Sunstate Academy
Sunstate Academy, rebranded as Aveda Institute Fort Myers in 2022, is a single-campus private beauty and wellness school delivering state-licensed programs in cosmetology, skincare, massage, barbering, and nails to career-seeking students in Southwest Florida.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersFort Myers, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sunstate Academy does
Sunstate Academy, founded in 1988 in Fort Myers, Florida, is a private post-secondary educational institution specializing in beauty and wellness career training. Originally operating under the Sunstate Academy name, the school was rebranded as Aveda Institute Fort Myers when it joined the Be Aveda Institutes family in 2022. The institution operates from a single campus at 2040 Colonial Blvd. and is licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education under License #00171. It now sits within a multi-location Florida network that includes Brandon, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa Bay campuses.
The school delivers six core educational programs: cosmetology, skincare (esthetics), massage therapy, nail technician, barbering, and advanced education for licensed professionals. Curriculum is built around Aveda's trademark pure flower and plant essence products and Ayurvedic-inspired training methodologies, combining theory with hands-on training in a clinic salon and spa environment where supervised students deliver paid services to retail clients. A Spanish-language cosmetology program has been added to broaden the addressable student base, and hybrid cosmetology/esthetics schedules have recently been introduced to accommodate non-traditional learners.
Revenue is generated primarily through tuition, with supplementary income from student-performed salon and spa services booked through the Zenoti platform. The institution runs a direct-enrollment go-to-market: prospective students apply online, contact admissions by phone (877.282.8332), or schedule campus tours. Financial aid is processed through FAFSA (school code 016467), and state testing and licensing fees are bundled into tuition. End customers are individual career-seekers in Southwest Florida pursuing state licensure in cosmetology, skincare, massage, barbering, and nail technology, plus walk-in retail clients of the student-run clinic.
Sunstate Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sunstate Academy
- Legal name
- Be Aveda Institutes
- Website
- https://sunstate.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Sunstate Academy, rebranded as Aveda Institute Fort Myers in 2022, is a single-campus private beauty and wellness school delivering state-licensed programs in cosmetology, skincare, massage, barbering, and nails to career-seeking students in Southwest Florida.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sunstate Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Beauty and Wellness Vocational Education
- NAICS
- Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cosmetology Schools & Programs (HSALANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Esthetics & Skincare Training Programs (HSALANAB), Spa & Body Treatment Training (Body Wraps/Scrubs/Hydrotherapy) (HSALANAI), Nail Technology (Manicure/Pedicure) Training Programs (HSALANAC), Massage Therapy Schools & Certification Programs (HSALANAJ), Salon Business, Management & Retail Training (HSALANAK)
Keywords
Where Sunstate Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Myers
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sunstate Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tuition Revenue: Students pay tuition for cosmetology, skincare, massage therapy, barbering, nail technician, and advanced education programs. Financial aid available to those who qualify.
- Salon and Spa Services: Students perform salon and spa services (hair, facials, waxing, makeup, nails) on clients under supervision, generating service revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Cosmetology Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Sunstate Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sunstate Academy (now Aveda Institute Fort Myers) delivers in-person, state-licensed career training programs in cosmetology, skincare/esthetics, massage therapy, barbering, and nail technology, plus a Spanish-language cosmetology track and advanced continuing education for licensed professionals. Programs blend classroom theory with hands-on practice in a supervised clinic salon and spa, using Aveda's trademark pure flower and plant essence products and Ayurvedic-inspired wellness rituals. The campus also generates revenue from student-performed salon and spa services booked by the public.
Product overview
Sunstate Academy (now Aveda Institute Fort Myers) is a beauty and wellness educational institution offering multiple certificate programs in cosmetology, skincare, massage therapy, nail technology, and barbering. The institution operates a clinic salon where students gain hands-on experience providing real services to clients. Programs utilize Aveda's botanical product line and Ayurvedic techniques. The school offers both standard and Spanish-language cosmetology programs, along with advanced education courses for licensed professionals seeking continuing education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cosmetology Program
Companies that use Sunstate Academy
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sunstate Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Sunstate Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Be Aveda InstitutecoreThe Aveda Institute Fort Myers (previously Sunstate Academy) joined the Be Aveda Institute family in 2022. Be Aveda Institutes operate multiple beauty and wellness academies across Florida including Brandon, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa Bay locations.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sunstate Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Holistic Institute: California-based chain of massage therapy and holistic health training schools. Directly comparable to Sunstate Academy's Ayurvedic-aligned massage therapy program in terms of curriculum philosophy and program structure.
