About Lightbridge Academy Franchise
Lightbridge Academy is an early childhood education franchise offering programs for infants as young as six weeks through kindergarten age, along with summer camps, before and after school care, and backup childcare services.
Each center typically spans 8,000 to 11,600 square feet and accommodates approximately 140 to 200 children, with final capacity determined by local licensing requirements.
The franchise fee is $40,000, and Lightbridge Academy has been franchising since 2011 under its parent company, Lightbridge Holdings Group, Inc.
Lightbridge Academy Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$1.1M
Average Investment
$2.1M
Maximum Investment
$3.1M
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | 7% of Gross Revenues of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | Up to 3% of Gross Revenues (currently 2%) for Brand Development Fund; Up to 2% of Gross Revenues for Advertising Cooperative; Minimum $6,000 per quarter for Local Advertising Expenditure. | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $1,067,233 – $3,120,400 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $1.1M–$3.1M reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (7% of Gross Revenues) and marketing fee (Up to 3% of Gross Revenues (currently 2%) for Brand Development Fund; Up to 2% of Gross Revenues for Advertising Cooperative; Minimum $6,000 per quarter for Local Advertising Expenditure.) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee (Note 1) | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Initial Training (Note 2) | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Center Development Fee (Note 3) | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| Background Checks and Asset Verification (Note 4) | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Lease Deposit (Note 5) | $44,333 | $87,500 |
| Leasehold Improvements (Note 6) | $412,500 | $2,100,000 |
| Lease Guaranty Set- Up Fee (Note 7) | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Lease Guaranty Payment (Note 8) | $0 | $2,900 |
| Equipment, Fixtures and Furnishing (Note 9) | $241,000 | $399,000 |
| Permits & Licenses (Note 10) | $400 | $1,000 |
| Signs (Note 11) | $18,000 | $35,000 |
| Prepaid Insurance Premium (Note 12) | $4,000 | $8,000 |
| Pre- and Post- Launch Advertising and Marketing Plan (Note 13) | $35,000 | $55,000 |
| Grand Opening Advertising and Marketing (Note 14) | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Training (Note 15) | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Professional Fees (Note 16) | $15,000 | $25,000 |
| Additional Funds -3 months (Note 17) | $150,000 | $255,000 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | 25% of then-current initial franchise fee; or 10% of sales price if franchisor introduces transferee or transferee is existing center employee. |
| Renewal Fee | 10% of then current initial franchise fee |
| Technology Fee | Currently $400 per month |
| Audit Fee | Our audit costs |
| On-site Training and Supplemental Training | Our then current rates (currently $500 per person per day) plus personal expenses |
| Indemnification | Amount of loss or damages plus costs |
| Bank Charges and Administrative Costs | Our then-current fees |
| New Product or New Supplier Approval | $1,500 |
| Non-Compliance Fee | Our then-current fees (ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 for repeated defaults) |
| De-Identify Premises | Costs plus administrative fee (currently 15%) |
| Insurance | Cost of insurance plus administrative fee (currently 15%) |
| Late Crisis Notification Fee | Our then-current fee (currently $5,000 per occurrence plus $500 per day, beginning on the second day) |
| Center Management Fee | Our then-current management fee (currently 10% of the Center’s monthly Gross Revenues) plus expenses and other fees |
| Relocation Fee | Our then-current Fee (Currently $40,000) |
| Annual Franchisee Conference | Our then-current fee for attendance (currently $350.00) |
| Late Reporting Fee | 12% of the last Royalty payment made |
| Enroll 360 | Amount varies (Currently $250-$349 per month) |
| Website Hosting | Our then-current fee (currently $0) |
| Mobile Tablet Service and Support | Our then-current fee (currently $90 per month) |
| Advertised Telephone Number | Our then-current fee (currently $10 per month) |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | 3 weeks |
| Classroom Training | 87 |
| On-the-Job Training | 90+ |
| Training Location | LFC Home Office, Iselin, New Jersey, Virtual Classroom, Lightbridge Academy Training Center, New Jersey, Franchisee’s Center |
| Additional Training | Franchisor may require existing franchisees opening additional Centers to re-attend Owners Track 1 and Owners Track 2 for additional training, at a fee of up to $5,000. Franchisees and Regional Managers opening their third and subsequent Centers must attend Multi-Unit Training at a cost of $500 per person plus travel expenses. Refresher courses may be required at franchisee's cost. All employees must obtain 15 professional development hours annually. |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Non-exclusive |
| Exclusive Territory | No |
| Territory Size | Not specified, but generally one Center for each 10,000 households in the county. |
| Description | The Franchise Agreement grants the right to operate one Center at a specific approved location. No exclusive territory is granted, and competition from other franchisees, company-owned outlets, or other distribution channels is possible. The franchisor retains broad rights to operate or license other businesses, including competing ones, within or outside the franchisee's area. For Multi-Unit Operators, a non-exclusive Development Area is defined for locating Centers, but other franchisees and corporate units may operate within it. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 15 years |
| Renewal Term | 2 additional 5-year terms |
| Renewal Fee | 10% of then current initial franchise fee |
| Renewal Conditions | Franchisee must give 6-13 months' notice, have right to lease premises for 5 years, complete maintenance/refurbishing, not be in default, satisfy monetary obligations, execute current Franchise Agreement (which may have different terms/fees/territorial rights), satisfy current training requirements, pay renewal fee, and execute a general release of claims. |
| Transfer Fee | 25% of then-current initial franchise fee; or 10% of sales price if franchisor introduces transferee or transferee is existing center employee. |
