Grupo Aspasia completes the acquisition of Fivestars International Graduate School, one of the most established private fitness and sports nutrition training institutions in the Spanish market. The transaction, whose value has not been disclosed, marks the first time that a national leader in fitness education has been integrated into a large educational group backed by a private equity fund.
The acquisition forms part of Grupo Aspasia’s 2025–2030 strategic plan, following the entry into its shareholder base of private equity firm Growth Partners Capital, which acquired a 25% stake in the group in July 2025 with the aim of driving growth through a strategy of selective acquisitions in high-demand training niches.
Fivestars: a classic of Spanish fitness education
Founded in 2012 as a school specializing in personal training and sports nutrition, Fivestars has become a national benchmark in the training of professionals in the sector. Unlike more recent or purely digital projects, Fivestars has built its position by adapting to market evolution, regulatory changes and the increasing professionalization of the health and wellness sector.
Key facts about Fivestars:
A pioneering transaction
The fitness education sector in Spain had remained fragmented and largely outside the major corporate movements seen in areas such as vocational training or civil service exam preparation. This transaction opens a new phase of consolidation in a traditionally highly atomized segment.
Fivestars will continue to operate under its own brand and will retain its academic model, identity and management team, while leveraging Grupo Aspasia’s corporate platform to strengthen areas such as technology, marketing, sales and operational scalability.
Fit within Grupo Aspasia’s 2025–2030 strategic plan
The acquisition of Fivestars supports Grupo Aspasia’s diversification strategy, following the recent launch of new business lines in civil service exam preparation (Oposita Fijo), SAP technology training (Hoppers Academy) and digital micro-credentials (Refactika).
With this transaction, the group reinforces its commitment to training niches with strong labor market demand, a high digital component and consolidation potential.
Statements from the key players
Juan Salcedo, Business Director of Grupo Aspasia, highlighted the strategic fit of the transaction: “Fivestars is not just another acquisition: it is exactly the type of project we were looking for. A brand with history, a very loyal student community and a mature digital model. The fitness sector is undergoing rapid professionalization and we want to lead that transformation. Fivestars will retain its identity and its team, but will now benefit from the resources of a group that generates more than €50 million in revenue and trains 120,000 people every year.”
Rafael Romero, CEO and founder of Fivestars, also welcomed the integration: “After 14 years building Fivestars, finding the right partner for the next stage was essential. In Grupo Aspasia we have found a partner that understands education, respects the way we work and provides us with strength in technology, marketing and scalability. Our students and our team will feel the difference.”
About Grupo Aspasia
Grupo Aspasia is a leading Spanish education group in vocational training, publicly funded occupational training, civil service exam preparation and corporate training. With more than 70 centers in Spain, 120,000 students per year and revenues exceeding €50 million, the group has entered a new growth phase following the entry of Growth Partners Capital in July 2025.
Website: grupoaspasia.com
About Fivestars International Graduate School
Fivestars is a specialized training school in fitness, personal training and sports nutrition, with 14 years of experience and recognized as one of the benchmark institutions in the sector in Spain.
Website:fivestarsfitness.com
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