studios (Portland), and Dave & Buster's (fundraiser), supported by Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Discord, and Partiful event marketing.

Name

The Hero Workshop

Legal name

The Hero Workshop

Website

https://heroworkshop.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Hero Workshop is a 501c3 non-profit community center in Culver City, California that runs structured Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop role-playing game programs for children ages 8+ and adults 21+, delivered by professional Game Masters across memberships, camps, and partner venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Enrichment and Tabletop Gaming Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Party Games, Activities & Interactive Entertainment (HSACACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Educational Games & Kids/Families Game Studios (MPAFAAAI)

Keywords

• Tabletop role-playing games
• Youth enrichment programs
• Community gaming center
• Summer day camps
• Dungeons and Dragons

Headquarters

HQ city

Culver City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly recurring subscriptions providing weekly game access. Heroic Membership ($180/month) includes one weekly 2-hour game. Epic Membership ($320/month) includes two weekly games. Weekly 3-Hour Game ($260/month) offers extended sessions.
2. Camp Programs: Summer camp programs ranging from $300-$595 per week. Includes full-day D&D activities, crafts, swimming, miniature painting, and various RPG systems. Food and materials provided.
3. Adult Campaign Games: Individual session purchases at $30 per game for adults 21+. Provides committed group gaming with professional Game Masters and private game rooms.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations as a 501c3 non-profit. Multiple tiers from $10 to $2,500, with sustaining monthly options. Supports scholarships, operational costs, and community center maintenance.
5. Birthday Party Hosting: Birthday party one-shot adventures at $350 base price, with scaling for additional heroes. Includes professional Game Master, in-store or mobile hosting options.
6. One-Time Adventures: Individual D&D session tickets at $30 for Living World of Richton adventures. Free trial sessions available for new players.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Hero Workshop operates a non-profit community center that delivers in-person tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) programs—primarily Dungeons & Dragons and Daggerheart—for children ages 8 and up and adults 21+. Core deliverables include subscription-based weekly game memberships, multi-week summer day camps, adult campaigns and shared-world drop-in adventures, hosted birthday parties, and community events such as the annual Hero Faire family festival. Sessions are facilitated by professional Game Masters using curated physical game materials in purpose-built private game rooms.

Product overview

The Hero Workshop is a non-profit community center offering tabletop role-playing game programs for kids (ages 8+) and adults (21+). The core product portfolio consists of membership-based weekly D&D games (Heroic Membership at $180/month, Epic Membership at $320/month for two games, and Weekly 3 Hour Game at $260/month) held at their Culver City location, supplemented by seasonal Summer Camps (starting at $300 for Portland, $595 for Culver City weeks), adult-oriented programs (Adult Campaigns at $30/session, Kill It Keep It bar events, and The Living World of Richton shared-world campaign), and event-based offerings including Birthday Parties ($350). The company also operates Hollywood Adventure games at Cantrip Candles and provides free trial experiences. Revenue is supplemented by a tiered donation program ($10-$2,500) enabling tax-deductible support for scholarships and community center operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heroic Membership Monthly subscription providing one hero enrollment for a weekly in-person two-hour game session at the Culver City community center in Los Angeles, intended for children participating in TTRPG programs.
• Epic Membership Monthly subscription at $320 providing enrollment in two weekly in-person games per week for the same hero, allowing participation across multiple campaign systems such as Dungeons and Dragons and Daggerheart.
• Weekly 3-Hour Game Monthly subscription at $260 for an extended weekly in-person game session lasting three hours instead of the standard two-hour option, for youth TTRPG participants.
• Adult Campaign Recurring Dungeons & Dragons campaign for adults 21+ offered at $30 per session with monthly options, providing weekly or bi-weekly three-hour sessions led by professional Game Masters in private game rooms.
• The Living World of Richton Custom shared-world D&D 5e campaign setting where multiple Dungeon Masters run one-off adventures that influence and build a continuous story; players can drop in for single $30 sessions without a weekly commitment.
• Multiversal Mega Quest Proprietary giant campaign running Monday through Saturday where heroes adventure in the city of Sigil and through portals to other planes, gathering clues, buying magic items, and solving mysteries culminating in an epic conclusion.
• Kill It Keep It Monthly bar-based adult event (21+) held at partner venues such as No Smoking where participants battle monsters and roll dice; whoever lands the killing blow wins a plushie.
• Summer Camp (Los Angeles) Multi-week full-day summer camp at $595 per week held at 4445 Overland Avenue, Culver City (9:30 AM-3:30 PM), featuring daily D&D, RPG one-page games, swimming, sword play, mini painting, Magic: The Gathering, and board game design. Includes lunch, custom t-shirt, and dice set.
• Portland Summer Camp Five-day D&D summer camp at $300 per week held at Mike Bennett Studios in Portland, OR (July 27-31, 10 AM-2 PM daily), featuring campaign play, crafts, snacks, t-shirt, and dice set.
• Kayl's Tales Proprietary program for heroes ages 5-7 introducing younger children to interactive storytelling without requiring advanced math or reading comprehension, featuring epic adventures, crafts, snacks, and practice with math and creativity.
• Hollywood Adventure Free trial D&D game hosted weekly on Fridays at Cantrip Candles in Hollywood (5427 Santa Monica Blvd) for heroes ages 8-16, expanding the Culver City programs to families in Hollywood, Burbank, and Silverlake.
• Birthday Party Custom one-shot D&D adventure at $350 base price (scaling with number of heroes), lasting 3-4 hours, led by a professional Game Master, available at the community center or as a mobile-hosted event within the LA area.
• Free Trial One-Time Adventure Complimentary trial adventure at the Culver City community center allowing new participants to experience a game session before committing to a full membership.
• Don't Trust the Pink Dolphin Tier-1 D&D 5e one-shot adventure set in the Living World of Richton featuring folk horror themes and a corporate festival storyline, run by DM Claire at $30 per 3-hour session.
• The Unofficial Urchin's Union Tier-1 D&D 5e one-shot adventure in the Living World of Richton where players round up mischievous orphans in a city without an orphanage, run by DM Astrid at $30 per 3-hour session.
• Tax-Deductible Donation Program Tiered tax-deductible donation program ($10-$2,500 levels, plus monthly sustaining options) supporting scholarships for underserved youth, library materials, camp supplies, utility costs, and full-year program sponsorships as a 501c3 (Tax ID: 85-3534025).

