Slovenská asociácia koučov

What Slovenská asociácia koučov does

Slovenská asociácia koučov (SAKO) is a Slovakia-based professional association (združenie) of certified coaches, founded on March 17, 2006 in Banská Bystrica by Klára Giertlová, Zlatica Stubbs, and a preparatory committee, and registered with the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic (IČO 42004845). The organization serves as the de facto national body for the coaching profession in Slovakia, operating a three-tier credentialing system (KcS, PKcS, MKcS) through its Accreditation-Certification Commission (ACK) and offering a public Register of Coaches (sako.sk/kouci/) for client-coach matching. SAKO's portfolio spans individual and corporate coaching, coaching culture implementation, workshops, training programs, annual conference (Koučovica), traveling afternoon workshops (PPW), Peer Camps with ICF, and regional clubs (RKK) in Košice/Prešov, Banská Bystrica/Zvolen, and Bratislava.

SAKO's revenue is generated through four streams: recurring membership fees (individual coach, coaching manager, and supporting/company tiers introduced at the 2020 General Meeting), certification fees (three-level credentialing), fees for training, workshops, and corporate programs (covering soft skills like communication, sales, leadership, and stress management), and event/conference revenue. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; per-session coaching rates are agreed individually between coach and client, with no standardized rate card. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging word-of-mouth within the coaching community, partner referrals (ICF, EduVolucia, EduCoach, Martinus, NLP Centrum, UseYourTalents, WebSupport, Dom Quo Vadis), and presence as an official partner of the Learning & Development Awards.

The customer base spans Slovak enterprises across multiple sectors, with named logos including GGB Slovakia (manufacturing, 9-year coaching culture engagement), Martinus (retail/bookstore, internal coaching program led by Viera Tatay), Technia (IT, SCRUM-integrated coaching culture), FORTACO GROUP (manufacturing/defense), TEAM INDUSTRIES (financial services), and Pivovary Topvar/SAB Miller (beverages). Individual consumers access coaches via the public directory, while organizations engage SAKO through a no-obligation consultation that SAKO uses to recommend specific member coaches. SAKO has no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capability, and no external investors; the entity is member-governed, with a predsedníctvo (board) chaired by Peter Jeszberényi since June 2020 and limited to operations within Slovakia.

Name

Slovenská asociácia koučov

Legal name

Slovenská asociácia koučov

Website

https://sako.sk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Slovenská asociácia koučov is a Slovakia-based professional coaching association, founded in 2006, that certifies coaches (KcS/PKcS/MKcS), maintains a public coach directory, and delivers corporate coaching, training, and an annual conference for individuals, HR professionals, and Slovak enterprises across multiple industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Coaching Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sales Leadership & Revenue Executive Coaching (EDABANAL)

Keywords

• Professional coaching services
• Executive coaching
• Coach certification
• Leadership development
• Corporate training workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Tajov

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees for individual coaches, coaching managers, and supporters. Multiple membership tiers are offered including individual professional membership and company/supporting membership (introduced at the 2020 General Meeting).
2. Coach certification services: Three-tier certification program: KcS (Certified Coach SAKO, 3-year validity), PKcS (Professional Coach SAKO, 5-year validity), and MKcS (Master Coach SAKO). Certification involves submission of recorded coaching sessions and live coaching demonstration.
3. Training, workshops and courses: Interactive workshops, customized corporate training, online webinars, and long-term development programs delivered by certified member coaches. Programs cover soft skills — communication, sales, leadership, time management, stress management, and confidence building.
4. Events and conferences: Revenue from organizing Koučovica (annual conference), traveling workshops (PPW), peer camps, and the Learning & Development Summit co-organized with ICF and ALKP.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Slovenská asociácia koučov (SAKo) is a Slovak professional association of certified coaches that delivers individual and corporate coaching services, implements coaching culture in organizations, runs soft-skills workshops and training, certifies coaches at three levels (KcS, PKcS, MKcS), accredits coaching education programs, and connects clients to its certified coach directory.

