American Viniyoga Institute

What American Viniyoga Institute does

The American Viniyoga Institute (AVI), a privately held California LLC founded in 1999 and headquartered in Oakland, CA, is a yoga education and therapy organization transmitting the Viniyoga lineage of TKV Desikachar and T. Krishnamacharya as taught by founder Gary Kraftsow — the first American certified by Desikachar in 1989. AVI's core products are two stacked training programs: the Viniyoga Foundations Program (VFP), a Yoga Alliance-registered 200/300/500-hour teacher training priced at $3,250 per session, and the Viniyoga Clinical Applications Program (VCAP), an advanced therapy certification. Both are delivered through an application-gated enrollment funnel, a WordPress-based learning portal (learn.viniyoga.com), and an online digital library of 200+ recorded classes. AVI holds IAYT accreditation (2014) and Yoga Alliance registration, lending credentialed legitimacy to its therapeutic positioning.

AVI monetizes through a hybrid revenue model: (1) multi-year training program tuition with application fees, (2) one-time product sales (DVDs at $24.95–$39.95, books via Amazon, audio commentary), (3) digital workshops and immersions (e.g., $499 Mental/Emotional Yoga Therapy Immersion), (4) corporate wellness contracts anchored by a multi-year Viniyoga Stress Reduction program at Aetna (since 2010), and (5) CE certificates for IAYT and Yoga Alliance. Customer segments span yoga practitioners seeking certification, therapeutic clients with specific conditions, corporate wellness buyers, specialized practice seekers (chair yoga, back pain, sleep), and military spouses eligible for up to $4,000 in MyCAA tuition assistance. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce (AVI Store), self-serve digital libraries, application-based enrollment, and selective enterprise sales; marketing is content-led through Gary Kraftsow's thought leadership, podcast appearances, and earned media (NYT, CBS, PBS, Forbes, Yoga Journal).

Name

American Viniyoga Institute

Legal name

American Viniyoga Institute, LLC

Website

https://viniyoga.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

American Viniyoga Institute is a privately held Oakland-based yoga education and therapy organization that delivers Viniyoga teacher training (VFP) and yoga therapist certification (VCAP), digital workshops, and corporate wellness programs to practitioners, therapy clients, and enterprise buyers like Aetna.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yoga education and therapy training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) & Pilates Instructor Training (HSADACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Therapeutic/Adaptive Yoga & Clinical Pilates (HSADACAE), Holistic & Integrative Wellness Education (Ayurveda, Traditional Practices) (EDAAAHAH), Yoga & Meditation Experiences (Studio Classes, Guided Meditation, Mindfulness) (THAJAHAA)

Keywords

• Yoga teacher training
• Yoga therapy certification
• Corporate wellness programs
• Yoga continuing education
• Therapeutic yoga instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Training Programs: Revenue from Viniyoga Foundations Program and Viniyoga Clinical Applications Program tuition. Programs available in various sessions (2025, 2027). Application fees also charged.
2. Product Sales: Sale of DVDs, digital downloads, books (Yoga for Wellness, Yoga for Transformation), audio products, and merchandise through the AVI Store.
3. Digital Workshops and Classes: Online classes, digital workshops, and immersive programs available for purchase or subscription through the learning portal.
4. Corporate Wellness Programs: Viniyoga Stress Reduction programs delivered to corporate clients like Aetna, generating revenue through employee wellness contracts.
5. Continuing Education Certificates: CE certificates for IAYT and Yoga Alliance accreditation available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

American Viniyoga Institute provides professional yoga teacher training (Viniyoga Foundations Program, 200/300/500-hour, Yoga Alliance registered) and certified Viniyoga Therapist training (Viniyoga Clinical Applications Program), along with an online digital library of 200+ recorded classes. Complementary offerings include therapeutic DVDs/downloads, authored books, digital workshops, corporate stress-reduction programs, continuing-education certificates, and yoga research consultation services.

