Location Based Marketing Association

What Location Based Marketing Association does

The Location Based Marketing Association (LBMA), legally The LBMA Inc., is a global non-profit industry association founded in 2010 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The organization functions as a community and convening body for the location-based marketing ecosystem, serving brands, retailers, agencies, media companies, sports and entertainment organizations, travel and hospitality firms, and data analytics providers across more than 40 countries. Its core offering is a portfolio of programming rather than a software platform: a global events series (10+ events per year, 150+ cumulative events since founding), three podcast properties (Location Weekly in English, Best Retail Cases and KI Snack in German) reaching 100K+ weekly listeners, six DACH-focused advisory boards (AI, Retail Media, Location Analytics & Marketing, Travel & Leisure, Robotics, Mobility), and regional chapters covering North America, Europe, the DACH region, Japan, South East Asia, the Middle East, and Australia.

LBMA generates revenue through a three-tier annual membership model: Individual at $250/€160 CAD/EUR, Company Member Regional at $2,000/€1,250, and Enterprise at $5,000/€3,100, priced in USD, EUR, and CAD. Memberships are sold directly through thelbma.com and at events, with Enterprise members receiving C-level introductions from Presidents Asif Khan (global) and Carsten Szameitat (Europe). The organization operates with 1-10 employees, has no public API or proprietary technology stack, and reports no funding rounds or external investment. Its principal assets are brand longevity (15+ years as the self-described global industry association), member network density (1,000+ global members), and content distribution through podcasts and events.

Name

Location Based Marketing Association

Legal name

The LBMA Inc.

Website

https://thelbma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Location Based Marketing Association is a global non-profit industry association, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Toronto, that connects brands, retailers, agencies, and technology providers through events, podcasts, advisory boards, and a three-tier membership model across 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pickering

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership: Annual membership at $250/€160 CAD/EUR providing worldwide access to LBMA global network, monthly industry insights newsletter, member directory listing, discounts on event tickets, and community forum access.
2. Company Member Regional Membership: Annual membership at $2,000/€1,250 providing all Individual benefits plus global event access (conferences, meetups, workshops), one focus story featured in podcast (100,000+ listeners), company profile on website, social media promotion, and priority networking introductions.
3. Enterprise Membership: Annual membership at $5,000/€3,100 providing maximum visibility including all Company Member Regional benefits, unlimited global access to all regions and events, exclusive sponsorship of one panel at events, two focus stories per year in podcast, one exclusive leadership interview, C-level introductions by Presidents Asif Khan and Carsten Szameitat, premium logo placement, and speaking opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Location Based Marketing Association (LBMA) is a global non-profit industry association, founded in 2010, that connects brands, retailers, agencies, and technology providers who leverage location intelligence. The organization operates through a portfolio of paid membership tiers, global events (150+ worldwide), three podcast programs, six regional advisory boards, and regional chapters across 40+ countries.

Product overview

The LBMA is a global non-profit industry association (since 2010) that serves as a community platform connecting brands, retailers, agencies, and technology providers who leverage location intelligence. The organization operates a multi-product portfolio comprising: (1) a global events platform hosting 150+ events annually across 40+ countries through regional chapters; (2) three podcast programs (Location Weekly in English, Best Retail Cases and KI Snack in German) reaching 100K+ listeners; (3) six specialized advisory boards covering AI, Retail Media, Location Analytics, Travel & Leisure, Robotics, and Mobility in the DACH region; and (4) three-tier membership levels (Individual, Company Member Regional, Enterprise) providing graduated access to events, networking, podcast features, and leadership introductions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Location Weekly: English-language weekly podcast providing updates on location intelligence trends, technologies, and success stories
• Best Retail Cases
• KI Snack