Product overview

Slovenská asociácia koučov (SAKo) is a professional association of certified coaches operating in Slovakia. The organization offers a portfolio of services including coaching for businesses and individuals, coaching approach implementation for organizations, and education/workshops/courses covering soft skills. SAKo maintains a directory of certified coaches (Register koučov), provides professional certification at three levels (KcS, PKcS, MKcS), and offers accreditation for coaching education programs. Additional services include an event calendar with workshops and regional club meetings, peer coaching programs, and a blog with industry insights. The association serves as the primary professional body for coaching in Slovakia, connecting certified coaches with individuals and organizations seeking professional coaching services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Koučing pre firmy a jednotlivcov (Coaching for Businesses and Individuals) Professional coaching engagements for organizations and individual clients, including individual life and career coaching, leadership and manager coaching, and team coaching delivered by SAKo-certified member coaches.
• Koučovací prístup pre firmy (Coaching Culture for Organizations) Long-term program to embed a coaching culture within client organizations, supporting leadership development, internal coaching networks, and manager-as-coach adoption across teams.
• Vzdelávanie, workshopy a kurzy (Training, Workshops and Courses) Customized corporate training, interactive workshops, online webinars, and long-term development programs covering soft skills — communication, sales, leadership, time management, stress management, and confidence building — delivered by certified member coaches.
• Certifikácia koučov SAKo (Coach Certification Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• 32% higher sales team success rate and 28% better goal achievement in companies investing in coaching
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICF Slovakia (International Coach Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAKO and ICF Slovakia co-organize events including the annual Koučovica conference, traveling workshops, Peer Camps, and the Learning & Development Summit. In 2007, four SAKO members (Fabian, Stubbs, Giertlová, Haviar) co-founded ICF Slovakia. Both associations operate as a unified coaching community, sharing regional clubs and general meetings. SAKO recognizes ICF certification and offers streamlined certification paths for ICF-certified coaches.
• EduVolucia FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA foundation focused on implementing a parallel education system that fulfills the aspirations and needs of children, parents, and innovative educators by enabling each individual to maximize their unique potential.
• EduCoachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation and coaching organization contributing to SAKO's partner ecosystem under the #rastiemespolu (#growingtogether) initiative.
• MartinusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLargest Slovak online bookstore with physical stores and coffee shops. Supports SAKO as part of its social responsibility program. Martinus also hosts internal SAKO coaching initiatives (e.g., 'Koučovacie jednohubky' coaching bites for employees).
• NLP CentrumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization using NLP for development at emotional, intellectual, and spiritual levels. Listed as a SAKO partner under #rastiemespolu initiative.
• UseYourTalentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational and development company focused on developing individuals, teams, and organizations through CliftonStrengths talents and strengths-based approach.
• WebSupportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLargest Slovak domain registrar and hosting provider, supporting the development of entrepreneurship. Listed as a SAKO partner under #rastiemespolu initiative.
• Dom Quo VadisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity space for meetings with friends over coffee, relaxation with books, culture, education, and spiritual development. Venue for SAKO community gatherings. SAKO board member Monika Hricáková serves as director of Dom Quo Vadis.
• ALKP (Association of Lecturers and Career Advisors)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAKO co-organizes the Learning & Development Summit with ALKP, ICF Slovakia, and Developium. Joint initiative for professional development community in Slovakia.
• Teach for SlovakiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAKO members collaborate with Teach for Slovakia on education initiatives. SAKO provided coaching support to teachers in the program, as referenced in coach testimonials (Viera Tatay).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• BetterUp: Global digital coaching platform combining AI-driven coach matching, mobile delivery, and enterprise analytics. Not a membership association, but a structural competitor for the same enterprise coaching budgets SAKO pursues, with greater scalability.
• CoachHub: Berlin-based digital coaching platform offering AI-matched, measurable enterprise coaching at scale across Europe. Relevant as a tech-enabled disruptor competing for the same corporate coaching contracts SAKO serves in Central Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a substantial leadership and coaching practice serving multinational enterprises. Comparable to SAKO as an enterprise coaching provider, but operating at much greater scale and breadth across the same buyer personas.
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Global leadership development provider offering coaching, training, and research to organizations and individuals. Comparable to SAKO in delivering executive and leadership development, but at significantly larger scale and geographic reach.

Direct peers

• European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC): European professional association for coaching and mentoring with individual accreditation pathways (EIA, EQA) and member communities. Comparable to SAKO in its role as a regional membership body setting coaching standards and certification.
• Association for Coaching: UK-based professional membership body for coaches, offering accreditation, communities of practice, and training. Operates a similar member-association model to SAKO, focused on professional standards and coach development in a single national market.
• International Association of Coaching (IAC): Global coaching membership organization offering the IAC Masteries™ framework and certification for coaches. Comparable to SAKO's three-tier certification model (KcS, PKcS, MKcS) and member-association structure.
• International Coach Federation (ICF): Global membership-based coaching association offering credentialing (ACC, PCC, MCC), chapters, and events. Directly comparable to SAKO as a peer professional body, and SAKO's deepest strategic partner via the co-founded ICF Slovakia chapter.

Regional players

• Czech Association of Coaches (ČAKO): Czech national coaching association providing coach certification, training, and corporate coaching services. Directly comparable to SAKO in structure and offerings, operating in the linguistically and culturally adjacent Czech market.
• ICF Czech Republic: Czech chapter of ICF offering credentialing, events, and a coach community in the Czech market. Comparable to SAKO as a coaching membership body in a neighboring CE3 market with overlapping language and economic profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/asociaciakoucov
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/koucovia

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 Slovenská asociácia koučov