A Code Ninjas franchise is an in-person children’s technology-education center. The franchisee markets locally, enrolls families, schedules students, employs trained personnel, delivers approved programs through required platforms, processes payments, and reports operating data under standards set by Code Ninjas, LLC.
The franchisee controls the local company, lease, hiring, scheduling, customer service, compliance, and daily execution. Code Ninjas, LLC controls authorized Services and Products, curriculum, Brand Manual, suppliers, technology, data access, marketing approvals, location rules, inspections, and use of the Code Ninjas marks.
What does a Code Ninjas unit sell, and who buys it?
The unit sells approved technology education and branded merchandise to families with children. Its recurring core is enrollment in scheduled or drop-in programs; camps, academies, parties, events, and other approved offerings create additional service cycles.
Contractual offering
- Services
- Programs in coding, programming, math, logic, reasoning, teamwork, and approved STEM activities.
- Products
- Approved Code Ninjas merchandise and branded items.
- Core programs
- Code Ninjas CREATE, Code Ninjas JR, and Code Ninjas After School Program.
- Subscription
- Recurring payments or paid-in-full coverage for an extended period.
Current public catalog
The official U.S. program catalog presents CREATE, JR, AI Academy, Robotics Academy, camps, after-school programming, Parent’s Night Out, one-day experiences, and birthday parties. Families use the consumer site to find a center or request a free session.
Code Senseis is the public instructor term; the contract requires all Services to be delivered by properly trained personnel.
Evidence: Code Ninjas 2026 FDD, Item 1, pp. 1–6; Item 16, p. 41; Item 19, pp. 48–51; Franchise Agreement introduction and §§7–8, Exhibit A pp. 3, 18–25.
How does work move through a Code Ninjas unit?
The operating path runs from approved local marketing to inquiry handling, enrollment, scheduling, in-person delivery, and reporting. The Brand Manual contents specifically identify customer onboarding, telephone inquiries, CRM use, tours, curriculum, programs, Student Dojo, Parent Portal, campaigns, customer service, and feedback.
- Actor:
- Franchisee, Center Director, and franchisor marketing resources.
- Action:
- Run approved local campaigns and receive inquiries.
- System or asset:
- Approved digital pages, media, telephone, and campaign materials.
- Output:
- A free-session, tour, or program lead.
- Actor:
- Center Director or trained personnel.
- Action:
- Identify age, interest, and program fit; schedule a tour or trial.
- System or asset:
- ChildcareCRM, approved phone tools, and the Accepted Location.
- Output:
- A scheduled visit and proposed program path.
- Actor:
- Trained personnel and Payment Vendors.
- Action:
- Establish the approved Subscription or purchase and record payment.
- System or asset:
- Portal or app, POS System, processor, and Customer Apps.
- Output:
- Paid enrollment and a student record.
- Actor:
- Designated Principal or Center Director.
- Action:
- Assign trained personnel, confirm students, and prepare curriculum and equipment.
- System or asset:
- IMPACT, current management platforms, laptops, and approved materials.
- Output:
- A staffed session with roster and resources.
- Actor:
- Properly trained personnel under full-time management.
- Action:
- Guide the approved in-person program and follow Brand Manual standards.
- System or asset:
- Curriculum, IMPACT, workstations, premises, and safety procedures.
- Output:
- Student progress and customer feedback.
- Actor:
- Franchisee management and franchisor systems.
- Action:
- Record Net Sales, maintain data, submit reports, reconcile payments, and manage renewals.
- System or asset:
- POS System, accounting software, CRM, and digital records.
- Output:
- Auditable records and the next service cycle.
Evidence: Code Ninjas 2026 FDD, Items 6 and 11, pp. 9–15 and 26–34; Brand Manual contents, Exhibit F p. 1; Franchise Agreement §§4, 12, and 14, Exhibit A pp. 8–10 and 30–44.
How do Learning Centers and Studio Centers operate differently?
Both use the Code Ninjas System, but the Studio Center Rider changes the premises, hours, maintenance, and video-security model. A Studio Center may use approved shared or community space and operates around customer reservations.
| Dimension | Learning Center | Studio Center | Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premises | About 1,100–1,500 square feet at a fixed Accepted Location. | Under 1,000 square feet or approved school, church, community, or shared space. | Studio operation depends on host access. |
| Location right | Lease, sublease, or ownership at an accepted site. | Approved right to use a location for at least one year. | Host agreement is a required input. |
| Hours | Brand Manual hours or written approval. | Customer-selected reservation times. | Studio staffing follows bookings. |
| Video | Managed video security may be required and monitored. | No camera or franchisor video-feed requirement. | Computer System specifications differ. |
| Maintenance | Franchisee repairs, refurbishes, and remodels. | Franchisee requests repairs from the space controller. | Premises responsibility is shared. |
Evidence: Code Ninjas 2026 FDD, Item 7 notes, pp. 19–21; Item 11, pp. 26–34; Studio Center Rider §§3–9, Exhibit A pp. 82–84.
Can the owner hire a manager instead of running every session?
Yes, but the contract does not describe passive ownership. The unit must remain under active full-time management by either the Designated Principal or a trained, qualified Center Director.
An entity must appoint an individual owner as Designated Principal. That person must hold at least 10%, complete training, supervise the Learning Center, control business decisions, and bind the franchisee. If not supervising full-time and daily, the franchisee must employ a full-time Center Director acceptable to Code Ninjas, LLC.
