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From the filings
+9.677% units YoYHQ-led decisions
Lightbridge Franchise Company
EducationLightbridge Franchise Company operates 92 early-childhood education centers nationwide, 68 franchised and 24 company-owned, with purchasing routed through an approved-supplier list set by headquarters. The FDD names several platforms, including LineLeader and Procare, but ties none of them to a contractual requirement. With unit count up 9.7% year over year, the network's base of software buyers is still expanding.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
92
68 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+9.677%
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2026
Royalty
—
of gross sales
Ad fund
—
national + local
Initial fee
$50K
per unit
Investment range
—
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
Systems named in Item 11 of this filing. None is recorded as mandated here, which is not the same as the filing mandating nothing. Read Item 11 before treating the category as open.
LineLeaderLineLeader
hart 2.8.5.2 Communication via Lightbridge Journey App - Teacher Resource 2.8.5.3 Communication via Lightbridge Journey App - Administrator Resource 2.8.5.4 Enroll (CRM) 2.8.5.4.1 LineLeader Enroll Gr
LinkedInLinkedIn
Welcome Letter 2.3.7.3.3 Help Wanted Editable Flyer 2.3.7.3.4 Best Practices for Recruiting 2.3.7.3.5 Best Practices for Posting on Indeed 2.3.7.3.6 Best Practices for Posting on LinkedIn 2.3.8 Separa
Listen360Listen360
alytics User Guide 2.8.2.3 QuickBooks Server User Guide 2.8.2.4 Tablets/iPads User Guide 2.8.2.5 ZKTeco BioSecurity User Guide 2.8.3 Listen 360 2.8.3.1 Listen360 Trainings 2.8.3.2 Listen360 Overview 2
ProcareProcare Solutions
ssment: Admin Guide to Assigning Assessment to Classrooms 4.2.2 VINE Assessment: Roster Upload Template 4.2.3 VINE Assessment: Parent Letter 4.2.4 VINE Resources and Support 4.2.5 ProCare - Edit/Add S
QuickBooksIntuit
2.8.5.5.13 Setting QuickBooks to Open in Multi -User Mode by Default 2.8.5.5.14 Payroll Deductions Process 2.8.5.5.15 Payment Statement Instructions 2.8.5.5.16 Deleting a Batch in QuickBooks 2.8.5.5.1
YelpYelp
s 1 -9 3.7.6.2 Editing Center Hours 3.7.6.3 Boosting a Post 3.7.6.4 Viewing Insights 3.7.6.5 Creating a Job Post 3.7.6.6 Facebook Editable Flyer 3.7.6.7 Creating a Promotion 3.7.7 Yelp 3.7.7.1 Yelp We
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
25 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 2 explicit no's; 7 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We may have independent access to the information and data contained in your Computer System, which includes your Parent View®/Watch Me Grow Classroom Monitoring System and other Lightbridge standard technology solutions.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
(ii) unaudited annual financial reports and operating statements in the form specified by Franchisor, prepared by a certified public accountant or state licensed public accountant, within 60 days 14 © Lightbridge Academy Franchise Agreement 2026 after the close of each fiscal year of Franchisee;
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We may designate our self or our affiliate as an approved vendor for certain items, and in some instances, as the only approved vendor.
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 20
We created the Lightbridge Franchise Advisory Committee in August 2016.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor may, from time to time, change the standards and specifications applicable to operation of the Franchise, including standards and specifications for inventory, products, supplies, signs, fixtures, furnishings, technology and equipment, by written notice to Franchisee or through changes in the Confidential…
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
In our last fiscal year, neither we nor any of our affiliates generated revenue from the sale of goods or services to franchisees.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
We may negotiate rebate arrangements with some of our suppliers. In our last fiscal year, we received $179,849 from rebates, of goods or services to franchisees, which was approximately 0.9% of our overall revenues.
Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?
80Item 8
We estimate that 90% of your purchases and leases in establishing your Lightbridge Academy Center and approximately 80% of your total purchases and leases in operating the Lightbridge Academy Center will be from suppliers that we designate.
Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
YesItem 8
We may also charge you a fee for services in making a decision on the proposed service, product or supplier.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you desire to purchase any item for which approval is required, from a supplier not on our approved supplier list, you must request approval of the item or supplier in writing and we will evaluate the supplier and/or item for approval.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesItem 17
your business telephone numbers to us termination/nonrenewal or our designee, surrender all stationery, printed matter, signs, advertising materials and other items containing the Proprietary Marks and all items which are part of the System trade dress, sell to us any furnishings, equipment, seating, tables, desks…
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
We may, in our discretion, provide inspections and written evaluations of your Center’s operations at the times we determine and advise you of any concerns we identify.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
Fr om time to time Franchisor may, through changes in the Confidential Operations Manual or by other notice to Franchisee, change any standard or specification or any of the Proprietary Marks applicable to the operation of the Lightbridge Academy Center or ch ange all 17 © Lightbridge Academy Franchise Agreement 2026…
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesFranchise agreement
Within the 180-day period, Franchisee must find a suitable site meeting Franchisor’s specifications, submit a request for approval, deliver all information and copies of proposed agreements, receive Franchisor’s approval, and then either enter into a lease or sublease for the site meeting Franchisor’s requirements…
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesItem 11
Except as we approve in advance in writing, you may not establish or maintain a separate Website, or otherwise maintain an online or social media presence or advertise on the Internet or any other public computer network in connection with your Lightbridge Academy Center , or establish any url containing the…
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 11
Grand opening advertising and marketing expenses should be included in the first quarter operating budget and will be a minimum of $5,000 to be spent on digital advertising, direct mail, other advertising or local advertising.
