ACES

What ACES does

ACES (A Cultural Exchange Service) is a US Department of State designated sponsor for J1 Exchange Visitor programs, specifically the Summer Work Travel and Camp Counselor categories, headquartered in Riverview, Florida with approximately 52 employees. The company serves international post-secondary students seeking J1 cultural exchange placements at US summer camps and seasonal businesses, the US employers (primarily camp directors and seasonal operators) who need visa-compliant international staffing, and international recruiting agents who serve as channel partners in source countries. Program delivery is operationalized through SEVIS integration and DS-2019 issuance via the web-based J1 Seasonal Jobs portal at swt.dealwithaces.com, with integrations to CampStaffUSA for camp counselor placements and Sprintax for tax filing referrals.

The business model is transaction-based: participants pay a one-time sponsorship fee before arrival (mandatory for all applicants), with an additional placement fee for participants who use ACES's pre-approved employer matching service. Ancillary revenue is generated from trip cancellation insurance embedded in the onboarding flow and from referrals to Sprintax for non-resident alien tax filing. Distribution is channel-led, with international recruiting agents recruiting and screening candidates in their home countries and supplemented by direct employer engagement, particularly for camp counselor placements routed through CampStaffUSA.

ACES's competitive position rests on its designated sponsor license, which is the regulatory prerequisite to issuing J1 visas, an established channel of international recruitment agents that lowers customer acquisition cost per participant, and compliance infrastructure that includes SEVIS integration, DS-2019 issuance, and ongoing monitoring of program regulatory changes. The core service is compliance and visa administration rather than technology differentiation, and the company's revenue is inherently seasonal, concentrated around the US summer program cycle.

Name

ACES

Legal name

A Cultural Exchange Service

Website

https://dealwithaces.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ACES (A Cultural Exchange Service) is a US Department of State designated J1 visa sponsor headquartered in Riverview, FL, that sponsors international students for Summer Work Travel and Camp Counselor placements at US summer camps and seasonal employers through SEVIS-integrated program management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Exchange and J-1 Visa Sponsorship Services

NAICS

All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Institutional Compliance & Sponsorship Management (SEVIS/CAS/CoE & equivalents) (EDAIADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Internship Visa, Work Authorization & Compliance Services (EDAIAFAK), International Student Onboarding & Pre-Departure Orientation Services (EDAIACAG)

Keywords

• J1 visa sponsorship
• Cultural exchange programs
• Summer work travel
• Camp counselor programs
• International student exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Riverview

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

Revenue model

1. Participant Sponsorship Fees: Fees charged to international participants for J1 visa sponsorship services including DS-2019 form issuance, SEVIS registration, and program coordination support throughout the cultural exchange experience.
2. Job Placement Fees: Small placement fee charged to participants who choose the job placement option through pre-approved employers, in addition to the sponsorship fee. Self-placed participants pay only the sponsorship fee.
3. Trip Cancellation Insurance: Supplemental insurance policy offered to participants covering trip cancellation, interruption, and COVID-related quarantine expenses. ACES and affiliated sponsors offer this coverage to protect participant investment in the program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ACES is a US Department of State designated J-1 visa sponsor that processes visa sponsorship for international post-secondary students to participate in Summer Work Travel and Camp Counselor programs at US summer camps and seasonal employers. The company reviews eligibility, vets employment positions and housing, issues DS-2019 forms, registers participants in SEVIS, and provides ongoing support including online check-ins, bi-weekly updates, and secondary employment approvals throughout the cultural exchange experience.

Product overview

ACES (A Cultural Exchange Service) is a US Department of State designated J-1 visa sponsor offering three interconnected cultural exchange programs: the Summer Work Travel Program, Camp Counselor Program, and Support Staff Program. These programs facilitate international students working at US summer camps and seasonal employers. ACES operates the J1 Seasonal Jobs web portal for participant, employer, and recruiter registration. Additional services include trip cancellation insurance and tax filing guidance for non-resident aliens.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Work Travel Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of foreign nationals have been assisted in pursuing cultural exchange experiences in the United States through ACES sponsorship

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CampStaffUSAcoreTechnology or IntegrationACES utilizes the CampStaffUSA platform to connect participants interested in the camp counselor program with pre-approved camp employers. The partnership enables streamlined job placement for summer camp positions. CampStaffUSA also provides supplementary resources including medical insurance guidance, tax filing instructions, and employment forms for participants.
• International Recruiting AgentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACES works in cooperation with select international recruiting agents from around the world. These agents recruit, screen, and prepare candidates in their home countries for ACES J1 programs. Agents undergo annual vetting including business licensing verification, professional references, criminal record documentation, and financial statements. The unique partnership agreements enable camps to access a wide variety of countries with staff offering many different skill sets.
• SprintaxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSprintax provides easy-to-use online tax preparation software for non-resident aliens, specifically serving J1 participants. ACES recommends Sprintax as a reliable tax filing option for participants who earned income in the US and need to file Form 1040NR. Sprintax works in partnership with universities and other J1 programs.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• ASSE International (American Scandinavian Student Exchange):
• Sprintax: Tax preparation software for non-resident aliens, formally partnered with ACES to serve J-1 participants filing Form 1040NR. Adjacent ecosystem enabler whose J-1 university and sponsor partnerships put it in the same participant workflow as ACES.
• CampStaffUSA: Job placement platform for international camp counselors, integrated with ACES for connecting participants with pre-approved camp employers. Distribution partner and direct functional complement to ACES' Camp Counselor Program.

Direct peers

• InterExchange: Designated J-1 sponsor offering Au Pair, Summer Work Travel, Camp Counselor, and Career Training programs. InterExchange competes head-to-head with ACES for SWT and Camp Counselor participants and recruiting agents globally.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): One of the largest US Department of State designated J-1 sponsors, operating Summer Work Travel, Camp Counselor, and trainee/intern programs. CIEE is the closest direct competitor to ACES given overlapping program categories, sponsor designation status, and similar participant placement model.
• Greenheart International: Designated J-1 sponsor running Summer Work Travel, Camp Counselor, and high school exchange programs. Direct competitor with similar regulatory model, target participants (international students), and employer channels (US summer camps and seasonal businesses).
• Cultural Homestay International (CHI): Designated J-1 sponsor with au pair, camp counselor, and seasonal worker programs. Comparable in that CHI operates a similar designated sponsor model with vetted host employers and recurring participant check-in obligations.
• Alliance Abroad Group: Designated J-1 sponsor specializing in Summer Work Travel, Trainee, and Intern programs with global recruiting agent infrastructure. Highly comparable GTM, regulatory sponsorship model, and employer value proposition to ACES.
• Intrax / Global Work & Travel: Designated J-1 sponsor offering work travel, internship, and au pair programs across multiple countries. Comparable as a designated sponsor competing for the same international student segment and recruiting agent relationships as ACES.

Emerging players

• CCUSA (Camp Counselors USA): Specialist placement platform focused on placing international counselors and staff into US summer camps, often working alongside multiple designated J-1 sponsors. Comparable distribution channel and target employers to ACES' CampStaffUSA partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aces_3

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 ACES