The Bugs Group

What The Bugs Group does

The Bugs Group Limited is a UK-based children's physical activity company founded in 2006 and headquartered in Solihull, West Midlands. It operates a portfolio of branded activity programs — YogaBugs, FootieBugs, DanceBugs, MultiBugs, and RugbyBugs — plus pre-development brands CricketBugs and TennisBugs. Programs are designed by a team of specialist doctors, physiotherapists, and educators and are delivered through three go-to-market motions: (1) direct-to-consumer community classes for parents and carers of children aged 3-16, booked via the company's website and phone; (2) B2B sales to schools and nurseries for curriculum PE, PPA cover, breakfast/lunch/afterschool clubs, SEN support, and staff workshops; and (3) a UK franchise network where operators run branded programs in defined territories.

Revenue is generated through a mix of subscription monthly fees (£34 community classes, £39 academy classes via Future Pay), one-time fees for holiday camps and birthday parties, hourly/daily school and nursery contracts (standard rate £100/hour), and franchise licensing fees. The company also operates YogaBugs Virtual, a streaming delivery platform for remote classes. The proprietary technology layer is limited to booking system integration via the Class For Kids platform and virtual streaming — the core assets are the branded curriculum methodologies and trademarks rather than software. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, no M&A activity, and no institutional investor ownership identified in the source material.

Name

The Bugs Group

Legal name

The Bugs Group Limited

Website

https://thebugsgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bugs Group is a UK children's physical activity franchisor founded in 2006, operating branded programs (YogaBugs, FootieBugs, DanceBugs, MultiBugs, RugbyBugs) through direct-to-consumer classes, school and nursery B2B contracts, and a UK franchise network targeting children aged 3-16.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Activity Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)

Keywords

• Children's activity classes
• Yoga mindfulness programs
• School PE services
• Holiday camp activities
• Activity franchise opportunities

Headquarters

HQ city

Solihull

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Community Class Subscriptions: Monthly recurring subscription payments via Future Pay system for children attending weekly community classes. Parents pay monthly to secure their child's space in weekly classes.
2. Holiday Camps: One-time fees for multi-day holiday camps during school breaks. Bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable, paid in advance.
3. Birthday Parties: Two-hour birthday party bookings for children aged 3-16, charged as one-time fees.
4. School/Nursery Contracts: Hourly or daily rate contracts with schools and nurseries for curriculum PE, PPA cover, breakfast/lunch/afterschool clubs, and staff workshops. Rates agreed prior to commencement with discounted pricing.
5. Academy Programs: Higher-tier subscription for specialized academy classes (e.g., FootieBugs Academy, DanceBugs Academy) for children seeking progression in their chosen activity.
6. Franchise Fees: The company operates a franchise model where franchisees pay to operate branded programs in their territories, with OTEs of £50k+ per year for FootieBugs franchisees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Bugs Group delivers children's physical activity, yoga, dance, and multi-sport classes through branded programs (YogaBugs, FootieBugs, DanceBugs, MultiBugs, RugbyBugs) to parents, schools, and nurseries. Services include weekly community classes, holiday camps, birthday parties, school and nursery contracts for PE/PPA/after-school clubs, virtual streaming, and an SEN graduated approach for inclusive participation. The group also licenses its brands to franchisees operating in defined UK territories.

Product overview

The Bugs Group is a children's physical activity franchisor offering a portfolio of branded programs including YogaBugs (yoga and mindfulness), FootieBugs (football), DanceBugs (dance), and MultiBugs (multi-sports). The company operates community classes, academy programs for elite development, virtual classes, holiday camps, and school/nursery programs. Services span from entry-level recreational activities to specialized offerings for children with special educational needs, with programs designed by specialist doctors, physiotherapists, and educators. The group operates primarily in the UK Midlands region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FootieBugs Academy: Academy program for children who want to progress into professional football
• DanceBugs Academy
• YogaBugs Virtual
• MultiBugs
• Active Camps
• SEN (Special Educational Needs)

Products and services

• YogaBugs Children's yoga classes combining yoga-inspired moves with breathing and relaxation techniques, interactive stories, and mindfulness practices to support physical and mental wellbeing for children aged 3-16.
• FootieBugs

Quantifiable outcome

• Children achieving 'Outstanding' Ofsted ratings at partner nurseries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Mini Mells (Solihull)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bugs Group partnered with Mini Mells in Solihull to provide free activity sessions for children during summer holidays. Both FootieBugs and DanceBugs hosted activity sessions as part of the Mini Mells program to give children opportunities to get active for free.
• Morrisons SolihullminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bugs Group held fundraising events at Morrisons Solihull for children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent, demonstrating community engagement and social responsibility.
• CLIC SargentminorOthersThe Bugs Group partnered with CLIC Sargent, a children's cancer charity, for fundraising activities at Morrisons Solihull, including endurance cycle events.
• Birmingham City Football ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirmingham City Academy coaches visited FootieBugs Academy to assess players and provide professional coaching input. Several FootieBugs Academy players have been scouted and signed to Birmingham City's academy, including Edward Smith and Ashton Gunning at age 6.
• Preschool Learning AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYogaBugs was invited to run workshops at the Preschool Learning Alliance's Annual Conference in London, demonstrating best practice in mental health provision for early years.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Baby Sensory: UK-origin franchisor of baby and toddler sensory and activity classes. Comparable franchised children's class model, structured weekly subscription offering, and similar parent-facing marketing approach.
• Premier Education: UK provider of school sport, PE and PPA cover, holiday camps, and activity programmes for primary schools. Directly comparable B2B school contract model, holiday camp offering, and curriculum PE delivery versus The Bugs Group's Schools Programmes.
• Stagecoach Performing Arts: Long-established UK franchise offering weekend and holiday performing arts classes for children aged 4-18, including dance. Comparable franchise structure, multi-discipline children's classes, and progression pathways to DanceBugs.
• Little Kickers: UK franchise operating football activity classes for pre-school and primary-age children. Closely comparable to FootieBugs in product category (children's football), age group (3-11), subscription model, and franchise-based national rollout.
• The Little Gym: International franchise offering structured movement, gymnastics and motor-skill classes for children aged 4 months to 12 years. Comparable age-segment, franchise-based delivery, subscription class model, and developmental curriculum philosophy.
• Tumble Tots: UK franchise offering structured pre-school physical activity classes (gymnastics and movement) for children from 6 months to 7 years. Comparable age-group focus, franchise rollout model, and weekly community-class subscription structure.
• Fit For Sport: UK provider of school PE, PPA cover, holiday activity camps and active kids' programmes. Overlapping B2B school contracts, Active Camps equivalent, and multi-sport community classes — directly competing with The Bugs Group's Schools Programmes and MultiBugs.

Regional players

• Super Soccer Stars: US-based franchise offering children's soccer classes for toddlers through teens. Strongly comparable in product (children's football classes) and franchise model, though primarily serving North American rather than UK markets.
• Junior Adventures Group: Australia-headquartered provider of before/after-school care and holiday camps for primary-age children. Comparable holiday-camp product and B2B school partnerships, though operating in a different geography from The Bugs Group's UK Midlands base.

Others

• ClassForKids: Booking, payment and class-management software platform used by children's activity providers including The Bugs Group. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler (rather than direct competitor) and as a meaningful technology partner for the Group's DTC booking operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/thebugsgroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheBugsGroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/The-Bugs-Group-518917811622184
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bugs-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 The Bugs Group