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 11
you must spend each quarter during the term of this Agreement, a minimum of $6,000 on local advertising
Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?
YesItem 11
If we establish an advertising cooperative within a geographically defined local or regional marketing area in which your Center is located, you must participate and abide by any rules and procedures the cooperative adopts and we approve.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall purchase only products and services, including Lightbridge Academy branded products, inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, equipment, signs, software and logo-imprinted products, which Franchisor approves, including purchasing from approved suppliers or a designated sole supplier for any items.
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall purchase only products and services, including Lightbridge Academy branded products, inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, equipment, signs, software and logo-imprinted products, which Franchisor approves, including purchasing from approved suppliers or a designated sole supplier for any items.
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall furnish the bank with authorizations necessary to permit Franchisor to make withdrawals from the Account by electronic funds transfer.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee must hire a full time Center Director to be responsible for the direct on premises supervision of the Center at all times during the hours of operation.
Point of sale
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We may have independent access to the information and data contained in your Computer System, which includes your Parent View®/Watch Me Grow Classroom Monitoring System and other Lightbridge standard technology solutions.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor reserves the right to offer refresher courses and supplemental training programs, which may be optional or mandatory, from time to time, to Franchisee, its equity owners if Franchisee is a business entity, its Director and/or its other employees.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 11
Attendance at the conference by you and/or certain of your personnel is mandatory.
The filing answers no to 2 questions
- Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?Item 8
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?Item 16
The vendor opportunity at Lightbridge Franchise Company Lightbridge Franchise Company runs 92 early-childhood education centers under the Lightbridge Academy brand, 68 of them franchised and 24 company-owned as of the 2026 FDD. Unit count grew 9.7% year over year, a signal of active site openings that create fresh technology-buying moments across the network.
Who controls software purchasing Lightbridge's Item 8 procurement rules route most purchasing through an approved-supplier list set by the franchisor, with a process for franchisees to propose alternatives. That structure puts real leverage at headquarters even where individual software categories carry no mandate, since new vendors typically need to clear the approved list before a center can buy from them.
Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required The FDD names seven platforms in Item 3 — Facebook, LineLeader, LinkedIn, Listen360, Procare, QuickBooks, and Yelp — but none of them is required by contract. LineLeader and Procare are both childcare-management systems, QuickBooks handles accounting, and the remaining names are social and reputation channels. A vendor pitching Lightbridge should read this list as evidence of the tools already circulating in the system, not as a locked stack: nothing in Item 3 forces a center to keep using any one of them.
Procurement, renewals, and timing Lightbridge operates 53 mapped operators across roughly 59 located units, with 5 running more than one location — a footprint still dominated by single-unit owners (48 of 53). Item 17 sets the franchise agreement's renewal, transfer and termination terms. With unit growth running near 10% a year, the more useful timing signal for a vendor is the pace of new-site openings rather than a renewal calendar.
How to read the Lightbridge Franchise Company FDD Lightbridge Franchise Company is part of Lightbridge Academy, filed as a single-brand holding structure with no sibling brands in the FDD. The full disclosure document, filed with state franchise regulators in 2026, is embedded below — read Item 3 for the named platforms and Item 8 for the supplier-approval process. Talk to FranCloud for a ranked list of franchise systems like this one that fit your product.
Questions vendors ask
Lightbridge Franchise Company, answered from the filing
Purchasing authority sits with headquarters: Item 8 routes procurement through an approved-supplier list, with a process for franchisees to request approval of new vendors.
The FDD requires none of the systems it names. Item 3 lists Facebook, LineLeader, LinkedIn, Listen360, Procare, QuickBooks, and Yelp, but ties none of them to a contractual mandate — they reflect tools in circulation, not requirements.
92 locations as of the 2026 FDD — 68 franchised and 24 company-owned — placing Lightbridge among established multi-unit operators in the education segment. Unit count grew 9.7% year over year.
Lightbridge runs an approved-supplier list: franchisees must generally buy from suppliers the franchisor has cleared, certain items come from designated suppliers only, and franchisees can propose alternate suppliers for approval under Item 8.
Item 17 covers renewal, transfer and termination terms. With unit count up 9.7% year over year, new-site openings are the more useful signal for vendors — each new location is a fresh technology-buying moment.
The full FDD is embedded in the viewer below. It was filed with state franchise regulators in 2026; Item 3 covers named platforms and Item 8 covers supplier approval.
Source
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment Lightbridge Franchise Company files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
53 operators run 59 mapped locations. 5 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit48
2–9 units5
Ownership
The portfolio behind Lightbridge Franchise Company
single_brand_holdco of Lightbridge Academy.
Related Education brands
Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.