International Karate Do Academy / Jean Marc Lopez

What International Karate Do Academy / Jean Marc Lopez does

International Karate-Do Academy (IKDA) is a privately operated martial arts organization centered on Sensei Jean-Pierre Lavorato, a 10th Dan practitioner of Shotokan Kase Ryu karate-do. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Bagnols en Forêt, France, with a regional office for the Americas in Key Biscayne, Florida (led by Jean Marc Lopez), the academy preserves and transmits traditional karate-do as taught by Gichin Funakoshi, Yoshitaka Funakoshi, and Master Taiji Kase. Its curriculum covers kata (forms), bunkai (applications), kihon (fundamentals), and kumite (sparring), and explicitly positions itself against competition-focused martial arts training in favor of authentic, value-based martial practice.

IKDA's product surface consists of three core offerings: (1) annual memberships that grant access to a network of 50+ affiliated clubs across at least nine countries (France, USA, Colombia, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Chile, Germany, Algeria); (2) seminars and intensive training stages held throughout France, Europe, the USA, and internationally — over 100 events per year, open to all styles, grades, and associations; and (3) a content library of instructional videos and DVDs (10 DVD Shotokan collection, Video Trilogy, Collector Videos, American Continent Tour, and a documentary on Lavorato's career) distributed through GoFundMe campaigns and the Imaginarts.tv e-commerce platform. The underlying platform is a WordPress-based informational website with embedded YouTube video, Google Maps location services, and consumer e-commerce integrations; no proprietary technology, API, or AI capability is offered.

Revenue is generated through three streams: recurring annual membership fees, transactional seminar registration fees, and one-time DVD/video product sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; membership is processed via paper adhesion form with check payment. The go-to-market model is heavily event-driven and community-driven — seminars serve as the primary customer acquisition and engagement channel, supplemented by word-of-mouth referrals, an email newsletter, and YouTube content distribution. The customer base comprises individual amateur practitioners, competitive athletes, and qualified karate instructors distributed across the global club network.

Name

International Karate Do Academy / Jean Marc Lopez

Legal name

International Karate Academy

Website

https://ikarateacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The International Karate-Do Academy is a privately operated martial arts organization that teaches traditional Shotokan Kase Ryu karate-do founded by 10th Dan Sensei Jean-Pierre Lavorato, serving individual practitioners, competitive athletes, and instructors across 50+ affiliated clubs in nine countries through seminars, memberships, and instructional video/DVD content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Martial Arts Instruction

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Martial Arts Schools (Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, etc.) (HSADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Combat Sports Gyms & Dojos (MMA, Boxing, Wrestling, Martial Arts) (MPAKAJAG)

Keywords

• Martial arts instruction
• Traditional karate training
• Shotokan karate seminars
• Karate-do membership
• Karate instructional videos

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees collected from practitioners who join the International Karate-Do Academy. Members receive access to seminars, training programs, and the academy's network of affiliated clubs worldwide.
2. Video & DVD Sales: Sale of instructional karate-do videos and DVDs created by Jean Pierre Lavorato covering all aspects of Shotokan Kase Ryu including kata bunkai, kumite, and kihon. Products sold through GoFundMe campaigns and Imaginarts.tv.
3. Seminar Registration: Revenue generated from seminar participation fees. Seminars are held throughout France and internationally, open to all styles, grades, and associations without affiliation requirements.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The International Karate-Do Academy provides traditional Shotokan Kase Ryu karate-do instruction led by Jean Pierre Lavorato (10th Dan), preserving the martial art transmission of Gichin Funakoshi and Taiji Kase. Its core offerings include an annual membership program granting access to a global network of 50+ affiliated clubs, regular seminars held across France, Europe, the USA, and other countries open to all styles and grades, and a library of instructional videos and DVDs covering kata bunkai, kumite, kihon, and championship training content.

