Since launching in the UK in 2019, Code Ninjas has celebrated great success, with the kids coding franchise extending its presence across the country. Now going into its fourth year operating on this side of the Atlantic, the brand is taking stock of its network’s achievements over the past 12 months and looks forward to an exciting year ahead for 2023.
In line with the emerging demand in particular regions around the UK, Code Ninjas is proud to open its doors to more children up and down the country. This year saw no fewer than ten openings in Aylesbury, Borehamwood, High Wycombe, Hyde, Leicester and Uxbridge, as well as new locations in Scotland in Glasgow, Livingston and Newton Mearns, and its first location in Wales, Cardiff.
Best friends turned business partners Robin Theakston and Charlie Gunn successfully launched their High Wycombe location in February and, following a triumphant start, soon expanded to open in nearby Aylesbury in July. Now, after a year that saw student sign-ups exceed expectations, the pair are already looking at expanding further to reach more budding coders in 2023 and beyond.
“With its focus on instilling resilience, problem-solving and confidence in kids, Code Ninjas ticks all the boxes for me. We want to support children to feel confident in their own abilities and passions. As a dad-of-two, it’s something I feel particularly passionate about – it stands to reason that I’m so excited about our Aylesbury launch. After a busy year of coding camps and regular sessions, it’s exciting to see an appetite for a third location in the future,” said Robin.
With franchisees now operating across England, Scotland and Wales, Code Ninjas has over 500 territories internationally. “When looking back on the successes made in our global network in 2022, I’m thrilled to see our UK franchisees’ dedication to expanding to places previously untouched by such opportunities for children,” said Justin Nihiser, CEO of Code Ninjas. “I’m incredibly proud of the continued expansion of our brand’s presence in the UK, but even more proud of the fact we’ve been able to help thousands more children with their confidence whilst igniting their love of coding.”
In October, Barry Gibson joined as the new VP of finance and Mike Mercado as VP of operations. With more than 30 years of combined experience, Barry Gibson and Mike Mercado brought a new strategy and vision to Code Ninjas’ leadership team that will enable the brand to expand even further into the new year.
Regarding his appointment earlier this year, Barry said: “Joining Code Ninjas during this time of growth and expansion is an honour. I look forward to working with the wider team to build on the achievements that Code Ninjas has achieved in 2022 and drive us into 2023 and beyond to deliver success across the UK and internationally.”
Justin is equally excited to be taking the continued successes of Code Ninjas in the UK into another year. “Taking stock of what Code Ninjas has accomplished over the last 12 months, both in the UK and internationally, is nothing short of impressive,” explained Justin. “Our most recent NinjaCon in November was an excellent opportunity to recognise these achievements in person for the first time in three years and bring franchisees from across our international network together to celebrate a bumper 2022. I am proud to have led our global network in our mission of delivering kids coding in a fun and non-pressured environment this year – a service that’s very much in demand in the digital world we live in today. As we look to 2023, we want to further establish ourselves as the world’s leading kids coding provider, which continues to appeal to prospective franchisees in the UK and internationally. If the excellent work that our franchisees and leadership team have contributed to this year is anything to go by, I know we will continue to achieve even more greatness in the future.”
