Investigative Training Academy

What Investigative Training Academy does

Investigative Training Academy is a Nashville, Tennessee-based online training provider that sells private investigator certification and continuing education courses directly to consumers through its e-commerce website. The company offers eight standalone courses covering topics such as field notes and report writing, crime scene evaluation, criminal defense investigations, social media/OSINT, investigative ethics, evidence collection, fraud investigations, and Tennessee PI exam preparation, each priced as a one-time purchase ($100–$175) with credit hour designations of 4–10 hours and lifetime access. Course delivery is handled through a web-based learning management system featuring self-paced video lessons, quizzes, and completion certificates, with the platform being Tennessee-approved for both initial licensure and continuing education credit.

The business model is entirely direct-to-consumer, with no third-party distributors, channel partners, or institutional buyers. Marketing is executed through content (blog and SEO), email newsletters, and organic social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, targeting aspiring PIs, currently licensed PIs needing CE credits, law enforcement and security professionals transitioning to the private sector, and criminal justice students. The company is founder-owned and bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding, no parent company, and no public financial information.

The offering is differentiated principally by Tennessee state regulatory approval and the domain credibility of founder Daniel Larkins, a former Special Agent in Charge with 25+ years of investigative and law enforcement experience. Operating geography is currently limited to Tennessee, and the firm operates with 1–10 employees, with only two publicly visible Google reviews — indicating a micro/solopreneur-scale operation rather than a scaled EdTech business.

Name

Investigative Training Academy

Legal name

Investigative Training Academy

Website

https://investigative-training.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Investigative Training Academy is a Nashville-based online provider of Tennessee-approved private investigator training and continuing education courses, selling eight self-paced courses directly to consumers via its e-commerce website.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Training & Continuing Education for Private Investigators

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAKAOAI

Investigations, Interviewing & Surveillance Training

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/Training & Certification for Security Personnel

SECONDARYEDAOAMAA

Law Enforcement & Police Academy Training

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Protective Services & Public Safety Training

Keywords

• Private investigator training
• Continuing education courses
• PI licensing exam prep
• Online investigator certification
• Investigative skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course Sales (One-time purchase): Revenue generated from selling individual online courses for private investigator training. Each course is priced as a one-time purchase with lifetime access to course materials. Courses are sold with credit hour designations (4-10 credit hours per course) and come with associated course content, quizzes, and completion certificates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Investigative Training Academy sells individual online courses that train and certify private investigators, including foundational exam preparation for Tennessee PI licensing and specialized continuing education courses (4 to 10 credit hours each) covering crime scene evaluation, evidence collection, criminal defense investigations, social media/OSINT, fraud investigations, investigative ethics, and report writing. Courses are delivered via the company's web-based learning platform and purchased directly by individual learners with lifetime access.

Product overview

Investigative Training Academy operates as a course-based training platform offering multiple standalone private investigator certification courses. The product portfolio consists of eight named training courses covering different aspects of investigative work: Field Notes and Report Writing for Private Investigators (4 credit hours), Private Investigators Exam Guide, Crime Scene Evaluation (4 credit hours), Criminal Defense Investigations for Private Investigators (10 credit hours), Social Media Investigations (8 credit hours), Investigative Ethics for Private Investigators (6 credit hours), Evidence Collection (8 credit hours), and Fraud Investigations for Private Investigators (8 credit hours, TN Approved). The courses are sold individually as separate products with varying credit hour values and are delivered online with lifetime access. The platform also provides a Private Investigator licensing exam preparation course specifically approved by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Field Notes and Report Writing for Private Investigators (4 Credit Hours)
• Private Investigators Exam Guide (10 Credit Hours)
• Crime Scene Evaluation (4 Credit Hours)
• Criminal Defense Investigations for Private Investigators (10 Credit Hours)
• Social Media Investigations (8 Credit Hours)
• Investigative Ethics for Private Investigators (6 Credit Hours)
• Evidence Collection (8 Credit Hours)
• Fraud Investigations for Private Investigators (8 Credit Hours, TN Approved)

Quantifiable outcome

• Students can complete continuing education requirements at their own pace with flexible scheduling
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Feature1 record

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Major online learning platform offering university-backed cybersecurity, criminal justice, and forensic courses that overlap with the academy's content areas, particularly OSINT and digital evidence.
• Ashworth College: Online college offering private investigator and criminal justice degree/certificate programs. Targets the same aspiring-PI segment with regionally accredited credentials but across a wider curriculum.
• Universal Class: Subscription-based online course provider covering many vocational and professional development topics. Competes on access model and price for self-directed learners in adjacent investigative and security topics.
• Penn Foster Career School: Accredited online career school offering private investigator and criminal justice programs among many other vocational tracks. Competes for the same aspiring-PI segment but as part of a much broader career-training catalog.
• Udemy: Global online learning marketplace with numerous PI, OSINT, and investigative courses priced below most accredited providers. Competes on price and content breadth rather than regulatory approval.

Direct peers

• McAfee Institute: Offers online certifications and training programs for private investigators, cybercrime, and fraud specialists. Directly comparable as an online-only, certification-focused PI training provider serving individual investigators.

Others

• National Association of Investigative Specialists: Industry association and resource hub for PIs that offers training referrals, publications, and certification guidance. Not a direct course provider but an ecosystem participant that channels investigator training demand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/investigative-training
• Instagraminstagram.com/investigativetrainingacademy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Investigative Training Academy