International Cupping Therapy Association

What International Cupping Therapy Association does

International Cupping Therapy Association (ICTA) is a private professional association founded in 2004 and headquartered in Priest River, Idaho, with a 6-person team. The organization certifies and trains healthcare practitioners (massage therapists, physical therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, naturopaths, nurses, aestheticians) in cupping therapy through three workshop tiers — Contemporary Cupping Methods (3-day, $545-$605), Advanced Cupping Techniques (2-day, $420-$465), and Facial Cupping Rejuvenation (1-day, $350-$395) — delivered in-person across at least eight U.S. states with continuing education hours reported to NCBTMB and state licensing boards. ICTA has certified 2,445+ practitioners across 28+ countries, supported by member benefits that include marketing materials, studies, training resources, and international representation.

The organization operates EarthSpa R&D as a closely held equipment-manufacturing affiliate and the only North American producer of cupping equipment. The catalog spans hand-blown borosilicate glass products (Belletazze Facial Sets, EarthSpa Bells, FireCups, Master Facial Set, 3-Piece Oval Tools), medical-grade silicone cups (Blue and Clear Baguanfa), the Kangzhu Biomagnetic 24-Cup Set, and graduate-only specialty items (Neodymium kits, magnet bricks) priced from $4 to $105. Equipment is sold direct-to-practitioner via phone, email, and the company website, shipping twice weekly.

ICTA monetizes through three complementary streams: workshop tuition (in-person professional services), equipment sales (unit-priced hardware), and recurring membership/CE subscriptions. Distribution blends sales-led outreach via professional trade publications (ABMP, AMTA, Massage Magazine), search engine marketing, social media, and a $25 referral gift certificate program, with private onsite training requiring minimum 10 practitioners. The strategic posture emphasizes defensive moats — proprietary manufacturing IP, exclusive protocols (PediCupping, Specific Dynamic Cupping Methods), and graduate-gated equipment — while pursuing offensive expansion into equine/canine therapy through a 2017 partnership with Austria's Schropfmaster.

Name

International Cupping Therapy Association

Legal name

International Cupping Therapy Association

Website

https://cuppingtherapy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International Cupping Therapy Association is a 2004-founded Idaho-based association that certifies 2,445+ healthcare practitioners globally through in-person cupping therapy workshops, while operating EarthSpa R&D, the only North American manufacturer of cupping equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Healthcare Training and Continuing Education

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSADAHAN

Cupping Therapy & Gua Sha Bodywork

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Massage Therapy & Bodywork

SECONDARYEDAGANAJ

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Development (CME/CE)

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Professional Development & Training Materials

Keywords

• Cupping therapy training
• Continuing education workshops
• Cupping equipment manufacturing
• Professional certification programs
• Holistic healthcare education

Headquarters

HQ city

Priest River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Workshops: ICTA conducts in-person training workshops for healthcare professionals in cupping therapy. Workshop types include Contemporary Cupping Methods (1-3 days), Advanced Cupping Techniques (2 days), and Facial Cupping Rejuvenation (1 day). Workshops are held across multiple US states with pricing from $350-$605 per workshop.
2. Cupping Equipment Sales: EarthSpa R&D manufactures and sells cupping equipment including cups, bulbs, sets, and specialized tools. Products range from $4 (bulbs) to $105 (Master Facial Cupping Set). Ships twice weekly. Exclusive North American manufacturer.
3. Membership and Continuing Education: ICTA members receive access to marketing materials, studies, training resources, specialized treatments, and international representation. CE hours reported to NCBTMB and state boards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICTA delivers standardized cupping therapy education and certification to licensed healthcare practitioners through in-person workshops (CCM, ACT, FR) that grant continuing education hours reportable to NCBTMB and state licensing boards. Through its EarthSpa R&D subsidiary, it manufactures and sells proprietary cupping equipment — including hand-blown borosilicate glass cups, medical-grade silicone cups, biomagnetic Kangzhu sets, and specialized tools — making ICTA the only North American producer of cupping therapy equipment.

