Lightbridge Academy Targets Georgia's Booming Population for Early Education and Child Care Franchise Expansion

Lightbridge Academy®, a leading early childhood education and child care franchise with nearly 70 open units, is set to expand its presence in the rapidly growing Georgia market. With a Circle of Care philosophy that empowers parents, teachers, franchisees and the community, to come together to create a one-of-a-kind educational experience for young children, Lightbridge Academy aims to address the increasing demand for quality child care in the region.

The National Association of Realtors recently named Atlanta the city to watch in 2023 due to its robust job market and relatively affordable housing, which is drawing young families from around the country.

"The growing population in Georgia, particularly in cities like Marietta, Alpharetta, Norcross and Augusta, presents an excellent opportunity for Lightbridge Academy to expand our footprint and help address the urgent need for quality early childhood education and child care services," said Lightbridge Academy CDO Craig Murray.

Child care is a “need” that supports and sustains the growing workforce. As a result, the children’s services industry continues to grow at a tremendous pace and according to a recent study published by Grand View Research revealed, it is projected to become a $73.8 billion dollar category by 2027.

Lightbridge Academy continues to stand out from competitors by going beyond traditional educational child care and taking a forward-thinking approach. The brand offers real time technology to keep parents connected to their children and the highest levels of security with silent alarms and facial recognition. In 2020, the brand also introduced The Lightbridge Promise, the Gold Standard in health and safety for child care, which included installing enhanced air purification and filtration systems in all centers, along with heightened cleaning and sanitation processes.

The Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) alone is expected to accommodate up to six Lightbridge Academy centers, Murray said, while the entire state of Georgia could potentially host 10 to 15 centers.

To streamline the expansion process and reduce the time frame for opening child care centers, Lightbridge Academy is proactively leasing real estate sites at the corporate level before franchise owners are signed. This strategy allows the brand to leverage its development partnerships and ensure a more efficient launch for new franchisees, while providing landlords with a guarantee.

"We've initiated our preliminary search for real estate in the Atlanta market, specifically looking for land opportunities,” Murray added. “We haven't begun sales yet, but our goal is to secure locations under LOI and lease so franchisees can quickly establish their centers.”

This multi-pronged approach to real estate, combined with the availability of land for new centers and existing spaces for conversion, makes Georgia an ideal market for expansion, Murray said.

“We're eager to find franchise owners who share our Circle of Care philosophy and are ready to serve the families in this rapidly growing region,” said Murray.