Product overview

American Viniyoga Institute offers a comprehensive yoga education platform centered on two main training programs: the Viniyoga Foundations Program (VFP) for yoga teacher training (200-500 hours, Yoga Alliance registered) and the Viniyoga Clinical Applications Program (VCAP) for yoga therapy certification. The institute provides supplementary products including therapeutic DVDs/downloads (for anxiety, depression, back pain, etc.), books authored by founder Gary Kraftsow ('Yoga for Wellness', 'Yoga for Transformation'), and audio commentary on Yoga Sutra-s. An online digital library contains over 200 recorded classes, while digital workshops and the AVI Learning Portal support distance learning. The institute also offers yoga research consultation services for commercial and academic applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Viniyoga Foundations Program (VFP) A 200-, 300-, or 500-hour Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher training program and the first part of Viniyoga Therapist certification, delivered online and in-person by AVI faculty. Targeted at individual practitioners pursuing professional teaching credentials.
• Viniyoga Clinical Applications Program (VCAP) An advanced, IAYT-accredited yoga therapy training program that builds on the Viniyoga Foundations Program to certify Viniyoga Therapists for therapeutic applications across specific anatomical, physiological and mental/emotional conditions. Targeted at graduates of VFP who want to practice clinically.
• AVI Online Digital Library A subscription-style catalog of over 200 recorded Viniyoga classes led by Gary Kraftsow and AVI faculty, available online for enrolled students and continuing education learners. Targeted at VFP/VCAP students and alumni seeking ongoing practice and training material.
• Viniyoga Therapy DVDs and Downloads Digital video products (DVD and downloadable formats) addressing specific therapeutic needs including low back/sacrum/hips, upper back/neck/shoulders, anxiety, and depression. Targeted at individual consumers with targeted therapeutic needs.
• Yoga for Wellness (Book) Book by Gary Kraftsow covering healing with Viniyoga teachings. Sold through the AVI store and Amazon as a consumer-facing title and supplementary training text.
• Yoga for Transformation (Book) Book by Gary Kraftsow covering ancient teachings and practices for healing body, mind, and heart. Sold through the AVI store and Amazon.
• Yoga Sutra-s Audio Commentary Audio downloads and a 4-CD set of Gary Kraftsow's commentary on Chapters One and Two of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, sold through the AVI store.
• Digital Workshops and Immersions Online workshops and immersive programs (e.g., Mental/Emotional Yoga Therapy Immersion at $499) offered via the AVI learning platform and partners such as Yoga International and Shift Network. Targeted at practitioners seeking continuing education and topic-specific training.
• Yoga Research Consultation Services Consulting service where Gary Kraftsow and selected faculty support the development of yoga interventions, training, and protocol design for research studies and commercial wellness programs, with access to a network of trained Viniyoga teachers.
• Viniyoga Stress Reduction Corporate Wellness Program An enterprise wellness offering where AVI deploys trained Viniyoga teachers to deliver on-site Viniyoga Stress Reduction classes at corporate client locations; flagship engagement with Aetna has run since 2010. Targeted at HR, Benefits and Wellness leaders at mid-market and enterprise employers.
• AVI Learning Portal The WordPress-based online learning platform (learn.viniyoga.com) where enrolled students access VFP/VCAP training materials, online classes, and digital workshops. Targeted at AVI program enrollees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Viniyoga and mindfulness programs resulted in reduced perceived stress levels in Aetna workplace trial published in research
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Union.fitminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership providing free introductory Viniyoga class through Union.fit platform to attract new students. AVI offers free class access code (Viniyoga101) for prospective students to try Viniyoga.
• University of VirginiaminorOthers · 1 January 2023Robin Gage Lilly, Director of Operations at AVI, teaches yoga classes at the University of Virginia as part of her professional yoga practice.
• Yoga Vahini and Ritambhara AshramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborated on an online event honoring TKV Desikachar on International Day of Yoga 2021. Four senior teachers in the Krishnamacharya-Desikachar tradition, including Gary Kraftsow, shared their experiences learning from the master.
• Authorize.netcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Third-party payment processor used for payment processing within the Service, enabling secure credit card transactions for training programs and product purchases.
• Pranamaya.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016Electronic versions of AVI DVD products (yoga therapy for low back, upper back, anxiety, depression) distributed through Pranamaya.com, a yoga media distributor.
• MyCAA (Military Career Advance Accounts)coreOthers · 1 January 2011AVI was approved by the Department of Defense for MyCAA funding, providing up to $4,000 tuition assistance for military spouses (E1-E5, O1-O2, W1-W2 ranks) for the Viniyoga Foundations Program. The program must result in certification and be completed within 18 months.
• AetnaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010AVI has provided the Viniyoga Stress Reduction program at Aetna corporate headquarters in Hartford, CT since 2010. Teachers including Kathy Jamison and Stephanie Harding have been part of the program. The collaboration represents significant integration of yoga therapy in corporate wellness and has been featured in the New York Times, CBS Morning News, and PBS. Mark Bertolini, Aetna's CEO, found healing through Viniyoga.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: Nonprofit yoga and wellness center offering 200- and 500-hour Yoga Alliance teacher trainings, yoga therapy certification, and corporate/organizational wellness programs. Closely comparable to AVI in combining professional YTT, therapy training, and corporate wellness delivery under a single brand.
• Himalayan Institute: Long-established yoga organization offering teacher training, therapy programs, retreats, and a digital content library (yogamint). Comparable to AVI across YTT, yoga therapy, wellness retreats, and a published digital content offering.
• YogaWorks (formerly, before closure/transition): Was a major yoga studio chain operating its own Yoga Alliance-registered teacher training programs. Historically a direct competitor to AVI in the registered YTT market, especially for in-person and hybrid teacher candidates.
• Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States: National association certifying Iyengar-style teacher training and therapy in a lineage-based tradition. Competes with AVI in the lineage-anchored YTT and yoga therapy segment and shares the teacher-trainer-to-therapist credentialing pathway.
• Integrative Yoga Therapy: Founded by Joseph LePage, IYT offers yoga therapy training programs and therapeutic applications of yoga, closely paralleling AVI's Viniyoga Clinical Applications Program. Competes for the same yoga therapist trainees and therapy research partnerships.

Others

• The Shift Network: Online learning platform hosting digital workshops and summits, including featured AVI/Gary Kraftsow workshops. Comparable as a distribution channel for AVI's digital workshops and continuing education offerings.
• Pranamaya: Yoga media publisher and distributor that electronically distributes AVI DVD products. Operates as an adjacent content partner and a comparable niche publisher of yoga therapy instructional media.
• Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease: Clinical lifestyle medicine program where an AVI faculty member (Julie Shaw) serves as a Stress Management Specialist. Represents the clinical-integrated yoga therapy customer archetype AVI serves and a model for healthcare partnerships.

Emerging players

• Glo: Subscription-based online yoga and meditation platform with a large class library. Competes with AVI's digital library on price, breadth, and production quality, especially for the self-paced practitioner learner.
• Yoga International: Digital subscription platform offering online yoga classes, workshops, and teacher development content. Overlaps with AVI's Online Digital Library and digital workshops and competes for the same self-directed learner segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/GaryKraftsowViniyoga
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmericanViniyogaInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-viniyoga-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/americanviniyogainstitute
• Pinterestpinterest.com/viniyoga
• Xx.com/Viniyoga

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 American Viniyoga Institute