Licensing International

Name

Licensing International

Legal name

Licensing International, Inc.

Website

https://licensinginternational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

akta.pro primary industry

Merchandising, Character & Brand Licensing (MPADALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Content Licensing (Film/TV, Clips, Stills) (MPADALAA), Sports & Event Media Rights Licensing (MPADALAE), Luxury Licensing & Brand Management (CRAKAFAL), Branded Content & Sponsorship Licensing (Integrations, Product Placement) (MPABANAH)

Keywords

• Brand licensing industry
• Trade association services
• Licensing industry research
• Professional certification programs
• Licensing industry events

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to networking, directory, events, publications, and industry resources
2. Coursework in Licensing Studies (CLS): On-demand certification program for licensing professionals: $800 for members, $1,750 for non-members
3. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: Revenue from Hall of Fame Induction ($350-$600 tickets), regional summits, and event sponsorships
4. Publications Store: Sales of industry reports including BrandTrends Reports, Euromonitor Reports, Global Licensing Survey, and white papers
5. Licensing Essentials Course: Crash course in brand licensing targeting retail executives and professionals entering the licensing industry, offered annually

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Licensing International is a membership-based trade association serving the global brand licensing industry. The organization provides paid membership, industry-leading events (such as Licensing Expo), professional certification (QLP via Coursework in Licensing Studies), and authoritative market research publications (Global Licensing Industry Study, BrandTrends, Euromonitor reports) to companies and individuals working in brand licensing.

Product overview

Licensing International is a membership-based trade organization serving the global brand licensing industry for over 35 years. The organization offers a unified platform combining events (Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, regional summits), education programs (CLS certification, Licensing Essentials Course, Webinars), and market research (Global Licensing Industry Study, BrandTrends Reports, Euromonitor Reports). Additional offerings include awards programs (Global Excellence Awards, Hall of Fame, Rising Stars), a member directory, and professional initiatives like the Young Professionals Network and Foundation scholarship program. The organization operates through regional chapters including France, Germany, UK, Japan, Mexico, Australia/New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, China, and Italy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Licensing University: Educational conference held during select trade shows including Licensing Expo
• Coursework in Licensing Studies (CLS)
• Young Professionals Network (YPN)
• Global Excellence Awards
• Global Rising Stars
• Hall of Fame
• Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards (B&LLAs)

Products and services

• Licensing International Membership
• Licensing Expo
• Brand Licensing Europe
• France Licensing Day
• Germany Licensing Summit & Awards 2026
• Sports Licensing Summit 2027
• Coursework in Licensing Studies (CLS)
• Global Licensing Industry Study
• Licensing Essentials Course
• Hall of Fame Induction & Global Rising Star Awards
• BRANDmania

Quantifiable outcome

• Industry market size reached $389.8 billion in 2025, up 5.45% year-over-year
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Licensing Group (Informa Markets)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026Long-standing partnership organizing major licensing events including Licensing Expo (world's largest licensing tradeshow) and France Licensing Day. Global Licensing Group is part of Informa Markets and serves as the commercial event organizer while Licensing International serves as the industry association partner.
• Spielwarenmesse GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Co-organizers of BRANDmania festival, Europe's largest B2B networking festival for licensing and partnerships. The event takes place at Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, Germany, featuring major entertainment and toy companies including Hasbro, NBC Universal, Mattel, Paramount Global, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Licensing Partners International (LPI), a trademark licensing division of CLC, announced partnership with UNCF to develop and manage UNCF's first enterprise-level brand licensing program, leveraging UNCF's iconic 'A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste' messaging through curated merchandise.
• Brandar ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner conducting the annual Global Licensing Industry Study, covering 51 countries and 1,068 companies. The study is the authoritative market research for the global licensing industry.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA): U.S. trade association for apparel and footwear brands. Peer because apparel is one of the largest end-markets for licensed merchandise and AAFA's membership substantially overlaps with Licensing International's licensee base, with similar advocacy and event programming.
• Spielwarenmesse eG: German cooperative that organizes the world's leading toy trade fair (Spielwarenmesse) and co-organizes BRANDmania with Licensing International. Listed because it is an existing strategic co-production partner — adjacent rather than competing, but materially comparable as a member-serving IP/licensing event operator.

Broad incumbents

• Consumer Technology Association (CTA): Trade association that produces CES. Peer in the trade-show-as-flagship-asset model with global membership, proprietary research, and certification-style programming — directly analogous to how Licensing International monetizes Licensing Expo and the Global Licensing Industry Study.
• National Retail Federation (NRF): Largest U.S. retail trade association and operator of NRF Big Show, a flagship annual convention. Comparable in operating a mega-scale member trade show and serving retailers (a primary Licensing International customer segment sourcing licensed merchandise for store shelves).
• International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI): Global trade body for the recording industry. Peer in being a non-profit member association that publishes authoritative global market data, runs regional advocacy, and represents rights-holders — a structural twin to Licensing International's role in the brand licensing ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Motion Picture Association (MPA): Global trade association for the film and television industry. Peer because character and entertainment licensing — anchored by MPA-member studios (Disney, Universal, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount) — is Licensing International's largest revenue category at $161.8B, and MPA provides similar advocacy and global market services.
• The Toy Association: Not-for-profit trade body for the North American toy industry. Directly comparable because toys are a flagship licensing category (Hasbro, Mattel are leading exhibitors at BRANDmania alongside Licensing International events), and the Toy Association runs its own member-driven trade shows, advocacy, and research.
• International Trademark Association (INTA): Global not-for-profit trade association serving trademark and brand professionals. Closest peer to Licensing International in mission and member base: both serve IP/brand owners, publish authoritative industry research, run major annual events, and monetize via membership dues and certification/education programs.
• Entertainment Software Association (ESA): U.S. trade association representing the video game industry. Peer because gaming IP is one of the fastest-growing licensing categories (referenced in Licensing International's market studies) and ESA runs comparable membership, research (Essential Facts), and event programs around IP-driven entertainment.

Regional players

• International Publishers Association (IPA): Global trade federation of national publisher associations. Peer as a non-profit member-driven organization delivering industry data, education, and international events around IP rights — comparable scale, governance, and revenue mix to Licensing International.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjGhKdDSELFbUQje3EQc8Yg
• Xx.com/Licensing_Intl
• Facebookfacebook.com/limalicensingintl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/internationallicensingindustrymerchandisersassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Licensing International