Products and services

• Individual Membership Annual membership at $250 / €160 CAD/EUR providing worldwide access to the LBMA global network, monthly industry insights newsletter, member directory listing, discounts on event tickets, and community forum access. Designed for individual professionals in the location-based marketing industry.
• Company Member Regional Membership Annual membership at $2,000 / €1,250 providing all Individual benefits plus global event access (conferences, meetups, workshops), one focus story featured in the LBMA podcast (100,000+ listeners), company profile on the website, social media promotion, and priority networking introductions. Designed for brands, retailers, agencies, and technology providers.
• Enterprise Membership Annual membership at $5,000 / €3,100 providing maximum visibility, unlimited global access to all regions and events, exclusive sponsorship of one panel at events, two podcast focus stories per year, one exclusive leadership interview, C-level introductions by Presidents Asif Khan and Carsten Szameitat, premium logo placement, and speaking opportunities.
• LBMA Global Events Program Portfolio of 150+ global events hosted annually since 2010, including conferences, meetups, workshops, and webinars connecting location marketing professionals across 40+ countries.
• Location Weekly Podcast Weekly English-language podcast providing industry trends, expert interviews, technology deep dives, and global market perspectives on location-based marketing, reaching 100K+ listeners.
• Best Retail Cases Podcast German-language podcast featuring best retail case studies, drive-to-store strategies, omnichannel best practices, and ROI measurements in retail.
• KI Snack Podcast German-language podcast delivering compact AI insights for location marketing professionals, covering AI tools, machine learning basics, practical applications, and data protection and AI ethics.
• AI Board DACH Advisory board advancing artificial intelligence applications in location-based marketing across German-speaking regions, focusing on AI-driven location analytics, predictive modeling, and privacy-first AI implementations.
• Retail Media DACH Board Advisory board driving innovation in retail media networks and location-based advertising strategies, bridging online and offline retail experiences through location intelligence.
• Location Analytics & Marketing DACH Board Advisory board developing best practices for location data collection, processing, visualization, and actionable insights generation for business intelligence.
• Travel & Leisure DACH Board Advisory board addressing challenges and opportunities in tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, focusing on traveler journey optimization and destination marketing.
• Robotics DACH Board Advisory board exploring autonomous robotic systems for urban environments, focusing on AI-driven surveillance, operational efficiency, and intelligent workforce transformation.
• Mobility DACH Board Advisory board shaping the future of mobility through location intelligence and smart infrastructure, focusing on connected transportation and sustainable mobility solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ events hosted worldwide since 2010
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ESOMAR (World Research Association): Global market research and insights association with similar subscription-based membership, research publications, and conference model — overlaps with LBMA's data analytics member segment.
• ANA (Association of National Advertisers): Large U.S. advertiser association offering membership, events, and training with overlapping brand-side member base. A potential consolidator or competitor for brand-side LBMA membership dollars.
• Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB): Larger, established advertising industry trade body with similar membership model, standards work, and events. Operates broadly across digital advertising rather than specializing in location, but could absorb location intelligence under its portfolio.
• 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies): Agency-side industry association with analogous membership tiers, training, and advocacy mission. Competes for the same agency member wallet LBMA targets at the Company and Enterprise tiers.

Others

• AdExchanger: Trade publication, events, and community for the programmatic and digital advertising ecosystem. While not a membership association, it serves an analogous audience of agencies, brands, and tech providers with events and editorial.
• Think with Google / Google Ads & Commerce: Google's marketing education, research, and community platform for advertisers — competing for the same thought-leadership attention that LBMA monetizes through its podcasts and advisory boards.
• Foursquare / Foursquare for Developers: Leading location data and intelligence platform that LBMA members frequently consume. Not a competing association, but a key ecosystem participant whose strategic direction directly shapes LBMA's member value proposition.

Direct peers

• I-COM Global: International association for measurement, evaluation, and optimization in marketing — runs global summits and a member community with similar GTM motion (events + membership) and overlapping analytics/data buyer personas.
• Mobile Marketing Association (MMA): Global non-profit industry association for mobile marketing, with comparable membership tiers, regional chapters, research, and events. Highly analogous business model and GTM motion to LBMA, just focused on mobile vs. location intelligence.
• Digital Place Based Advertising Association (DPAA / OAAA): Industry association dedicated to out-of-home and place-based advertising, the closest U.S.-based peer to LBMA in terms of member profile, research focus, and event-driven engagement model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeopen.spotify.com/show/3HAj3yg0ZfmNJQaqDbd3Bk?si=4c0d8fc75c884a32
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/location-based-marketing-association
• Xx.com/thelbma
• Facebookfacebook.com/thelbma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Location Based Marketing Association