What IMB Academy does

IMB Academy (legally International Martial Arts and Boxing Academy) is a privately held, single-location martial arts training facility founded in 1974 and headquartered in Carson, California. The academy offers in-person instruction across multiple disciplines including Boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu/Grappling, Eskrima (Filipino martial arts in Villabrille and Cacoy Cañete Doce Pares styles), and the proprietary IMB Curriculum / Jeet Kune Do, with dedicated Kids Classes for ages 4-14. Its core teaching methodology is a 'three-range combat system' integrating weapons, striking, and grappling that was developed by founder Sigung Richard S. Bustillo using Jeet Kune Do concepts and training methodologies passed to him by Bruce Lee.

IMB Academy monetizes primarily through a recurring monthly membership subscription model for in-person classes at the Carson facility, supplemented by community events, seminars, and belt tests that drive member retention. Distribution is anchored by the physical gym (regional, South Bay Los Angeles) and extended globally through a network of authorized affiliate instructors who teach the IMB Curriculum at independent locations. The customer base is horizontal and primarily B2C, segmented into children and adult students seeking fitness, self-defense, competition preparation, or personal development in an 'ohana' (family-oriented) gym culture. Pricing is not publicly disclosed on the website.

The academy is independently owned and operated with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or parent-company ownership; no funding rounds have been reported. It is developing an Online Training offering (listed as 'coming soon') that would extend the curriculum to remote students, and it partners with Checkmat to anchor its grappling program within an established BJJ competition ecosystem.

Name

IMB Academy

Legal name

International Martial Arts and Boxing Academy

Website

https://imbacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Short description

IMB Academy is a privately held, single-location martial arts training facility in Carson, CA, founded in 1974, offering Boxing, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, Eskrima, and Jeet Kune Do classes for children and adults under founder Sigung Richard S. Bustillo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Martial Arts Training

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Training (HSADADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Combat Sports Gyms (Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai) (HSADADAB), Grappling & Submission Arts Training (Judo, BJJ, Wrestling) (HSADADAC)

Keywords

• Martial arts training
• Boxing classes
• Jiu jitsu training
• Muay thai instruction
• Self defense classes

Headquarters

HQ city

Carson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. In-Person Martial Arts Training: Physical training classes offered at the Carson, CA facility including Boxing, Muay Thai, Grappling/Jiu Jitsu, Eskrima, Kids Classes, and IMB Curriculum/Jeet Kune Do. Operates on a membership structure typical of martial arts academies with regular class schedules.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IMB Academy is a martial arts training facility in Carson, CA that delivers in-person group classes in Boxing, Muay Thai, Grappling/Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Eskrima, IMB Curriculum/Jeet Kune Do, and Kids Classes, structured as a recurring monthly membership. The offering is anchored by the proprietary IMB Curriculum, which integrates grappling, trapping, striking, and weapons training under JKD principles as taught by Bruce Lee to founder Sigung Richard S. Bustillo.

Product overview

IMB Academy offers a non-traditional martial arts program as a single unified academy with multiple class offerings. The core product portfolio includes Boxing, Muay Thai, Grappling/Jiu Jitsu, Kids Classes, Eskrima, and IMB Curriculum/Jeet Kune Do classes. The academy also provides an Affiliate Instructor Program for global curriculum distribution and is developing Online Training for remote instruction. Classes are held at the Carson, CA facility with structured schedules across different martial arts disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMB Curriculum/Jeet Kune Do: Martial arts curriculum created by Richard Bustillo utilizing JKD concepts and training methodologies as taught to him by Bruce Lee. Covers grappling, trapping, striking, and weapons ranges.

