Phoenix TS
Phoenix TS is a Columbia, MD-based, privately held training company (founded 1998) that delivers instructor-led certification courses in cybersecurity, cloud, AI, and project management to U.S. government agencies, Fortune 500 enterprises, and individual professionals through vendor-authorized programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersColumbia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Phoenix TS does
Phoenix TS is a privately held, instructor-led training company founded in 1998 and headquartered in Columbia, Maryland. It delivers vendor-authorized certification preparation and skills-based courses across cybersecurity (CISSP, CEH, Security+, OSCP), cloud (AWS, Microsoft Azure), AI/ML (AI CERTs, prompt engineering, generative AI), project management (PMP, Scrum), and IT service management (ITIL) to individual professionals, Fortune 500 enterprises, and U.S. federal/defense agencies. The company's technology stack centers on a proprietary learning management system, an AI-powered website chatbot that matches visitors to courses, and a CMMC Tracker mobile application (iOS/Android) that helps defense contractors navigate compliance requirements.
Phoenix TS operates a hybrid delivery model combining classroom training at its Columbia, MD facility with live online and on-site corporate/government sessions. Its revenue model is predominantly transactional fee-for-service — individual course enrollments and group bookings of 6–7+ seats — augmented by custom corporate curriculum development and a prepaid Future-Ready Training Funds Program that locks in client budgets for up to 18 months. Go-to-market is sales-led with phone-based inside sales (301-258-8200), supplemented by content marketing, SEO, a $100 referral program, and vendor-authorized reseller relationships. The company monetizes 400+ certified instructors under contract rather than maintaining them as full-time employees, which keeps headcount at 11–50 while serving "thousands of students" globally. Founders Firoozeh Azarbaidjani Do and Ben Tchoubineh (President & CEO) remain involved, and the company announced a rebranding to LEXX Live scheduled for April 17, 2025, with no disclosed change in ownership, investors, or capital structure.
Phoenix TS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Phoenix TS
- Legal name
- Phoenix TS
- Website
- https://phoenixts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Phoenix TS is a Columbia, MD-based, privately held training company (founded 1998) that delivers instructor-led certification courses in cybersecurity, cloud, AI, and project management to U.S. government agencies, Fortune 500 enterprises, and individual professionals through vendor-authorized programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Phoenix TS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- IT Certification Training
- NAICS
- Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vendor/Authorized Certification Training (Microsoft/AWS/Cisco, etc.) (BPAEANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA) (EDANAIAF), Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA), Systems Administration & Infrastructure (Windows/Linux) (EDAOAIAE)
Keywords
Where Phoenix TS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Phoenix TS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Instructor-Led Certification Training: Phoenix TS generates revenue primarily through fee-for-service instructor-led training courses. Students pay per course for certification preparation in areas like cybersecurity (CISSP, CEH, Security+), cloud (AWS, Azure), project management (PMP), and AI/ML. Courses are offered in classroom (Columbia, MD) and live online formats.
- Corporate and Government Training Solutions: Custom learning solutions for enterprise and government clients including DoD 8140 & 8570.01-M training, CMMC CCP/CCA training, and custom course development. Revenue generated through bulk/group bookings and contractual training agreements.
- Financing Partnership: Phoenix TS partners with Meritize to offer financing options for students, enabling payment plans for skills-based career training.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Course Enrollment |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Phoenix TS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Phoenix TS is a privately held IT training company founded in 1998 and headquartered in Columbia, MD, with an additional Dulles, VA office. The company provides instructor-led certification training courses for IT and cybersecurity professionals, holding vendor-authorized status with major certification bodies including ISC2, CompTIA, AWS, EC-Council, and Microsoft. Courses are delivered by 400+ certified instructors with 20+ years of average experience and are offered to Fortune 500 enterprises, government/defense organizations, and individual learners.
Product overview
Phoenix TS is an award-winning training center offering expert-led, vendor-authorized certification and skills-based training. The company provides hundreds of courses through both in-classroom (Columbia, MD) and live online formats. Its core product portfolio includes instructor-led training across cybersecurity (CompTIA, ISC2, EC-Council, OffSec), cloud (AWS, Microsoft Azure), AI/ML (AI CERTs, machine learning, generative AI), project management (PMI, Scrum), and IT service management (ITIL). The AI CERTs sub-brand delivers cutting-edge AI and Blockchain certifications including prompt engineering, AI architecture, and chief AI officer credentials. Additional offerings include government training solutions (CMMC, DoD certifications), corporate training programs with custom curriculum development, live online training, classroom rentals, and the CMMC Tracker mobile app. Phoenix TS partners with major certification bodies including AWS, CompTIA, ISC2, EC-Council, Microsoft, ISACA, and ITIL/AXELOS to provide vendor-authorized preparation courses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AI CERTs: AI and Blockchain certification programs offered as Official AI CERTs Provider
Products and services
- ISC2 Certification Training
- CompTIA Certification Training
- AWS Certification Training
- EC-Council Certification Training
- Microsoft Certification Training
- On-Site Corporate Training
- Public-Enrollment Classroom Training Instructor-led certification courses scheduled at Phoenix TS's Columbia, MD and Dulles, VA training facilities, open for individual professional enrollment.
Companies that use Phoenix TS
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Phoenix TS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability9 records
Feature3 records
Phoenix TS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and support.
- AI CERTscorePhoenix TS is an Official Provider of AI CERTs, delivering cutting-edge AI and Blockchain certifications including AI+ Prompt Engineer, AI+ Architect, AI+ Security, and Bitcoin+ certifications. The company offers 50+ AI CERTs certification-backed courses.
