Partnership Positions High-Growth Youth-Enrichment Franchisor for Continued Success.
FRISCO, Texas, March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- KidStrong, a leading franchisor and operator of science-based kids training programs, announced today that it has received a strategic investment from Princeton Equity Group ("Princeton"), a private equity firm focused on investing in and partnering with leading franchisor and multi-unit concepts.
Founded in 2015 by husband-and-wife Matt and Megin Sharp and also Lincoln Brown, KidStrong provides science-based programming developed by child development experts, educators, occupational therapists, and sports performance specialists which aims to build strong, confident, and high-character kids. KidStrong's membership offers 45-minute classes for children up to age eleven that focus on improving emotional, mental, and physical skills through a fun and engaging curriculum. KidStrong also offers parties and camps.
"In Princeton, we found a partner aligned with our mission of empowering children to 'win at life' and reach their full potential," said Matt Sharp, Chief Executive Officer of KidStrong. "We are excited to tap into Princeton's expertise and resources to support our growing base of member families and franchisees."
Matt and Megin Sharp created KidStrong because they struggled to find a program that would help their daughter, Ella, develop critical athletic, academic, and social skills. They built the first KidStrong in the back of their house in Lexington, Kentucky in 2015 and then partnered with their good friend, Lincoln Brown, to help scale the business from a new home base in Frisco, Texas. KidStrong began franchising in 2019 and now has 184 centers and supports more than 85,000 members across the United States and Canada. Additionally, the company has over 320 franchise locations in development across 33 states, making it one of the fastest-growing franchise brands in the country.
Lincoln Brown, Executive Chairman, commented, "We are immensely proud of the brand we have built and are excited to continue working tirelessly on behalf of our talented franchisees and loyal member families. The future is so bright for KidStrong, and partnering with Princeton is an important step in the lifecycle of the company."
"We are very excited to partner with this special company and exceptional team to continue serving kids, families, and franchisees across North America," said Doug Kennealey, Managing Partner of Princeton Equity Group. "KidStrong is a remarkable company that is truly changing kids' and families' lives. We are honored to partner with Matt, Megin, Lincoln, and the rest of the team to continue delivering on the KidStrong mission."
"KidStrong is a highly innovative brand which is having an immeasurable impact on the families it serves, equipping children to be leaders in their classrooms and communities," said Joseph Trahan, Principal at Princeton Equity Group. "We could not be more thrilled to partner with this transformational brand through its next phase of growth."
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP served as legal counsel to KidStrong. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and DLA Piper LLP served as legal counsel to Princeton.
About KidStrong
KidStrong is a franchisor and operator of science-based classes that help develop critical physical, cognitive, emotional, and social skills for children up to age eleven. KidStrong also offers parties and camps to members and non-members. The company has 184 centers supporting more than 85,000 members across North America. For more information, visit www.kidstrong.com.
About Princeton Equity Group
Princeton Equity Group is among the most experienced franchisor and multi-unit investors in the United States and manages approximately $1.6 billion of assets. Princeton focuses on investing in leading franchisor and multi-unit companies and views each investment as a long-term, supportive business partnership with founders and management teams. The principals at Princeton have sponsored investments in some of the most admired, growth-oriented franchisors and multi-unit companies in the United States. For more information, visit www.princetonequity.com.
Media Contact: Gabe Rosenberg, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or (734) 277-8332
Disclosures
Certain statements quoted above were made by KidStrong personnel. KidStrong's personnel have not received compensation for the above statements, and these statements are solely their opinion and representative of their experience with Princeton. Other portfolio company executives may not necessarily share the same view. An executive of a Princeton portfolio company may have an incentive to make a statement that portrays Princeton in a positive light as a result of the executive's ongoing relationship with Princeton and any influence that Princeton may have or had over the governance of the portfolio company and the compensation of its executives. It should not be assumed that Princeton's investment in KidStrong has been or will ultimately be profitable.
SOURCE Princeton Equity Group
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