Karate Atlanta

What Karate Atlanta does

Karate Atlanta is a privately held martial arts training organization operating 15 wholly-owned academies across the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. The company delivers Songahm Taekwondo instruction under license from the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), the country's largest martial arts organization, which claims 130,000 active members and over 1 million students trained since its founding in 1969. Karate Atlanta segments its offering into three age-differentiated programs: ATA Tigers (ages 4-6, marketed as "Tiny Tigers"), ATA Karate for Kids/Juniors (ages 7-12), and Teen & Adult Martial Arts (ages 13+). The product line is supplemented by an ATA tournament ladder (Regional, State, District, National, World Expo), the OnlineDojo student portal for scheduling and progress tracking, and birthday party hosting services at school locations.

The business model is direct-to-consumer subscription: customers pay recurring monthly or annual membership fees (with discounted longer-term plans) for instruction at one of the 15 physical academies. Customer acquisition is driven by 100% money-back-guaranteed trial offers marketed through content (blog posts on bullying prevention, focus, fitness), Facebook, and word-of-mouth referrals. The core "technology" is the Songahm Taekwondo curriculum, a 10-belt ranking system developed over 20+ years by Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee, paired with child-engagement mechanics (collectible animal patches, named characters, Victory Stars) and tournament progression. There is no disclosed AI, software platform, or technology licensing revenue — the offering is a service business whose deliverable is in-person instruction.

Karate Atlanta is locally operated under the ATA franchise model, with each of the 15 locations led by a separate certified chief instructor (several at 4th–7th degree black belt). Grand Master Soon Ho Lee (9th degree black belt) is associated with the organization. No external private equity or institutional investment is disclosed, and no revenue figures are publicly available. The company is recognized as "the most successful martial arts program in Georgia" (self-described) and operates within the broader ATA network of over 950 licensed schools worldwide.

Name

Karate Atlanta

Legal name

Karate Atlanta

Website

https://karateatlanta.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Karate Atlanta operates 15 wholly-owned Songahm Taekwondo training academies across the Atlanta metropolitan area, serving children, teens, and adults through subscription memberships. The company is an ATA-licensed school providing age-differentiated programs, tournament participation, and birthday party services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Martial Arts Instruction

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSADADAA

Traditional Martial Arts Schools (Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, etc.)

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Martial Arts & Self-Defense Training

SECONDARYHSADADAG

Kids & Youth Martial Arts Programs

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Martial Arts & Self-Defense Training

SECONDARYMPAKAJAG

Combat Sports Gyms & Dojos (MMA, Boxing, Wrestling, Martial Arts)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Camps, Academies & Training Centers

SECONDARYHSADADAJ

Competition & Tournament Team Training

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Martial Arts & Self-Defense Training

Keywords

• Martial arts training
• Taekwondo instruction
• Kids karate classes
• Self-defense training
• Martial arts school

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Martial Arts Class Memberships: Monthly and annual membership fees for children and adult martial arts classes. Programs include Tiny Tigers (ages 4-6), Juniors (ages 7-12), and Teen/Adult programs (ages 13+). Month-to-month options available as well as discounted longer-term plans.
2. Trial Offers and Introductory Packages: Special introductory trial offers with 100% money-back guarantee for new students to experience the program before committing to membership.
3. Birthday Party Packages: Birthday party hosting services at school locations for students and their families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Karate Atlanta operates 15 brick-and-mortar training academies across the Atlanta metropolitan area delivering Songahm Taekwondo instruction under the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) franchise network. Instruction is segmented by age group: ATA Tigers (ages 4-6), Juniors (ages 7-12), and Teen & Adult (ages 13+), supplemented by ATA tournament participation, birthday party hosting services, and an OnlineDojo student portal.

