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TAO Group
TAO Group is a family office co-founded by Mark Birnbaum, Jason Strauss, and Noah Tepperberg, operating hospitality venues globally from New York and Las...
TAO Group
TAO Group was co-founded by Mark Birnbaum, Jason Strauss, and Noah Tepperberg in the early 2000s, growing out of the trio's success with the New York nightclub Marquee. The wealth originates from hospitality entrepreneurship, with early venues generating cash flows that funded expansion into a multi-continent operation. The group's strategy centers on owning and operating high-traffic venues, including restaurants (TAO, Lavo, Beauty & Essex), nightclubs (Marquee, LAVO) and daylife (Marquee Dayclub, Wet Republic). Asset-class mix spans hospitality real estate, venue operations, licensing, and event promotion. TAO Group also invests in related direct plays — confirmed portfolio interests include the casino-resort partnership with The Venetian Las Vegas and a cumulative presence in Macau and Singapore. Geographic footprint concentrates in New York, Las Vegas, Australia, and Southeast Asia. TAO Group does not publicly disclose AUM, total portfolio value, or team size. Additional offices are maintained in New Orleans and Las Vegas. The firm operates without separate philanthropic or foundation vehicles disclosed in public filings. A notable recent operational event: September 2023, TAO Group partnered with the Sahara Las Vegas to open a new restaurant concept (per local media, September 2023). Structurally, TAO Group is distinct from typical family offices: it functions as an operating company with a balance sheet that both owns hospitality real estate and runs the underlying businesses, rather than merely allocating capital to third-party managers. This vertically integrated model gives the founding partners control over property, brand, and operations simultaneously.
General information
Firm type
Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Additional offices
Las Vegas, NV, United States
Principals
Mark Birnbaum
Co-Founder & CEO
Jason Strauss
Co-Founder & President
Noah Tepperberg
Co-Founder & Executive Chairman
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at TAO Group?
Co-founders Mark Birnbaum (CEO), Jason Strauss (President), and Noah Tepperberg (Executive Chairman) collectively drive investment and operational decisions. The trio has led all major venue launches and capital deployments since the firm's inception (public record).
How does TAO Group source proprietary deal flow?
TAO Group generates proprietary opportunities through its existing venue relationships, real estate developer networks, and brand partnerships. For example, the firm's long-standing relationship with The Venetian Las Vegas led to the flagship TAO restaurant and club inside that resort (per public record).
Is TAO Group structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a hospitality firm?
TAO Group is best understood as an operating company with underlying hospitality assets, rather than a passive allocator. The firm owns and operates its venues, controls real estate leases, and directs cash flows into new concepts. This vertical structure differs from traditional family offices that typically invest only outside capital.
Does TAO Group participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
TAO Group primarily invests directly in its own venues and concepts. There is no public record of fund commitments to external GPs. The firm's model is self-funding and operationally focused (public record).
What investment stages does TAO Group typically target?
TAO Group invests at the concept development and growth stage — it launches, owns, and scales new restaurant, nightlife, and entertainment brands. This is effectively a venture-to-operating approach, not a stage-limited structure (public record).
Which sectors does TAO Group explicitly avoid?
TAO Group does not publicly disclose excluded sectors. However, its disclosed investments are exclusively in hospitality, entertainment, and related real estate — no positions in technology, healthcare, or financial services are known (public record).
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The wealth originates from the co-founders' hospitality entrepreneurship. Birnbaum, Strauss, and Tepperberg built capital through early nightclub and restaurant ventures in New York City, which then funded international expansion (public record).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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