Cognita to co-found sports and academic academy in Massachusetts

Scheduled to open in September 2026 in Stow, Massachusetts, the academy will serve more than 700 day and boarding students in grades 6–12, plus a post-graduate year.

Located on an 82-acre campus outside Boston, MAI will feature 400,000 sq ft of facilities, including indoor and outdoor sports fields, a four-court basketball pavilion, an e-sports arena, and a physical and mental conditioning center. Academic courses will be delivered in partnership with the, NCAA accredited, Newman School in Boston.

The program is built around four key aspects – Academics, Sports & Majors, Life Skills, and College and Career Preparation. Students will undertake daily academic sessions alongside four-hour training blocks in sports such as hockey, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, basketball, fencing, and e-sports. Over grades 6–12, students will complete more than 2,880 hours of sport-specific training.

In addition, USA Fencing will make MAI the official home of the US Olympic and Paralympic sport, hosting training camps for all levels of Team USA.

Cognita Group CEO Frank Maassen said, “MAI embodies the Cognita spirit – combining world-class education with real-world preparation and personal ambition. With its focus on academics, athletics, life skills, wellbeing and leadership, it offers a truly holistic education that nurtures the whole student.”

The development has received US$2.85 million from Massachusetts’ Economic Development Incentive Program and is expected to contribute significantly to the region’s educational and economic landscape.

Cognita Schools is an international schools group founded in 2004. It operates more than 100 schools across 20 countries, educating over 100,000 students.