Product overview

Karate Atlanta is a multi-location martial arts training organization operating 15 locations across the Atlanta metropolitan area. The company offers a unified product portfolio centered on Songahm Taekwondo instruction, delivered through age-differentiated programs: ATA Tigers for ages 4-6 (Tiny Tigers), Juniors for ages 7-12 (Karate for Kids), and Teen & Adult programs for ages 13+. These programs are supplemented by tournament competitions, an online student portal (OnlineDojo), and birthday party services. The ATA (American Taekwondo Association) affiliation provides the organizational framework, with instructors certified through ATA's intensive certification process based on 40 years of tradition and development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ATA Tigers / Tiny Tigers Program Martial arts program for children ages 4-6 designed to build foundational character qualities including courtesy, respect, and discipline. Students earn collectible animal patches (Ara the turtle, Baeoh the tiger, Cheeri the worker, Raon the athlete, Suri the eagle, Choa the phoenix, Mir the dragon, Narsha the cobra) and Victory Stars to display on belts as they progress.
• ATA Karate for Kids / Juniors Program Martial arts classes for children ages 7-12 teaching life skills including positive mental attitude, high goal setting, perseverance, self-control, and confidence, alongside self-defense techniques. Emphasis on personal development and character building.
• ATA Teen & Adult Martial Arts High-intensity fitness and self-defense program for ages 13 and up combining traditional martial arts with modern fitness training. Focuses on building confidence, stress relief, and real-world self-defense skills.
• ATA Tournament Program Competitive tournament program where students test skills against other ATA schools, advancing from local competitions to State, District, and National levels held in Las Vegas, NV and Orlando, FL, culminating in the ATA World Expo Tournament in Little Rock, AR.
• OnlineDojo Student Portal Online portal providing Karate Atlanta students with access to class schedules, progress tracking, and instructor login capabilities.
• Birthday Party Services Birthday party hosting services for children featuring martial arts demonstrations, activities, and celebrations at Karate Atlanta training academy locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children show improved focus, self-discipline, and confidence according to parent testimonials
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Taekwondo Association (ATA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1969ATA Martial Arts is the parent organization providing the Songahm Taekwondo curriculum, instructor certification, tournament structure, and brand affiliation. Founded in 1969, ATA is the country's largest martial arts organization with 130,000 active members and over 1 million students trained. Karate Atlanta operates as an ATA Licensed school with instructors certified through the American Taekwondo Association. The partnership includes access to ATA's 40+ years of research and development, tournament participation (Regional, State, District, National, World Expo levels), and marketing support materials.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tiger-Rock Martial Arts: National taekwondo and martial arts franchise with multiple locations across the US, offering age-segmented programs similar to Karate Atlanta's Tiny Tigers/Juniors/Adult tiers. Competes for the same parent-driven enrollment funnel.
• Gracie Barra: World's largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu franchise with hundreds of schools globally. Comparable franchise model and multi-tier youth/adult programming, though differentiated by grappling versus striking focus.
• Premier Martial Arts: One of the largest US martial arts franchise networks, offering multi-style programs (karate, taekwondo, kickboxing) for children and adults through dozens of franchised locations. Directly comparable in business model, customer segments, and franchise structure.

Emerging players

• iLoveKickboxing: Fast-growing kickboxing fitness franchise with hundreds of US locations. Targets adults seeking group fitness with a martial arts flavor, partially overlapping with Karate Atlanta's Teen/Adult self-defense and high-intensity fitness positioning.
• 9Round Fitness: Kickboxing-themed fitness franchise with 400+ US locations offering 30-minute circuit workouts. Represents a competing format for adults considering martial arts-adjacent fitness, though without the children/youth program depth.
• Title Boxing Club: Boxing and kickboxing fitness franchise with US-wide locations. Targets adults through group fitness classes, partially overlapping with Karate Atlanta's adult self-defense/fitness segment.

Others

• The Little Gym: Franchise of children's enrichment centers offering gymnastics, motor-skill development, and structured classes. Competes for the same parent-driven kids' activity budget as Karate Atlanta's Tiny Tigers and Juniors programs.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Metro Atlanta: Large regional nonprofit offering youth sports, martial arts classes, and family programming at multiple Atlanta-area branches. Competes for the same families on price and convenience, with overlapping youth martial arts offerings.
• ATA Martial Arts: Parent franchise network with 950+ licensed schools and 130K+ active members. Karate Atlanta is an ATA-licensed school; ATA provides curriculum, certification, and tournament infrastructure, making it the closest ecosystem-level comparable.
• UFC Gym: National fitness franchise combining martial arts-themed training (MMA, boxing, kickboxing) with traditional gym programming. Targets a broader adult fitness audience but overlaps with Karate Atlanta's 13+ segment and self-defense positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KarateAtlanta
• Xx.com/karateatlanta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries15 records

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 Karate Atlanta