Literati

Literati

Subscription-based curated books with luminaries

Overview

Literati provides a curated book subscription service for adults and children. For adults, it partners with Luminaries—influential figures from business, sports, activism, and the arts—who select and discuss a new hardcover book each month, guiding subscribers to an intellectually and inspirational read. For children, Literati offers a 'try before you buy' option with educator- and expert-reviewed book selections to ensure high-quality, age-appropriate literature. The model is subscription-based, with monthly fees for receiving curated books and additional sales of books subscribers choose to keep. This setup creates a steady income stream and differentiates Literati through celebrity involvement and expert children's reviews. The company aims to foster a love of reading by delivering carefully chosen books aligned with readers' interests and educational value.

About Literati

Simplify's Rating
Why Literati is rated
C+
Rated C on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Education

Consumer Goods

Entertainment

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Series B

Total Funding

$92M

Headquarters

Austin, Texas

Founded

2017

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Serves 2.5 million students across 4,000 annual fairs, generating nearly $40 million revenue.
  • Online book fairs extend sales a full month beyond competitors like Scholastic.
  • Year-round Literati Store fundraising gives schools 10% rewards on purchases.

What critics are saying

  • Scholastic's 90% market share undercuts Literati pricing and poaches contracts within 12-24 months.
  • Trustbridge scaling erodes $40M revenue margins through heavy discounting in 6-12 months.
  • Epic! and Raz-Kids capture 40% digital reading market, cannibalizing physical subscriptions in 12-18 months.

What makes Literati unique

  • Literati combines expert curation with data science for personalized children's book selections.
  • Acquired Follett Book Fairs in 2022 to become second-largest US school book fair provider.
  • Trustbridge Partners acquired Literati in 2026 to scale technology-driven book fairs.

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Funding

Total Funding

$92M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

3 Rounds

Series B funding is typically for startups that have proven their business model and need more funding to expand rapidly—often by entering new markets or adding more products. Investors are usually venture capital firms that specialize in later-stage investments.
Series B Funding Comparison
Above Average

Industry standards

$35M
$40M
Literati
$45M
Linktree
$65M
Substack
$100M
ClickUp

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Short-term Disability Insurance

Parental Leave

Flexible Work Hours

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Company Equity

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

-1%

2 year growth

0%
Business Wire
Jan 19th, 2022
Literati Expands Into Book Fair Market With Acquisition of Follett Book Fairs

Literati Expands Into Book Fair Market With Acquisition of Follett Book Fairs. Literati Book Fairs will focus on book curation and convenience.

Finsmes
Jan 27th, 2021
Literati Raises $40M in Series B Funding

Literati, an Austin, Texas-based subscription book club company, raised $40M in Series B funding

PR Newswire
Jan 27th, 2021
Literati Raises $40 Million to Focus on Deep Innovation in Books

/PRNewswire/ -- Austin-based Literati has announced a $40M Series B round to further invest in deep product and technological innovation in the book and...

Bizjournals
Jan 27th, 2021
Literati CEO plans hiring surge after raising $40M

Jessica Ewing envisions using machine learning to make books cool again for youngsters.

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