| Transfer Conditions | Approval is conditioned on satisfying monetary obligations, curing defaults, executing a transfer agreement and general release, completing required repairs/upgrades (including computer), transferee meeting franchisor's standards (moral character, business reputation, credit rating, aptitude, financial resources), transferee executing current Franchise Agreement, and transferee/Director completing initial training program. |
| Termination for Cause | Franchisor can terminate with 7-day cure for Proprietary Marks failure, 15-day cure for monetary default, 30-day cure for other defaults. Termination without cure for criminal acts, fraud, misrepresentation, background check failure, bankruptcy, insolvency, liens, material breach of other agreements, repeated breaches (3+ notices in 12 months), intentional underreporting, abandonment, failure to open, public health/safety threat, restrictive covenant violation, unauthorized use of confidential information, failure to maintain insurance, unauthorized transfer. |
| Non-Compete Period | 2 years after expiration, non-renewal, transfer or termination |
| Non-Compete Details | During the term, franchisee/owners/spouses cannot have interest in any other child daycare/preschool learning business (except other Lightbridge Academy Centers). Post-term (2 years), cannot own/engage in/be employed by/have interest in competing child daycare/preschool learning business within 10 miles of former Center or any existing/proposed Lightbridge Academy franchise, or any company granting competing franchises. Cannot solicit former customers or employees. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | Yes |
| Participation Details | The franchisee (or Operating Principal if an entity) must personally participate. An Operating Principal must be an equity owner and have authority for operational decisions. A full-time Center Director is required for on-premises supervision, and an Assistant Director. For a third Center, a Regional Manager must be hired. All must complete initial training. Spouses of owners must sign a Guaranty. |
| Required Suppliers | Yes, for certain items like marketing materials, items bearing Proprietary Marks, premium incentive items, toys, educational materials, equipment, and software. Franchisor may also designate itself or an affiliate as an approved or sole vendor. |
| Supply Restrictions | Franchisee must purchase or lease items from approved vendors or franchisor-designated suppliers that meet specifications and quality standards. Private label items must be offered and sold. Unapproved vendors require written approval and a $1,500 review/testing fee. |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | $113,597 from rebates, approximately 0.7% of overall revenues in the last fiscal year. Neither franchisor nor affiliates generated revenue from direct sale of goods/services to franchisees in the last fiscal year. |
Financing (Item 10)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Financing Available | Yes |
| Description | Our affiliate, New Jule Holdings, LLC, may provide a limited lease guaranty of collection to landlords of qualified franchisees. This involves a one-time initial set-up fee of $20,000 and an annual lease guaranty fee equal to 6% of the annual gross rent, payable in twelve monthly installments. Franchisee must execute a Lease Guaranty Agreement, Security Agreement, and Collateral Assignment of Lease. RAAG’s security interest will be subordinate to any SBA commercial lender financing. |
Lightbridge Academy Franchise Earnings — Item 19
Average Revenue
$2.4M
Median Revenue
$2.5M
Revenue Range
$1.3M – $4.0M
Sample Size
62 units
Past financial performance does not guarantee future results. Individual results will vary.
Lightbridge Academy Litigation & Risk Flags
Clean Litigation RecordLightbridge Academy has no pending litigation actions listed in their FDD. There is also no bankruptcy history disclosed.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
Lightbridge Academy System Growth
Total Units
73
Franchised
55
Company-Owned
18
Lightbridge Academy currently operates 55 franchised locations and 18 company-owned units. Unit count data is sourced from Item 20 of the FDD.
Unit History (Item 20)
| Year | Opened | Closed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | 46 |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 50 |
| 2023 | 6 | 1 | 55 |
Transfers: 2 | Closures: 1
State Registrations
Registered in 14 states: CA, HI, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, NY, ND, RI, SD, VA, WA, WI
Franchisor Financials (Item 21)
Revenue
$15.5M
Net Income
$1.9M
Total Assets
$9.9M
Audited by Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP for year ending December 31st.
Lightbridge Academy Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a Lightbridge Academy franchise ranges from $1,067,233 to $3,120,400, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $40,000. The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
Lightbridge Academy charges a royalty fee of 7% of Gross Revenues of gross sales, plus a Up to 3% of Gross Revenues (currently 2%) for Brand Development Fund; Up to 2% of Gross Revenues for Advertising Cooperative; Minimum $6,000 per quarter for Local Advertising Expenditure. contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the Lightbridge Academy Franchise Disclosure Document free on this page. The FDD is a public document filed with state franchise registries. Always also request the current FDD directly from Lightbridge Academy to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
According to the Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, Lightbridge Academy franchise owners report average revenue of $2.4M and median revenue of $2.5M. This is based on a sample of 62 units. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Lightbridge Academy has been franchising since 2011. The FDD shows an investment range of $1,067,233-$3,120,400, a 7% of Gross Revenues royalty, and includes an Item 19 earnings disclosure. There is no pending litigation. Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $40,000 and the total investment ranges from $1,067,233 to $3,120,400 depending on location size and market. Contact the franchisor directly for current net worth and liquid capital requirements, territory availability, and application details.
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Data Source & Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to sell or buy a franchise. This profile is based on publicly available FDD data sourced from state franchise registry filings. All information is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Data may be outdated or contain errors. Always obtain the current FDD directly from Lightbridge Academy and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with Lightbridge Academy or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com