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs support over 40 games per week
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cantrip CandlescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner venue in Hollywood hosting weekly Friday games for heroes ages 8+. Cantrip Candles provides the physical space at 5427 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood. First game free trial offered. Expands reach to families in Hollywood, Burbank, and Silverlake areas.
• No SmokingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBar venue at 2692 S. La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles hosting monthly Kill It, Keep It events for adults 21+. Monthly event with monster battling and dice rolling. Killing blow wins plushie. One-year anniversary celebrated in May.
• Dave & Buster'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDay of Play fundraiser event at Dave & Buster's (6081 Center Dr, LA). Power cards purchased through their link donate $10 to The Workshop. Cards can be redeemed worldwide.
• Idle HourminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHobbit Midsummer event partnership with Fantasy Knights and Idle Hour (4824 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood). Includes Kill It Keep It game, cosplay, food, and drinks.
• Mike Bennett StudiosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPortland venue hosting first Portland Summer Camp July 27-31. Located at 707 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR. TTRPG programming expansion outside LA market.
• Critical RolecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Ben Van der Fliert serves as SVP of Business Development and Content at Critical Role. Brings expertise in TTRPG brand expansion and entertainment industry connections.
• Fantasy KnightsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Hobbit Midsummer event at Idle Hour. Co-hosting festival activities including Kill It Keep It game, cosplay, and community events.
• School of RockminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusical performances at annual Hero Faire family renaissance festival.
• Teacher-Gamer HandbookminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting 24-hour 'Intro to the Multiverse' accelerator course at The Workshop. Teaches DMs, teachers, parents how to create safe, creative, educational TTRPG spaces. $450 course includes certification and materials.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Mox Boarding House: Game store chain with dedicated event spaces hosting D&D nights, tournaments, and community gaming. Comparable as a physical retail/community venue running TTRPG programs, but primarily a retail business with gaming as a side offering.
• Brookline Booksmith: Independent bookstore running community tabletop gaming events and in-store RPG nights. Comparable as a community-focused retail/venue host for TTRPG programming, but operates within a retail rather than dedicated non-profit model.

Broad incumbents

• Hasbro: Parent company of Wizards of the Coast and therefore the ultimate owner of the D&D IP. Sets licensing, pricing, and brand strategy that directly governs Hero Workshop's core product environment.
• Wizards of the Coast: Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, the underlying IP on which Hero Workshop's programming is built. Shapes the entire TTRPG ecosystem, including pricing, licensing, and cultural momentum that affects enrollment.
• Critical Role Foundation: The charitable arm of Critical Role, the most influential TTRPG media brand. Comparable as a TTRPG-mission non-profit with national reach; broader in scope (media, entertainment) but overlapping audience and donor base.

Emerging players

• Roll20: Leading online virtual tabletop platform enabling remote D&D play. Competes with the in-person community center model by offering convenience, lower cost, and global reach — a structural alternative rather than direct competitor.
• D&D Beyond: Official digital toolset for Dungeons & Dragons owned by Wizards of the Coast. Lowers the friction of running home games and creates an alternative to paid in-person TTRPG programs for many families.

Direct peers

• Game to Grow: Non-profit organization that uses tabletop role-playing games for youth social and emotional development. Closest direct peer: similar mission, TTRPG-centric, youth-focused, with comparable therapeutic and educational framing.

Others

• LoadingReadyRun: Comedy and gaming content production collective known for TTRPG actual-play series. Comparable as a TTRPG media/community brand, though they operate primarily through digital content rather than in-person programs.
• Tabletop Game & Toy Association: Industry trade association representing tabletop game publishers. Comparable as a stakeholder in the same hobby ecosystem, though not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AboveTheTableHW
• Facebookfacebook.com/heroworkshopkids
• Instagraminstagram.com/heroworkshopkids
• TikToktiktok.com/@heroworkshopla
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-hero-workshop

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

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 The Hero Workshop