RedShelf operates a platform that distributes digital learning materials to higher education students. Its product suite includes a web-based eReader, a content delivery program for first-day access, customizable in-store and eCommerce transaction solutions, and a tool to streamline adoptions between bookstores and professors. The company partners with over 600 campus bookstores and offers more than 500,000 digital titles across 400 publishers. Founded in 2012 by CEO Greg Fenton and based in Chicago, RedShelf collaborates with publishers, institutions, campus bookstores, and strategic partners to accelerate the transition to digital learning. It plans to use the $25M Series C to accelerate employee growth, product innovation, improve customer service, and expand within the higher education market. The company aims to make learning materials more accessible and affordable through its technology. RedShelf operates a cloud-based e-reader platform focused on selling digital college textbooks. The company partners with more than 500 educational bookstores to offer students content at roughly a 60% discount versus paper versions. Since launching four years ago, RedShelf has seen tremendous growth and aims to give students access to course materials at lower prices. Its business model reduces the resale market for used textbooks, which the company argues lets publishers sell more copies year after year while students pay less and get the latest editions. RedShelf highlights additional advantages of e-books such as lighter backpacks, searchability, and easier annotation. The company plans to use new funding to drive product development on its e-reader and to expand development and content partnership capabilities to grow market share. RedShelf operates a browser-based eReader and eCommerce platform that streamlines discovery and distribution of eBooks and other digital course materials for colleges and students. The company partners directly with all five major academic publishers and with more than 400 independent publishers, offering over 160,000 titles. RedShelf experienced rapid retail growth, expanding from 20 to 160 campus bookstores in 2014 and targeting partnerships with at least 350 bookstores by the end of 2015. The company will use new funding to launch features and products, improve its platform, and support new relationships with publishers and educational institutions. RedShelf emphasizes affordability, user-friendly software, and customer service to accelerate digital adoption on campuses. Founders Greg Fenton (CEO) and Tim Haitaian (CFO) initially raised more than $1M in seed funding from various angel investors.

Total raised

$31M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Oct 2018