- ISC2coreOfficial Training Preferred Partner for ISC2, one of the largest cybersecurity certification bodies with over 160,000 certified members. Offers CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CSSLP, ISSEP, ISSAP, ISSMP, and CGRC certification courses.
- CompTIAcoreCompTIA Platinum Partner, the highest tier partnership level. Offers full range of CompTIA certifications including Security+, Network+, A+, Linux+, Cloud+, PenTest+, CySA+, and CompTIA AI courses.
- ISACAcoreAccredited Training Partner for ISACA, offering CISM, CISA, and CRISC certification preparation courses.
- AXELOS/PeopleCertcoreITIL Accredited Training Organization delivering ITIL 4 Foundation and Specialist courses for IT service management certification.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreAWS Training Partner offering architecting, development, security, and machine learning on AWS courses including Solutions Architect, Developer, and DevOps certifications.
- CertNexusmajorCertNexus Platinum Partner offering GenAIBIZ and CyberSec First Responder (CFR) certification courses.
- EC-CouncilcoreAccredited training center for EC-Council certifications including Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO), Certified Penetration Testing Professional (CPENT), Certified Network Defender (CND), and Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI).
- OffSeccoreOffSec Official Training Provider delivering PEN-200 (OSCP), PEN-300, EXP-301, WEB-200, WEB-300, SOC-200, and other offensive security certification courses.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft Certified Partner offering Azure administrator, developer, security, and data certification courses including AZ-104, AZ-204, AZ-500, and DP-900.
- Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of MarylandmajorPhoenix TS partnered with the Robert H. Smith School of Business at UMD, a top-tier business school. This collaboration provides students exclusive access to industry leaders, global networks, and career opportunities in both public and private sectors.
- Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Accreditation BodycoreAuthorized training provider for CMMC Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) and Certified CMMC Assessor (CCA) certifications required for DoD contractors.
- CloudflaresupportCloudflare provides website performance and security services protecting Phoenix TS against malicious bots and ensuring website availability.
- Federal IT Security Institute (FITSI)majorAuthorized training provider for FITSP certification program including FITSP-Auditor, FITSP-Designer, FITSP-Manager, and FITSP-Operator certifications for federal IT professionals.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Phoenix TS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Infosec Institute: Cybersecurity-focused training and certification prep provider covering CISSP, Security+, CEH, and other credentials Phoenix TS offers, with live online bootcamps and enterprise upskilling programs.
- SANS Institute: Premier cybersecurity training provider offering vendor-aligned certifications (GIAC) with live online and in-person delivery, plus government sector penetration; competes directly for cybersecurity certification training budgets.
- Global Knowledge: Large-scale IT and cybersecurity training provider with vendor-authorized courses across AWS, Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA, and ISC2, delivering both enterprise and individual certification prep in the same channels as Phoenix TS.
- Stormwind Studios: IT and developer certification training provider with vendor-authorized courses (Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, CompTIA) and live online delivery, overlapping heavily with Phoenix TS in technology certification categories.
- Firebrand Training: Accelerated instructor-led IT and cybersecurity certification training provider with a similar vendor-authorization model (Microsoft, AWS, CompTIA, EC-Council) targeting professionals needing fast-track certification prep.
- Learning Tree International: Instructor-led IT, cybersecurity, and management training provider with government and enterprise client focus, offering vendor-authorized certification prep in a delivery model closely resembling Phoenix TS's classroom plus live online approach.
- New Horizons Computer Learning Centers: Global IT and cybersecurity instructor-led training franchise with vendor-authorized partnerships across Microsoft, AWS, CompTIA, and Cisco, serving a similar mix of individuals, corporates, and government clients.
Others
- OffSec: Offensive security certification body (OSCP, PEN-200) of which Phoenix TS is an Official Training Provider; represents an ecosystem counterpart rather than a direct competitor but is highly relevant to buyer evaluation.
Emerging players
- Cybrary: Online-first cybersecurity training and certification prep platform with a strong community and government/government-adjacent customer base; partial overlap with Phoenix TS in cybersecurity certification categories.
Broad incumbents
- Pluralsight: Large online technology skills platform offering cloud, cybersecurity, and IT training; broader portfolio and self-paced delivery model, but competes for the same enterprise L&D budget as Phoenix TS.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Phoenix TS social profiles
Digital presencePhoenix TS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Phoenix TS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Phoenix TS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Phoenix TS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Phoenix TS
What does Phoenix TS do?
Phoenix TS is a privately held IT training company founded in 1998 and headquartered in Columbia, MD, with an additional Dulles, VA office. The company provides instructor-led certification training courses for IT and cybersecurity professionals, holding vendor-authorized status with major certification bodies including ISC2, CompTIA, AWS, EC-Council, and Microsoft. Courses are delivered by 400+ certified instructors with 20+ years of average experience and are offered to Fortune 500 enterprises, government/defense organizations, and individual learners.
Is Phoenix TS a public or private company?
Phoenix TS is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Phoenix TS founded?
Phoenix TS was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Phoenix TS based?
Phoenix TS is headquartered in Columbia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Phoenix TS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Instructor-Led Certification Training is the primary driver. The others are corporate and Government Training Solutions and financing Partnership.
Who are Phoenix TS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Infosec Institute, SANS Institute, Global Knowledge, Stormwind Studios, Firebrand Training, Learning Tree International and New Horizons Computer Learning Centers. OffSec is listed as an others. Cybrary is listed as an emerging player. Pluralsight is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Phoenix TS have an API?
No public API is recorded for Phoenix TS.
What industry is Phoenix TS in?
Phoenix TS's product category is IT Certification Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEANAA, Vendor/Authorized Certification Training (Microsoft/AWS/Cisco, etc.), with a secondary code of EDANAIAF, Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA). Its NAICS code is 611420 and its SIC code is 8200.