Product overview

The International Cupping Therapy Association (ICTA) offers a platform of cupping therapy education and training programs combined with specialized equipment sales through its EarthSpa R&D brand. The education division provides three workshop programs: Contemporary Cupping Methods (CCM), a comprehensive 3-day foundational training; Advanced Cupping Techniques (ACT), a 2-day advanced program; and Facial Cupping Rejuvenation (FR), a 1-day specialized course. The equipment division sells 18+ product SKUs including the Belletazze Facial Cupping Set, EarthSpa Bells, EarthSpa FireCups, Baguanfa Cups (Clear and Blue), Kangzhu Biomagnetic sets, and various specialized tools like the 3-Piece Oval Tools and Neodymium kits for graduates. ICTA also offers membership benefits including marketing materials, studies, training resources, specialized treatments, and international representation. The organization functions as both a training/certification body and an equipment retailer, with all products manufactured in America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contemporary Cupping Methods (CCM) Workshop

Quantifiable outcome

• Overwhelming patient enthusiasm driving allopathic medical industry to incorporate cupping therapy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Kangzhu ManufacturerminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerICTA exclusively works with the original Kangzhu manufacturer for high-grade plastic cups using hand pump and magnets. They caution against cheaper knock-offs and provide neodymium magnet upgrades specifically sized for the Kangzhu 24-cup set.
• Bruce BentleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian cupping practitioner who developed East/West Cupping training. Dom Perido took the East/West Cupping workshop under Bruce Bentley in 2010, representing cross-training between traditional Chinese medicine approaches and Western cupping methods.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cuppingmassage (Irina Litwicka): Founded by ICTA-affiliated educator Irina Litwicka, Cuppingmassage provides cupping therapy training across Sweden, Poland, and Hungary. It is a directly overlapping cupping education provider with cross-trained instructors.
• Kangzhu: Original Chinese manufacturer of plastic biomagnetic cupping sets with hand pumps. ICTA resells Kangzhu's 24-cup set and warns practitioners about cheaper knockoffs, making Kangzhu a direct upstream peer in the cupping equipment supply chain.
• ACE Massage Cupping & Bodywork: Founded by Anita Shannon, ACE Massage Cupping offers cupping therapy training and certification programs for massage therapists and bodyworkers. It is the most directly comparable cupping-specific education provider to ICTA's CCM/ACT/FR workshop programs.
• Myo Cup: Cupping equipment brand offering silicone and plastic cup sets marketed to massage therapists and athletes. Competes with EarthSpa R&D in the practitioner-equipment segment.
• Bellabaci: A global cupping equipment brand offering silicone cup sets, body tools, and associated training for spa and wellness practitioners. Comparable to EarthSpa R&D as a competing manufacturer/distributor of cupping products worldwide.
• Lure Essentials: Manufacturer of professional cupping and bodywork tools used by massage therapists and estheticians. Comparable to EarthSpa R&D as a US-adjacent cupping-equipment supplier targeting wellness and aesthetics markets.

Regional players

• Schropfmaster: Austrian developer of the Cupping Master Machine for equine and canine cupping. Currently a partner of ICTA but operates its own training and equipment channel in Europe, making it a regional peer in adjacent cupping modalities.

Others

• National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB): The CE-approving body whose approval ICTA depends on for workshop credit recognition. While not a competitor, NCBTMB is an adjacent ecosystem participant whose policies directly shape ICTA's workshop revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP): Large US professional association serving massage therapists and bodyworkers with CE, insurance, and marketing services. ICTA markets through ABMP's publications and competes for the same practitioner CE-hour wallet, making it a broad-incumbent peer.
• American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA): Major US massage therapy association providing CE, advocacy, and member benefits. ICTA markets through AMTA's journal and shares overlapping practitioner audience, positioning AMTA as a broad-incumbent peer in the same education ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-cupping-therapy-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 International Cupping Therapy Association