- Aveda Institute (other locations): Same Be Aveda Institutes network — Brandon, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa Bay campuses offer identical Aveda-aligned beauty and wellness programs. Effectively sister campuses with shared curriculum and pricing structure.
- Paul Mitchell Schools: National cosmetology and barbering school system franchised under the Paul Mitchell brand — directly analogous to Sunstate Academy's relationship with the Aveda brand, with similar brand-driven curriculum differentiation and multi-campus footprint.
- Empire Beauty Schools: One of the largest cosmetology school chains in the U.S. offering cosmetology, esthetics, and nail technology programs across multiple states. Direct comparable to Sunstate Academy in program mix, tuition-based model, and Title IV-dependent vocational training.
- Tricoci University of Beauty Culture: Multi-campus cosmetology and esthetics school in the Midwest offering cosmetology, esthetics, and nail technology with Title IV-eligible programs. Comparable business model and student demographic to Sunstate Academy.
Emerging players
- Salon Professional Academy: Multi-location Redken-affiliated cosmetology and esthetics schools offering comparable vocational programs and dual tuition/clinic revenue model to Sunstate Academy.
- Crave Beauty Academy: Boutique cosmetology and esthetics school offering state-approved programs with a clinic-floor training model analogous to Sunstate Academy's integrated salon/spa approach.
Regional players
- Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers: Florida-based multi-location beauty school (Hollywood, Orlando, West Palm Beach) offering cosmetology, esthetics, nail, and massage therapy programs. Direct geographic overlap with Sunstate Academy's Florida market and similar program mix.
- Kenneth Shuler Schools of Cosmetology: South Carolina-based chain of cosmetology, esthetics, nail, and instructor training schools. Comparable program mix and student demographic, but operates in a different geography than Sunstate Academy.
- Florida College of Natural Health: Florida-based massage therapy and skincare training school with comparable holistic/wellness curriculum orientation to Sunstate Academy's Aveda-aligned massage and skincare programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sunstate Academy social profiles
Digital presenceSunstate Academy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Sunstate Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sunstate Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sunstate Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sunstate Academy 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 Sunstate Academy
What does Sunstate Academy do?
Sunstate Academy (now Aveda Institute Fort Myers) delivers in-person, state-licensed career training programs in cosmetology, skincare/esthetics, massage therapy, barbering, and nail technology, plus a Spanish-language cosmetology track and advanced continuing education for licensed professionals. Programs blend classroom theory with hands-on practice in a supervised clinic salon and spa, using Aveda's trademark pure flower and plant essence products and Ayurvedic-inspired wellness rituals. The campus also generates revenue from student-performed salon and spa services booked by the public.
Is Sunstate Academy a public or private company?
Sunstate Academy is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sunstate Academy founded?
Sunstate Academy was founded in 1988.
Where is Sunstate Academy based?
Sunstate Academy is headquartered in Fort Myers, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sunstate Academy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tuition Revenue is the primary driver. The others are salon and Spa Services.
Who are Sunstate Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Holistic Institute, Aveda Institute (other locations), Paul Mitchell Schools, Empire Beauty Schools and Tricoci University of Beauty Culture. Emerging players are Salon Professional Academy and Crave Beauty Academy. Regional players are Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers, Kenneth Shuler Schools of Cosmetology and Florida College of Natural Health.
Does Sunstate Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sunstate Academy.
What industry is Sunstate Academy in?
Sunstate Academy's product category is Beauty and Wellness Vocational Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSALANAA, Cosmetology Schools & Programs, with a secondary code of HSALANAB, Esthetics & Skincare Training Programs. Its NAICS code is 611511 and its SIC code is 8200.