Product overview

The International Karate-Do Academy is a karate-do organization centered on Sensei Jean-Pierre Lavorato (10th dan), focused on preserving and promoting Shotokan Kase Ryu karate as transmitted by Gichin Funakoshi and Taiji Kase. The Academy offers a unified membership program that provides access to seminars, affiliated clubs worldwide, and training resources. The product portfolio includes educational video/DVD products covering kata bunkai, kumite, and technique instruction, as well as an online video gallery of past seminars. The Academy organizes regular seminars across France, Switzerland, USA, and other countries, open to all styles and levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Karate-Do Academy Membership Membership program for karate-do practitioners who aspire to a common and authentic vision of this martial art. Members have access to seminars, training sessions, and a network of affiliated clubs worldwide.
• Karate-Do Seminars (Stages) Regular karate-do seminars and training camps organized throughout the year across France, Switzerland, USA, and other countries. Open to all styles, grades, and associations without requiring affiliation.
• Karate-Do Video Trilogy Three-part video series containing fundamentals, technique explanations, applications, and exclusive content for practicing karate-do. Available for purchase via GoFundMe.
• Karate-Do Collector Videos Collector video series containing bunkai and kumite applications with valuable explanations. Available for purchase via GoFundMe.
• Karate-Do American Continent Tour Video One-hour video featuring drills, explanations, techniques, and recommendations from the Americas Tour. Available for purchase via GoFundMe.
• 10 DVD Shotokan Collection Ten DVD collection created with Jean-Pierre Lavorato covering bunkai, kihon, kumite, and kata of the Shotokan style. Includes the documentary 'My Karate-Do Life'.
• My Karate-Do Life Documentary DVD Biographical documentary film on Jean-Pierre Lavorato, 10th dan, federal expert FFKDA, former champion of France and Europe, and disciple of Sensei Taiji Kase.

Named customers3 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

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jean Marc Lopez (International Karate-Do Academy Americas)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJean Marc Lopez serves as the primary contact for IKDA Americas, representing the academy's presence in the USA. Located at 180 Crandon Blvd Suite 113, Key Biscayne, FL, Lopez coordinates American seminars and represents the academy's interests in the Americas region.
• Imaginarts.tvminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImaginarts.tv serves as the primary distribution platform for Jean Pierre Lavorato's video and DVD karate content. The platform hosts and sells educational materials including the 10 DVD Shotokan series and documentary films.
• West Boynton Park and Rec Center (USA)minorOthersPartnership with West Boynton Park and Rec Center in Lake Worth, Florida for hosting IKDA Americas seminars in the USA. Contact: Juan Cruz or Jean Marc Lopez.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Karate-Do Shotokai: Founded by Shigeru Egami, a senior Japanese karate master in the direct Funakoshi transmission; comparable to IKDA as a small, purist Shotokan organization that preserves traditional non-competition karate-do for serious practitioners seeking depth over sport.
• Japan Karate Association (JKA): The flagship global Shotokan karate organization founded in 1949 by Gichin Funakoshi's students; directly comparable to IKDA as both teach traditional Shotokan karate-do with an emphasis on kata, kihon, and kumite, and both organize an international network of dojos, seminars, and instructor certifications under the original Funakoshi lineage.
• International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (IOGKF): Traditional Japanese/Okinawan karate organization preserving Goju-Ryu under Morio Higaonna; structurally analogous to IKDA in being a lineage-driven traditional karate federation offering memberships, international seminars, instructor rank, and a global dojo network of purist practitioners.
• International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF): Founded by Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th Dan), another direct student of Funakoshi's senior students; ISKF operates an international network of Shotokan dojos with instructor certification and traditional karate-do instruction, closely overlapping IKDA in lineage, methodology, and target practitioner.
• Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation (SKIF): Founded by Tetsuhiko Asai (10th Dan), a senior Kase-lineage contemporary; SKIF is a global traditional Shotokan federation running international seminars, instructor training, and a worldwide dojo network under the Funakoshi-Kase-Asai transmission, making it the closest direct competitor for traditional Shotokan practitioners.

Others

• Black Belt Magazine: Long-running martial arts media brand covering traditional and modern martial arts including Shotokan karate-do instruction, lineage stories, and instructional content; comparable to IKDA as a content and community platform serving serious traditional martial arts practitioners.
• Budo Japan: An online distributor and producer of traditional Japanese martial arts instructional DVDs and digital content covering karate, aikido, judo, kendo; comparable to IKDA's Imaginarts.tv/GoFundMe content distribution arm as a producer and seller of high-level martial arts instructional video content.
• AJP Tour (Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro / Martial Arts Events): International martial arts event operator running seminars, camps, and ranking events; comparable as an infrastructure/distribution layer that traditional martial arts academies (like IKDA) sometimes leverage for hosting international stages and seminar logistics across multiple countries.

Broad incumbents

• European Karate Federation (EKF): Continental federation under WKF governing karate across Europe; comparable to IKDA in operating in the same European geography and hosting karate events/seminars, but sport- and competition-oriented rather than traditional-preservation-focused.
• World Karate Federation (WKF): The Olympic-recognized international federation governing sport karate worldwide; comparable as a global karate organization but oriented toward competition (kumite and kata) rather than the traditional martial-art preservation that defines IKDA's positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnYbKtDc0k8AL9Z3RX9eE1w
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-karate-do-academy-jean-marc-lopez

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 International Karate Do Academy / Jean Marc Lopez