The official franchise FAQ describes an owner-operator or general-manager choice; the FDD defines the required Designated Principal and Center Director structure.
Evidence: Code Ninjas 2026 FDD, Items 11 and 15, pp. 33–34 and 40–41; Item 16, p. 41; Franchise Agreement §§6 and 8.5, Exhibit A pp. 15–17 and 22.
Which suppliers, assets, and systems are mandatory?
The franchisee cannot freely substitute curriculum, merchandise, equipment, Payment Vendors, or operating software. Code Ninjas, LLC approves specifications and suppliers, may designate sources, and may require upgrades or revoke approval.
Curriculum and assets
Input Items include curriculum, learning materials, student laptops, furniture, workstations, supplies, apparel, signage, and branded Products. Learning Centers also use approved POS hardware, an Android tablet, and security cameras; Studio Centers have the camera exception.
Platforms and records
The 2026 training schedule names Microsoft, Moodle, Canva, ChildcareCRM, IMPACT, and Dojo; SharePoint is the knowledge hub. The Computer System also covers POS, accounting, reporting, telephone, Wi-Fi, backups, security, and Customer Apps.
Transaction flow
Portal, app, or franchisor-channel sales flow through a processor that allocates required deductions and the franchisee balance. Every sale must be recorded in the approved POS System.
No substitution before consent
An alternative supplier requires written approval before purchase. Code Ninjas, LLC may inspect, test, re-inspect, and revoke approval. No franchisor or affiliate was then the sole source, but the Franchise Agreement reserves single-source designation rights.
The April 2026 FDD lists Dojo. An official support announcement later stated that Dojo would be decommissioned on June 23, 2026 after functions moved to three integrated platforms. Verify the replacement stack, vendor contracts, migration duties, and data access.
Evidence: Code Ninjas 2026 FDD, Item 8, pp. 21–24; Item 11, pp. 30–34; Franchise Agreement §§7, 12, and 14, Exhibit A pp. 17–20 and 30–44; Studio Center Rider §9, p. 83.
What does the franchisor control, and what remains with the franchisee?
Code Ninjas, LLC controls the operating architecture and brand-facing rules. The franchisee remains the local employer and is responsible for premises, customer execution, records, and legal compliance; approved third parties supply required infrastructure.
Franchisee
Code Ninjas, LLC
Third parties
Franchisor support includes periodic field consulting, operations and marketing assistance, training, curriculum infrastructure, and suggested pricing. The Franchise Agreement controls the scope and timing of that assistance.
Evidence: Code Ninjas 2026 FDD, Item 11, pp. 27–34; Items 15–16, pp. 40–41; Franchise Agreement §§3, 6–8, and 12–14, Exhibit A pp. 6–7, 15–25, and 30–44.
Does the Protected Area include exclusive customers or online sales?
No. A compliant Learning Center typically receives a 1.5- to 2-mile Protected Area where another Code Ninjas Learning Center will not be physically established. It is not an exclusive market or customer grant.
The franchisee generally sells only through the Franchised Business at the Accepted Location. Remote learning away from the center, satellites, temporary sites, mobile formats, kiosks, catalogs, and internet sales are restricted unless approved. Code Ninjas, LLC and affiliates reserve alternative-distribution and e-commerce rights.
A Studio Center may use an approved host space within its Territory, but the location and access agreement require written approval. A Development Area is tied to a Development Schedule and does not remove reserved brands or channels.
Families reach local units through the official U.S. location finder. A franchisee cannot independently create a branded Digital Site or social page without approval; the franchisor may require sole or shared administration.
Evidence: Code Ninjas 2026 FDD, Item 12, pp. 34–37; Franchise Agreement §§1.3–1.6 and 14.5, Exhibit A pp. 4–5 and 41–42; Development Agreement §§5–6; Studio Center Rider §3.
What does Item 20 show about the U.S. outlet base?
Item 20 reports 245 U.S. outlets at December 31, 2025: 238 franchised and seven company-owned. The total increased by one during 2025 after a larger decline in 2024.
Source: Code Ninjas 2026 FDD, Item 20, Tables 1–4, pp. 52–58. Formula: count ÷ 245.
Item 20 reports 238 franchised outlets, while Item 1 states a different U.S. franchise count. The chart uses the prescribed Item 20 outlet table. Request a reconciled current list, format counts, and signed-but-not-open status.
Which operating questions remain material before signing?
The FDD defines control rights but does not disclose a universal staffing plan, center-level lead mix, current replacement-platform map, or format-level outlet population. Resolve those gaps for the proposed location and agreement.
Operating-model synthesis
Code Ninjas converts family demand into Subscriptions and approved program or Product purchases, fulfilled by trained personnel using approved curriculum and platforms. The franchisee’s central responsibility is local execution: leads, staffing, schedules, family service, premises, compliance, and complete records.
The strongest dependency is Code Ninjas, LLC’s control over the Brand Manual, offerings, Input Items, suppliers, technology, payments, data, marketing, Digital Sites, and inspections. The key format distinction is fixed Learning Center versus reservation-led Studio Center. The largest current uncertainty is the post-Dojo technology stack.
Official pages: U.S. franchising site, program catalog, camps, consumer FAQ, location finder, and support portal.