International NLP Trainers Association

What International NLP Trainers Association does

International NLP Trainers Association (INLPTA) is a Munich-headquartered, Germany-based non-profit membership organization founded in 1993 by Wyatt Woodsmall (USA), Bert Feustel (Germany), and Marvin Oka (Asia/Australia), who together form the Board of Directors. INLPTA sets and enforces global certification standards for Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) trainers, delivering a hierarchical curriculum spanning Practitioner, Master Practitioner, Trainer, and Master Trainer levels, plus specializations in Coaching (Coach-Practitioner, Master-Coach), Learning Coach, Systemic Coach, and Business Certification. Its core intellectual property includes the CP3 trainer training model, the A1-C2 competency level framework, and an annually updated NLP syllabus. Training is delivered in English, German, French, and Arabic, in face-to-face, hybrid, or fully online synchronous formats, with 40+ Trainer Training events held across 14+ countries since 2000.

INLPTA's offerings are gated through a tiered membership model: certified NLP trainers pay 100 EUR per year (plus 19% VAT, totaling 119 EUR) for membership, which grants access to the official numbered golden seal and color-coded certificate ordering system (15 EUR per seal, with green for diploma, blue for practitioner, red for master, brown for coach, and orange/gold for trainer). Members receive free listing in the public Find-a-Trainer directory, while non-members pay 30 EUR/year for listing. Delivery is primarily direct via the website, with Bert Feustel managing order review and dispatch from Munich headquarters.

The primary customer segments are certified NLP trainers (who must be members in good standing to issue INLPTA credentials) and NLP training participants (individuals seeking Practitioner, Master Practitioner, Coach, or Trainer certification). Secondary segments include corporate clients using NLP for communication, sales, and leadership development, and therapeutic/coaching professionals. INLPTA's core customers are inherently fragmented across five continents, with no single enterprise anchor. The organization is self-described as low-profit, with no external funding, and all surplus reinvested into operations. In April 2022, INLPTA co-developed and adopted the NLP Unified Code of Ethics alongside ANLP International CIC, IANLP, and IN, marking the first unified ethical code across the major global NLP associations.

Name

International NLP Trainers Association

Legal name

INLPTA Bert Feustel

Website

https://inlpta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

International NLP Trainers Association (INLPTA) is a Munich-based, non-profit global certification body founded in 1993 that sets standards and certifies NLP trainers across Practitioner, Master Practitioner, Trainer, and Master Trainer levels, serving certified NLP professionals, training participants, and corporate clients across five continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification & NLP Training Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Product & Consumer Compliance (Labeling, Claims, Safety) (EDABADAH)

Keywords

• NLP certification programs
• Professional trainer accreditation
• Neuro-Linguistic Programming training
• Coach practitioner certification
• Competency-based standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees of 100 EUR (plus 19% VAT of 19 EUR, total 119 EUR) charged to certified NLP trainers who wish to be registered INLPTA trainers, issue certificates, and access the trainer database and seal ordering service.
2. Seal and Certificate Sales: INLPTA sells numbered golden seals (15 EUR each) combined with colored certificate paper for each training level (green=diploma, blue=practitioner, red=master, brown=coach, orange/gold=trainer). Additional blank certificate paper available for 2 EUR per sheet.
3. Trainer Database Listing: Trainer database listing included free for members. Non-members pay 30 EUR annually for database entry.
4. Trainer and Master Trainer Training Events: Revenue generated from international Trainer and Master Trainer Training events held annually in multiple countries. The first event in Munich 1994 had 75 attendees; over 40 events have been conducted since 2000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

INLPTA is a non-profit global certification body that accredits NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) trainers and practitioners through a structured hierarchy of programs (Practitioner, Master-Practitioner, Trainer, Master-Trainer, plus coaching, learning, and business specializations). It generates revenue via annual memberships for certified trainers, the sale of numbered golden seals and color-coded certificates for each certification level, and paid annual international Trainer Training events conducted in multiple languages.