Products and services

• Boxing Classes Boxing instruction focusing on competition, self defense, and fitness with emphasis on technique, head movement, and footwork. The head instructor teaches every class and works individually with each student. Light sparring on Thursdays; no gear required to start.
• Muay Thai Classes Striking martial art encompassing punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and standing grappling (clinching and sweeps). Known for its rich history and depth within MMA. Light sparring on Thursdays; no gear required to start.
• Grappling/Jiu Jitsu Classes Checkmat-affiliated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program combining wrestling, judo, and BJJ. Focuses on ground fighting, submission holds, and leveraging superior positioning to control and submit opponents. Most classes end with rolling/BJJ sparring; no gear required to start.
• Kids Classes Martial arts instruction for children ages 4-14 covering all ranges of the IMB Curriculum including grappling, trapping, boxing, kicking, and weapons, with emphasis on safety, practicality, and skill. Sparring children are paired based on skill and control with supervisor ratios maintained; no gear required to start.
• Eskrima Classes Filipino martial arts instruction covering stick and knife styles, specifically Villabrille and Cacoy Cañete Doce Pares. Emphasizes using the stick as a stick rather than as a blade, and includes basic striking and standing grappling concepts.
• IMB Curriculum / Jeet Kune Do Classes Martial arts curriculum created by Sigung Richard S. Bustillo using JKD concepts and Bruce Lee's training methodologies. Covers all ranges including grappling, trapping, striking, and weapons for martial artists of all skill levels. Emphasis on safety, practicality, fitness, and fundamentals; no gear required to start.
• IMB Affiliate Instructor Program Global network of authorized affiliate instructors who teach the IMB curriculum worldwide, allowing qualified instructors to deliver the academy's martial arts program based on the methods developed by Sigung Richard Bustillo.

Named customers2 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 core.

• CheckmatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMB Academy's Jiu Jitsu program is affiliated with Checkmat, a renowned grappling organization. This affiliation provides the academy with access to Checkmat's curriculum standards, competition pathways, and broader grappling community network, while bringing quality assurance to the academy's Jiu Jitsu instruction.
• IMB Affiliate InstructorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIMB Academy has established a global network of affiliate instructors who are authorized to teach the IMB curriculum. This extends the academy's reach worldwide, allowing certified instructors to deliver training based on the methods developed by Sigung Richard Bustillo.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• American Kickboxing Academy (AKA): Premier multi-discipline MMA gym in San Jose, CA offering striking, grappling, and MMA training. Comparable to IMB Academy in offering an integrated combat sports curriculum under one roof for serious students and competitors.
• Gracie Barra: One of the largest global BJJ organizations with hundreds of affiliated schools. Operates a similar martial arts academy + affiliate instructor model, directly comparable to IMB Academy's gym-plus-affiliate-network structure.
• Original Jeet Kune Do (Ted Wong lineage schools): Network of Jeet Kune Do schools teaching the art as transmitted through Ted Wong, another direct Bruce Lee student. Closest heritage competitor to IMB Academy given both trace their curricula directly back to Bruce Lee's original students.
• 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu: No-gi BJJ-focused academy founded by Eddie Bravo with multiple affiliated locations. Comparable to IMB Academy as a single-discipline specialty academy that uses an affiliate model to scale instruction.
• Alliance BJJ: Internationally recognized BJJ competition team with affiliated academies worldwide. Directly comparable to IMB Academy as a grappling academy that combines in-person training with an affiliate-driven global brand.
• Checkmat: Global BJJ competition team and academy network with a curriculum blending wrestling, judo, and BJJ. Already a formal affiliate partner of IMB Academy, making it the closest direct functional peer for the grappling program.

Broad incumbents

• Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts: Long-running martial arts franchise offering multi-discipline instruction in karate, kickboxing, and jiu jitsu. Comparable to IMB Academy in operating a multi-discipline subscription-based martial arts school for kids and adults.
• UFC Gym: Large fitness-franchise brand operating branded MMA-inspired gyms across the U.S. Comparable to IMB Academy as a multi-discipline striking/grappling gym targeting general consumers, but with a much larger, franchise-driven footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 IMB Academy