RedShelf
Chicago, US · Founded 2011 · 35 employees on LinkedIn · 1 known investors
RedShelf is a platform offering digital textbooks and e-learning content to college students, providing access to nearly one million titles at reduced prices. It includes built-in study tools such as highlighting, note-sharing, flashcards, study guides, citation generation, and text-to-speech.
Also known as RedShelf
Founders & leadership
RedShelf was founded in 2011 by Gregory Fenton and Timothy Haitaian.
Board
Investors · 1
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$55.6M disclosed across 7 rounds · 2015–2023
▶$13.1MraisedFeb 2023 · 4 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Craig PinesDirector
- Paula BachmanExecutive Officer
- Gregory FentonExecutive Officer, Director
- Richard PattersonDirector
- Patrick FentonDirector
- Timothy HaitaianDirector
- Robert WaltonDirector
- Charles TollincheDirector
- Robert HollandExecutive Officer, Director
- Richard ParkerExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $15.4M
- Amount sold
- $13.1M
- First sale
- Jan 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$300KraisedOct 2020 · 1 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Richard ParkerExecutive Officer
- Gregory FentonExecutive Officer, Director
- Trevor CampionDirector
- Charles TollincheDirector
- Timothy HaitaianDirector
- Rick PattersonDirector
- Robert WaltonDirector
- Scott KellyExecutive Officer
- Thomas ScottyExecutive Officer
- Patrick G. FentonDirector
- Offering amount
- $300K
- Amount sold
- $300K
- First sale
- Apr 2020
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$10MraisedOct 2020 · 33 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Timothy HaitaianDirector
- Gregory FentonExecutive Officer, Director
- Trevor CampionDirector
- Richard ParkerExecutive Officer
- Thomas ScottyExecutive Officer
- Scott KellyExecutive Officer
- Charles TollincheDirector
- Robert WaltonDirector
- Rick PattersonDirector
- Patrick G. FentonDirector
- Offering amount
- $10M
- Amount sold
- $10M
- First sale
- Aug 2020
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$22.2MraisedOct 2018 · 37 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Thomas ScottyExecutive Officer
- Charles TollincheDirector
- Robert WaltonDirector
- Patrick G. FentonDirector
- Gregory FentonExecutive Officer, Director
- Tao HuangDirector
- Rick PattersonDirector
- Timothy HaitaianExecutive Officer, Director
- Scott KellyExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $22.2M
- Amount sold
- $22.2M
- First sale
- Aug 2018
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$3MraisedOct 2018 · 24 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Timothy HaitaianExecutive Officer, Director
- Scott KellyExecutive Officer
- Gregory FentonExecutive Officer, Director
- Thomas ScottyExecutive Officer
- Rick PattersonDirector
- Patrick G. FentonDirector
- David S. EberlyDirector
- Offering amount
- $3M
- Amount sold
- $3M
- First sale
- Jul 2017
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$5.1MraisedApr 2017 · 23 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Rick PattersonDirector
- Thomas ScottyExecutive Officer
- Patrick G. FentonDirector
- David S. EberlyDirector
- Timothy HaitaianExecutive Officer, Director
- Scott KellyExecutive Officer
- Gregory FentonExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $5.1M
- Amount sold
- $5.1M
- First sale
- May 2016
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$2MraisedMay 2015 · 8 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Thomas ScottyExecutive Officer
- Patrick G. FentonDirector
- Scott KellyExecutive Officer
- David S. EberlyDirector
- Gregory FentonExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- Timothy HaitaianExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- Offering amount
- $2M
- Amount sold
- $2M
- First sale
- Jan 2015
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2011
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026RedShelf operates an online platform for purchasing and reading digital textbooks and other e-learning content, marketed primarily to college students. Its catalog is organized into categories including study aids, science and math, computers and technology, business and economics, politics and social sciences, fiction, nonfiction and children's books, and is searchable by ISBN, title or keyword.
The reading platform bundles a set of study features: text highlighting and note-taking with the ability to share notes with classmates, an in-text dictionary for defining unfamiliar words, flashcard creation while reading, study guide building for review and test preparation, automatic citation generation in APA, MLA and Chicago styles, text-to-speech with selectable voice and pace, printing of selected pages, and offline reading. The company positions digital editions as costing up to 80% less than print, accessible from any device, and lighter and more environmentally friendly than physical books. The storefront is available in English, French and Spanish.
Business model
RedShelf distributes digital editions of textbooks and other titles to students through its own e-commerce storefront, with reading and study functionality delivered through its online platform.
Latest developments
The RedShelf website displays a notice that RedShelf and VitalSource have united, directing customers to make future purchases on VitalSource.com.
▸Full profile — technology, go-to-market, geography
Technology
A browser- and device-accessible digital reading platform supporting highlighting, note sharing, dictionary lookup, flashcards, study guides, multi-style citation generation, text-to-speech with adjustable voice and pace, page printing and offline reading.
Go-to-market
College and university students purchasing course materials and study aids; the site also references institutional-facing customer support relationships.
Geography
Operates online with a storefront offered in English, French and Spanish.
Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 1
launches, deals, and filingsA notice on RedShelf's website states that RedShelf and VitalSource have united and encourages customers to shop on VitalSource.com for future purchases.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 1
primary sources listed
- RedShelfredshelf.com · web
1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does RedShelf do?
- RedShelf sells digital textbooks and e-learning content to college students with built-in study tools.
- Who founded RedShelf?
- RedShelf was founded by Gregory Fenton, Timothy Haitaian in 2011.
- Who are RedShelf's investors?
- RedShelf's investors include Dns Capital.
- How much funding has RedShelf raised?
- RedShelf has disclosed $55.6M raised across 7 rounds.
- Where is RedShelf headquartered?
- RedShelf is headquartered in Chicago, US.