Product overview

INLPTA (International NLP Trainers Association) is a global certification organization for Neuro-Linguistic Programming trainers, operating as a low-profit organization founded in 1993 by Wyatt Woodsmall, Bert Feustel, and Marvin Oka. The organization offers a hierarchical certification system including NLP Practitioner, Master-Practitioner, Trainer, and Master-Trainer levels, along with specialized certifications for Coaches (Coach-Practitioner, Master-Coach), Learning Coach, and NLP Diploma. The portfolio includes both traditional in-person training and blended eLearning options, with offerings conducted in multiple languages (English, German, French). INLPTA provides official numbered seals and certificates in color-coded formats for each certification level, and maintains rigorous quality standards including competency level models (A1-C2). The organization also introduced online/synchronous training flexibility following post-Covid modernizations, allowing training configurations up to completely online while maintaining quality standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• INLPTA NLP Practitioner Training Entry-level NLP certification training requiring minimum 130 hours over minimum 15 days (recommended 18 days), covering both theoretical knowledge (>80% correct) and practical skill demonstration. Designed for individuals beginning NLP training at the Practitioner level.
• INLPTA Master-Practitioner Training Advanced certification training building on Practitioner level, requiring minimum 130 hours synchronous training with competency level B1 or higher as minimum standard. Targeted at NLP practitioners seeking advanced skills.
• INLPTA Trainer Training Trainer certification program for certified NLP trainers who have completed INLPTA Trainer Training or INLPTA Trainer Upgrade and are members of INLPTA. The first such training was held in Munich in August 1994 with 75 attendees.
• INLPTA Master-Trainer Training The highest level of INLPTA certification representing excellence, experience, and leadership in NLP. Master Trainers serve as role models and lighthouses for NLP worldwide.
• INLPTA NLP Diploma Comprehensive NLP diploma program with detailed curriculum covering all aspects of Neuro-Linguistic Programming certification.
• INLPTA Coach-Practitioner Training NLP coaching certification focused on coaching skills and methodologies within the NLP framework. Designed for coaches integrating NLP into their practice.
• INLPTA Master-Coach Training 18-day advanced coaching certification conducted in English and German, building on Coach-Practitioner level. Introduced in 2005.
• INLPTA Learning Coach Training Training program focused on learning to learn methodologies and coaching techniques, introduced in 2007.
• INLPTA Business Certification Business-oriented NLP certification for professionals seeking to apply NLP in business contexts.
• INLPTA Blended eLearning Practitioner Training Hybrid training format combining eLearning with on-site seminars, mixing digital and in-person components for flexible NLP training. Introduced in 2005.
• INLPTA Systemic Coach/Consultant Training Systemic coaching and consulting curriculum introduced in 2009 for advanced practitioners seeking systemic approaches.
• INLPTA Seals and Certificates Official numbered golden seals and color-coded certificate papers (green=diploma, blue=practitioner, red=master, brown=coach, orange/gold=trainer) available for order by registered INLPTA trainers in good standing. 15 EUR per seal; additional blank certificate paper 2 EUR per sheet.
• INLPTA Annual Trainer Membership Annual membership subscription of 100 EUR plus 19% VAT (119 EUR total) granting certified NLP trainers registration, the right to issue INLPTA-certified seals and certificates, and trainer database listing. Auto-renews annually with 3-month cancellation notice.

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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ANLP International CIC (ANLP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2022ANLP International CIC (UK) is one of the four main global NLP associations that jointly developed and adopted the NLP Unified Code of Ethics in April 2022. This code enables better self-regulation and raises standards of practice for NLP delivery worldwide.
• International Association for Neuro-Linguistic Programming (IANLP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2022IANLP is one of the four main global NLP associations that jointly developed and adopted the NLP Unified Code of Ethics in April 2022. This initiative represents a collaborative effort to bring unity and credibility to the NLP field.
• International Association of NLP Institutes (IN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2022IN is one of the four main global NLP associations that jointly developed and adopted the NLP Unified Code of Ethics in April 2022. The collaboration demonstrates how the main globally recognized NLP associations can work together to model unity and professionalism.
• DVNLP (German Association for NLP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINLPTA and DVNLP have a complementary and cooperative relationship. INLPTA guidelines exceed DVNLP requirements and are fully recognized. DVNLP recognizes INLPTA Practitioner, Master, and Trainer certificates when they meet formal requirements, including minimum 18-day training duration and INLPTA seal. Bert Feustel founded the predecessor organization GANLP and was founding board member of DVNLP.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Association of NLP Institutes (IN): One of the four major global NLP associations that jointly adopted the NLP Unified Code of Ethics in 2022. Provides similar trainer certification pathways and operates as a direct federating peer to INLPTA in the global NLP credentials market.
• American Board of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (ABNLP): US-based NLP certification board offering practitioner, master practitioner, and trainer credentials. Competes for North American NLP trainers with similar certification authority and a comparable membership-based model.
• International Association for Neuro-Linguistic Programming (IANLP): International NLP association co-developer of the 2022 Unified Code of Ethics with INLPTA, ANLP, and IN. Offers parallel NLP practitioner and trainer certification with overlapping trainer communities and global reach.
• Society of NLP: Founded by Richard Bandler (co-creator of NLP), the Society of NLP offers proprietary NLP practitioner and trainer certification programs. Competes directly with INLPTA for trainer memberships and certification prestige in the global NLP market.
• NLP University: Long-established NLP training organization offering practitioner, master practitioner, and trainer certifications. Competes with INLPTA for individual trainers seeking certification and is a meaningful peer in the English-language NLP training market.
• ANLP International CIC: UK-based Association for Neuro-Linguistic Programming, one of the four main global NLP associations alongside INLPTA, IANLP, and IN. Co-developed the NLP Unified Code of Ethics in April 2022 and competes directly for NLP trainer memberships and certification authority.
• DVNLP (German Association for NLP): Germany's national NLP association with 400+ trainers and 700+ members. Recognizes INLPTA Practitioner, Master, and Trainer certificates and has a cooperative/complementary relationship. Bert Feustel was a founding board member, making this a closely related regional peer.

Emerging players

• Center for NLP: Independent NLP training institute offering practitioner and trainer certifications. A smaller, more niche player compared to INLPTA but addresses overlapping trainer segments with direct NLP curriculum offerings.

Broad incumbents

• International Coach Federation (ICF): The largest globally recognized professional coaching credentialing body. While broader in scope than INLPTA, ICF competes for the same trainer base and downstream coaching clients, and is increasingly the standard corporate buyers reference when sourcing NLP-related coaching.
• European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC): European professional body for coaching and mentoring with EQA-accredited credentialing. Operates in the same trainer/credentialing space as INLPTA but covers a broader coaching and mentoring curriculum beyond NLP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inlpta---international-nlp-trainers-association

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International NLP Trainers Association