U.S. Freediving Federation
The U.S. Freediving Federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit national governing body sanctioned by CMAS that provides freediving membership, competition eligibility, national record verification, and US National Team selection for competitive and recreational freedivers across 16+ states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersVenice, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What U.S. Freediving Federation does
The U.S. Freediving Federation (USFF), legally U.S. Freediving Federation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 and headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is the official national governing body for freediving in the United States, sanctioned by CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques) and recognized by the International Olympic Committee and UNESCO. USFF provides a suite of membership services — annual membership via MemberPlanet, CMAS competition eligibility, US national record verification across 12 pool and depth disciplines, National Team selection for indoor and outdoor World Championships, and CMAS competition sanctioning — to competitive and recreational freedivers across 16+ states.
The federation operates a CMAS-aligned governance and safety framework rather than proprietary technology, relying on third-party platforms (MemberPlanet, Printful, GoFundMe, Diveye) for membership management, merchandise fulfillment, fundraising, and livestreaming. Its products include the US National Team Program, the US National Records System, CMAS Judge Certification, and a newly launched National Pool Access Initiative developed with StarGuard ELITE and Deep End Fitness to standardize pool safety protocols. Recent milestones include the first sanctioned under-ice depth event in the United States (Minnesota, March 2026) and the largest-ever US World Championship squad (23 athletes) selected for the 2026 CMAS Worlds.
USFF monetizes through annual membership dues, affiliate commissions from gear partners (Molchanovs, Evolve, Surf Fur via the TEAMUSA2026 discount code), donations and GoFundMe fundraising directed at Team USA travel expenses, and USFF merchandise sales. Its go-to-market is community-led: organized Facebook groups by state, sanctioned competitions, content marketing via the USFF blog, and organic social on Instagram. Leadership comprises President and Founder Jeremy Stephan, Technical Director Francesca Owings, Pool Committee Chairman Matthew LaRonge, and Team Captain Avi Kleyman (who also serves as the first American on the CMAS Freediving Commission).
U.S. Freediving Federation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- U.S. Freediving Federation
- Legal name
- U.S. Freediving Federation, Inc.
- Website
- https://usfreedivingfederation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The U.S. Freediving Federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit national governing body sanctioned by CMAS that provides freediving membership, competition eligibility, national record verification, and US National Team selection for competitive and recreational freedivers across 16+ states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
U.S. Freediving Federation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports Federation Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)
Keywords
Where U.S. Freediving Federation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Venice
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
U.S. Freediving Federation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees managed through MemberPlanet platform. Membership provides competition eligibility, national record recognition, US National Team consideration, gear partner discounts, and access to training groups and events across 16+ states.
- Gear Partner Commissions: Affiliate commissions from gear partner brands (Molchanovs, Evolve, Surf Fur). A percentage of purchases made through partner links using the TEAMUSA2026 discount code goes directly to supporting the US National Team travel and competition expenses.
- Donations/Fundraising: GoFundMe campaigns and general donations support Team USA athlete travel, competition fees, and equipment. The federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making memberships and donations tax-deductible.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual USFF Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
U.S. Freediving Federation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The U.S. Freediving Federation operates as the official CMAS-sanctioned national governing body for freediving in the United States. Its core offering is an annual membership program that unlocks CMAS competition eligibility at 130+ nations, eligibility for U.S. National Team selection for World Championships, official verification of performances as U.S. national records across 12 disciplines, access to training groups in 16+ states, and discounts from gear partners (Molchanovs, Evolve, Surf Fur). The federation also sanctions CMAS competitions, runs CMAS judge certification programs, and operates the National Pool Access Initiative.
Product overview
The U.S. Freediving Federation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit national governing body for freediving, sanctioned by CMAS and recognized by the International Olympic Committee and UNESCO. Rather than a software product company, USFF provides a suite of membership services including CMAS competition eligibility, national team selection, US record verification, and competition sanctioning. The federation connects members to gear partner discounts through Molchanovs, Evolve, and Surf Fur, organizes the US National Team for World Championships, and operates USFF Merchandise. Key initiatives include the National Pool Access Initiative (with StarGuard ELITE and Deep End Fitness) to expand pool training accessibility and CMAS Judge Certification programs. The federation manages competitions across 12 disciplines in both pool and open water environments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- USFF Annual Membership
Quantifiable outcome
- 23 athletes selected for 2026 World Team - largest US team ever at CMAS Worlds
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use U.S. Freediving Federation
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
U.S. Freediving Federation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
U.S. Freediving Federation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- StarGuard ELITEcoreLeader in aquatic safety training programs and operational best practices. Partnering with USFF and Deep End Fitness on a nationwide initiative to create standardized safety protocols and training guidelines for public and private pools to welcome freedivers.
- Deep End FitnesscoreKnown for innovative underwater training programs. Partnering with USFF and StarGuard ELITE on a nationwide initiative to create standardized safety protocols and training guidelines for public and private pools to accommodate freediving activities.
- Midwest School of DivingminorHosted the annual North American Ice Diving Festival in Minnesota, collaborating with USFF to organize the first sanctioned under-ice depth freediving event in US history (March 2026).
- CMAScoreCMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques) is the international governing body for freediving. USFF is the official CMAS National Federation for the United States, sanctioned to organize competitions, verify records, and select national teams for CMAS World Championships.
- MolchanovscoreThe most complete freediving brand in the sport - fins, wetsuits, masks, weights, accessories, and training tools developed by world record holder Alexey Molchanov. Offers 5% discount with code TEAMUSA2026, with 10% of purchases going to Team USA.
- EvolveminorFull-range freediving and spearfishing outfitter from Kona, Hawaii - wetsuits, fins, masks, spearguns, and accessories for competitive freedivers and ocean hunters at all experience levels.
- Surf FurminorPremium cold water freediving wetsuits and drysuits built for serious athletes who dive in cold conditions. Narrow product range, exceptional quality. Best for Team USA. Discount code TEAMUSA2026 applies.
- William TrubridgeminorWorld record holder and founder of Vertical Blue competition, the premier depth competition held annually at Dean's Blue Hole in Long Island, Bahamas. Organizes events with CMAS Panamerica.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
U.S. Freediving Federation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AIDA International: AIDA International is the primary alternative international freediving federation and runs the iconic Vertical Blue competition in the Bahamas. It competes directly with CMAS for legitimacy in freediving governance and serves many of the same elite athletes (William Trubridge, Alexey Molchanov lineage) that USFF also engages.
- British Freediving Association: The BFA is the UK national CMAS-affiliated freediving federation, performing the same national-governing-body role for Britain that USFF does for the US. It is the most direct cross-border comparable in terms of scope, scale, and operating model.
Broad incumbents
- USA Diving: USA Diving is the US NGB for competitive diving, governing the aquatics sub-discipline most adjacent to freediving. It shares the same national-team model, IOC recognition pathway, and aquatics federation lineage under CMAS-affiliated global bodies, making it a strong operational and structural peer.
- USA Track & Field: USATF is the US NGB for athletics, offering a comparable structure of sanctioned competitions, national team selection, records verification, and membership dues funding. Larger than USFF but analogous in its community-led, federation model.
- USA Swimming: USA Swimming is the official US National Governing Body for competitive swimming, recognized by the IOC and USOPC. It is the most direct structural analogue to USFF — a membership-based NGB sanctioning competitions, verifying records, and fielding national teams for international federations.
- USA Gymnastics: USA Gymnastics is a US NGB operating with IOC recognition and a membership-driven structure. It serves as a useful reference point for the operating economics and governance challenges facing a mid-sized US national federation with volunteer leadership.
Others
- Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS): CMAS is the international umbrella federation that sanctions USFF and operates the World Championships. It is the parent body governing the rules and event structure that USFF implements domestically, making it the closest upstream peer for the federation's regulatory framework.
- StarGuard ELITE: StarGuard ELITE is a leading US aquatic safety training provider partnered with USFF on the National Pool Access Initiative. It is a strategic ecosystem partner rather than a competitor, supplying the lifeguard/safety certification layer that USFF's pool initiative depends on.
- Molchanovs: Molchanovs is the dominant global freediving equipment brand and USFF's flagship gear partner. While not a federation, it shares USFF's competitive freediving audience and underpins much of USFF's affiliate revenue, making it a critical ecosystem participant.
Emerging players
- Deep End Fitness: Deep End Fitness is an underwater/aquatic training company partnering with USFF on the National Pool Access Initiative. It shares USFF's target audience (fitness-oriented aquatics users) and overlaps in providing structured pool-based training programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
U.S. Freediving Federation social profiles
Digital presenceU.S. Freediving Federation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
U.S. Freediving Federation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
U.S. Freediving Federation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
U.S. Freediving Federation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about U.S. Freediving Federation
What does U.S. Freediving Federation do?
The U.S. Freediving Federation operates as the official CMAS-sanctioned national governing body for freediving in the United States. Its core offering is an annual membership program that unlocks CMAS competition eligibility at 130+ nations, eligibility for U.S. National Team selection for World Championships, official verification of performances as U.S. national records across 12 disciplines, access to training groups in 16+ states, and discounts from gear partners (Molchanovs, Evolve, Surf Fur). The federation also sanctions CMAS competitions, runs CMAS judge certification programs, and operates the National Pool Access Initiative.
Is U.S. Freediving Federation a public or private company?
U.S. Freediving Federation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was U.S. Freediving Federation founded?
U.S. Freediving Federation was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is U.S. Freediving Federation based?
U.S. Freediving Federation is headquartered in Venice, United States, in the North America region.
How does U.S. Freediving Federation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are gear Partner Commissions and donations/Fundraising.
Who are U.S. Freediving Federation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AIDA International and British Freediving Association. Broad incumbents are USA Diving, USA Track & Field, USA Swimming and USA Gymnastics. Others are Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS), StarGuard ELITE and Molchanovs. Deep End Fitness is listed as an emerging player.
Does U.S. Freediving Federation have an API?
No public API is recorded for U.S. Freediving Federation.
What industry is U.S. Freediving Federation in?
U.S. Freediving Federation's product category is Sports Federation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAFAC, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), with a secondary code of MPAKACAD, Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional). Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.