STEM Education Business Opportunities: SE Asia & Middle East

CIY.Club licences are available across Southeast Asia — Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei — plus the UAE and Qatar, with further countries open. Partners can take an online coaching licence from US$9,500, a physical centre, a regional territory, or full country master rights.

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Where CIY.Club licences are available

Country Region Tracks Available
Malaysia Southeast Asia All tracks
Thailand Southeast Asia All tracks
Vietnam Southeast Asia All tracks
Indonesia Southeast Asia All tracks
Philippines Southeast Asia All tracks
Singapore Southeast Asia All tracks
Myanmar Southeast Asia All tracks
Cambodia Southeast Asia All tracks
Laos Southeast Asia All tracks
Brunei Southeast Asia All tracks
UAE Middle East All tracks
Qatar Middle East All tracks

and more countries available for licensing.

Track availability by country (online coaching, physical centre, regional, country master) is subject to confirmation with CIY.Club. Some territories may already have a master licensee in place; sub-licensing options may apply in those markets.

Why the region is a strong market for STEM education

CIY.Club identifies three demand drivers across its operating markets:

  • Governments are prioritising STEM and AI education. Across Southeast Asia and the Gulf, national education policy is increasingly emphasising digital literacy, coding and AI at the school level. This creates awareness of technology education among parents and school administrators alike.

  • Parents are actively searching for coding classes. Parent-driven demand for coding programmes as supplementary education is observable across the region. Extracurricular technology education is positioned alongside other enrichment activities in the same household spending category.

  • Digital transformation in schools. Schools are integrating technology across curricula, which increases student familiarity with technology learning and creates a supporting context for external coding programmes.

These are CIY.Club’s stated market observations. For independently sourced data on STEM education demand in the region, see the Why Coding and AI Education Is Growing guide, which references external sources.

Choosing between an online licence and a physical centre in your market

The choice between an online licence and a physical centre depends on your market, your capital position and your operational preference.

Online Coaching Partner Licence (from US$9,500) suits markets where:

  • Internet penetration is strong and parents are comfortable with online learning
  • You do not have a physical location or want to avoid premises costs at the start
  • You want to test the programme and build student numbers before committing to a larger investment

Physical CIY.Club Learning Centre (varies by territory) suits markets where:

  • In-person learning is strongly preferred by parents and students
  • A physical centre provides credibility in the local community
  • You have or can secure an appropriate venue at reasonable cost

Many partners across Southeast Asia begin online and add a physical centre once they have established a student base. Both tracks can be combined as the business grows.

How territories are allocated

Territory rights are defined in the licence agreement between CIY.Club and the partner. In markets where no master licensee exists, CIY.Club grants licences directly to individual and centre operators. In markets where a country or master licence is already held, sub-licences may be available through that master licensee.

Before signing, confirm:

  • Whether your specific territory is available
  • Whether it is exclusive or shared
  • What the renewal conditions are
  • Who to contact if a dispute arises about territory boundaries

Master and country rights in the region

For investors and experienced operators, country and master licensing rights are available across the named markets. A country licence grants national rights and the ability to sub-license to operators within that country.

This is the highest-commitment track in the CIY.Club structure and is suited to parties with significant operational experience and capital. See the Country & Master Licensing Opportunities guide for the full detail on this track.

Getting started in your country

Complete the qualification form on the CIY.Club business site and indicate your country and the track you are interested in. CIY.Club will confirm current territory availability, the applicable investment level for your market, and whether a direct licence or a sub-licence through a master licensee is the appropriate route.

Business Licensing Opportunities from US$9,500. Business performance depends on location, enrolment, operating costs, staffing, local execution and market conditions. All investment figures are estimates.

Frequently asked questions

Which countries can I open a CIY.Club in?

CIY.Club currently offers licensing across Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, UAE and Qatar. Additional countries are available — confirm current territory availability through the qualification form on the CIY.Club business site.

Can I licence in a country not listed?

CIY.Club states that further countries are available for licensing beyond the 12 named markets. If your country is not listed, complete the qualification form and indicate your country. CIY.Club will confirm whether a licence is currently available for that territory.

Do investment levels differ by country?

Yes. Country and master licence investment levels vary by country and are determined during the qualification process. The Online Coaching Partner Licence starts from US$9,500 across the available markets; physical centre and master licence levels vary. Confirm the specific figure for your territory with CIY.Club.

Can I start online before opening a centre?

Yes. Many partners begin with the Online Coaching Partner Licence and expand to a physical centre later. Starting online allows you to build student enrolment and operational experience before committing to premises costs. Upgrading tracks is a conversation to have with CIY.Club.

Are territories exclusive?

Territory exclusivity is set out in the licence agreement. Whether your territory is exclusive, and the conditions of that exclusivity, should be confirmed in writing before you sign. Do not assume exclusivity without seeing it in the agreement.

What if someone already holds my country's licence?

If a country or region licence is already held, alternative territories or sub-licence arrangements may still be available through the existing master licensee. Complete the qualification form and indicate your country — CIY.Club will confirm current availability and options.

Take the next step with CIY.Club

The qualification form takes around 10 minutes. It is not a commitment — it starts a conversation.

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