Welcome back to the Sunstone Way.
Dad joke time. What do startup founders, runners and clocks have in common? They’re always running!
I just made that up. Not bad, huh?
It’s timely, too, because we are just a month away from the Irvine Dream Run, which benefits founders through the Sunstone Community Fund (where the run proceeds go). The clock is ticking for you to register.
Details, Details
Here is some vital information for you. The 2026 Irvine Dream Run is on Saturday, May 9, in the Great Park near the iconic orange Great Park Balloon. There will be a 5K run starting at 7:30 a.m., followed by a 3K family-friendly run-walk. You can sign up to participate in either run, or both.
Adults and children run together. All runners receive a race shirt, a great finisher medal and a finish-line photo. Register by April 27 to guarantee you get the shirt size you want.
If you’re looking to save a little money, there is a multi-person discount for four or more people registering together, and an even larger discount if you are part of an approved group – email Jennifer.huang@sunstoneinvestment.com to become an approved group.
All of this good stuff and a lot more can be found at runsignup.com/Race/CA/Irvine/DreamRunCA.
Building Success
The 2026 Irvine Dream Run will be the third presented by Sunstone Investment Group and American Lending Center Holdings Inc., and the run has grown each year in both the number of runners and the folks attending the post-race expo. That expo includes a bounce house, live music, food trucks, vendors and more.
As of April 1, the number of registrants already has passed 500, more than last year’s totals. I can’t wait to see how many people will show up to run with me on May 9!
The event itself is a boon to founders of startup companies as it provides a great opportunity for networking. Companies providing technical expertise will be on hand, and more than one investor has been known to lace up their sneakers and go for a jog.
Origin Story
Our founder and CEO John Shen came up with the idea for the Irvine Dream Run in early 2024. It took place alongside the first-ever Irvine Tech Week (John was a major player getting that off the ground too).
The run and festival came back last year by popular demand. It was a stand-alone event at Great Park Live. Despite cloudy skies and a mist that turned into rain, about 400 folks ran the course – along with a half-dozen unicorns!
In an echo of its first year, this year’s Dream Run will be preceded by an Irvine Tech Day. The Tech Day will start with a kickoff event Thursday evening, May 7, followed by a full day of activities on Friday.
And yes, John Shen had a hand in reviving Irvine Tech Day as well.
For the Founders
All of the net proceeds from the run go to the Sunstone Community Fund, our nonprofit donor-advised fund. Started by – you guessed it – John Shen and Stella Zhang, the fund supports university entrepreneurship programs, accelerators and other startup-oriented events through sponsorships and expertise.
I’d argue that the Dream Run itself is a good example for founders to follow. It has evolved over time, facing challenges and growing all the same.
The Dream Run also epitomizes the core values at Sunstone – Investment, Entrepreneurship and Community. It takes investment from sponsors to make the Dream Run happen and the Dream Run is investing in founders in return. It takes a group of entrepreneurs to stage the Dream Run every year, coming up with creative solutions to problems to make it all work.
And the entire event is all about strengthening the Entrepreneurial Community, by coming together as people to enjoy a Southern California day together, and by helping a good cause at the same time.
That’s the Sunstone Way!
And remember, always be a Sunstone.
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone
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Sunstone Investment Group, headquartered in Southern California, is the holding company for the Sunstone family of entities, including: Sunstone Investment Management Services, responsible for administrative services; Sunstone Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser, which oversees Sunstone Venture Partners LLC, a private capital fund manager; Sunstone Cities, a government economic development consulting firm; and Sunstone Community Fund, a charitable organization that supports entrepreneurship. Sunstone is dedicated to enriching lives through investment, entrepreneurship, and community. Email us at contact@sunstoneinvestment.com.
©Sunstone, 2026