Modeling Association of America International, Inc.

What Modeling Association of America International, Inc. does

Modeling Association of America International, Inc. (MAAI) is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1946 that promotes education, professional development, and ethical treatment within the modeling industry. Founded by the original creators of the modeling business, MAAI claims the title of the oldest U.S. nonprofit association serving models and operates from a headquarters at 80 Broad Street in Manhattan after relocating from Miami, FL in 2024. The organization serves three primary constituencies: aspiring and professional models seeking career development, modeling agencies and scouts seeking access to curated talent pools, and modeling schools/studios seeking placement opportunities for their students.

MAAI's product portfolio centers on six offerings: (1) annual MAAI Membership, providing professional resources and access to events; (2) Model Mansion, the flagship showcase featuring runway competitions, red carpet events, and awards; (3) the annual MAAI Convention and Showcase, which includes Go See Day where models meet directly with attending agencies; (4) Professional Development Programs (training workshops, industry seminars, career counseling); (5) Modeling Tips content; and (6) a Scout Our Talent service connecting casting directors with vetted models. There is no proprietary technology platform — the offering is fundamentally an event-driven community business.

The business model is straightforward: revenue is generated through annual membership dues (subscription recurring) paid by schools, agencies, studios, vendors, and individual professionals, plus one-time event registration and competition fees for the Convention, Model Mansion, and optional competitions, with monthly payment plans offered. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly disclosed. Go-to-market relies on event-driven acquisition (Model Mansion and Convention), community-led referrals through member schools and agencies, and channel-partner distribution through an international agency network that includes Ford Models, Elite Model Management, IMG Models, Wilhelmina Models, Next Management, Abrams Artists Agency, and a long tail of European and Asian agencies. MAAI is led by President & CEO Marta Michaud, a former Wilhelmina Models entertainment division co-founder.

Name

Modeling Association of America International, Inc.

Legal name

Modeling Association of America International

Website

https://maai.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MAAI is the oldest U.S. not-for-profit membership organization for the modeling industry, founded in 1946. It generates revenue through annual membership dues and event/competition fees, serving aspiring models, modeling agencies, and modeling schools through its Model Mansion showcase, annual Convention, and professional development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rocky River

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues for modeling schools, agencies, studios, vendors, and individual professionals. Membership provides access to MAAI events, networking opportunities, and the organization\'s resources.
2. Event Registration and Competition Fees: Fees for attending the MAAI Convention, Model Mansion showcase, and various optional competitions. Members may offer package costs including training and updated portfolios. Monthly payment plans are available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MAAI is a not-for-profit membership organization that promotes the modeling industry through annual conventions, the Model Mansion showcase event, professional development programs, and networking opportunities. The organization connects aspiring and professional models with modeling agencies, casting directors, photographers, and scouts globally through events like Go See Day, runway competitions, and fashion shows. It also provides training workshops, industry trend seminars, advocacy for model rights, and ethical industry standards.

Product overview

MAAI operates as a not-for-profit membership organization for models, offering a portfolio of interconnected services centered around its annual flagship event (Model Mansion), annual convention and showcase, and ongoing membership benefits. The organization provides professional development programs, modeling tips content, and a talent scouting network that connects models with agencies worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Model Mansion: Exclusive model competition and showcase event organized by MAAI

Products and services

• MAAI Membership
• Model Mansion
• MAAI Convention and Showcase
• Professional Development Programs
• Scout Our Talent

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Abrams Artists AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew York-based talent agency that has attended MAAI conventions and showcases, recruiting models and talent from the MAAI network.
• Elite Model ManagementcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor New York modeling agency that has attended MAAI events for scouting and talent acquisition.
• Ford ModelscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIconic New York modeling agency with historical significance in the industry, attending MAAI events.
• IMG ModelscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal modeling agency based in New York that has participated in MAAI conventions for talent scouting.
• Wilhelmina ModelscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor modeling agency with New York presence including Wilhelmina Kids and Creative Management divisions, with historical connection through co-founding the entertainment arm.
• Next ManagementcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational modeling agency with offices in Miami and New York that has attended MAAI events.
• Various International AgenciesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational agencies from Paris (Absolu, Idol), Tokyo (Agence Presse, Ewiva, Team, Yoshie), Milan (Christian Jacques, Eye for I, Fashion Model Management, ICE, Tatiana Casali, Riccardo Gay Model Management), Amsterdam (De Boekers), Barcelona (Fleming Models), Germany (Louisa Models, Model Team, Okay Models, Munich Models), Vienna (Stella Models), and Belgium (Stett Model Management) have attended MAAI events.
• Four Points Sheraton (Historic Charleston)minorOthersPreferred hotel partner for the MAAI Members Summer Escape 2026 in Historic Charleston, West Virginia. Special packages and summer deals available for members.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Modeling & Talent Association (IMTA): IMTA is a not-for-profit trade association that hosts conventions and showcases connecting aspiring models and talent with agencies worldwide. It is the most direct functional peer to MAAI in terms of business model, member base, and event-driven GTM.
• The Model Alliance: The Model Alliance is a nonprofit advocacy and labor-standards organization for fashion models. It overlaps with MAAI in the not-for-profit modeling-services space and shares the 'ethical treatment and professional development' mission articulated in MAAI's value proposition.
• Fashion Group International (FGI): FGI is a nonprofit professional association serving executives and creatives across fashion and related industries, including modeling, beauty, and retail. It is a structural peer to MAAI as a membership organization hosting events, awards, and education programs for fashion-industry professionals.
• Barbizon Modeling & Acting: Barbizon is a national chain of modeling and acting schools that recruits, trains, and represents aspiring talent, overlapping with MAAI's modeling-school member segment and the career-development function. It competes for the same aspiring-model demographic and feeds talent into agencies via its own channels.

Broad incumbents

• Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA): The CFDA is a major nonprofit trade association for the U.S. fashion industry, covering designers, brands, and adjacent creative professionals. It is a broader-scope incumbent to MAAI, with overlapping event, education, and membership functions, but oriented toward designers rather than models.

Others

• Wilhelmina Models: Wilhelmina is a major U.S. modeling and talent agency that is also a long-standing MAAI event partner and where MAAI's CEO co-founded the entertainment arm. It is a customer/channel partner rather than a true peer, but operates in the same talent-discovery and representation value chain.
• Ford Models: Ford Models is an iconic New York-based modeling agency that has historically attended MAAI conventions and showcases for talent scouting. It is a partner agency rather than a direct competitor, but its in-house model development programs overlap with MAAI's career-development value proposition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/modelingassoc

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 Modeling Association of America International, Inc.