Open Access News

News from the open access movement


Thursday, October 23, 2008

Flat World announces new financing, staff

Jim Milliot, Open Source Text Publisher Gets More Financing, Publishers Weekly, October 21, 2008.

Flat World Knowledge, a year-old company that plans to publish free open source college textbooks, has received $700,000 in new financing, bringing total investment in the startup to $1.4 million. The company has also announced a number of new appointments, including that of former Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Newcomb to its board of advisors.

... A larger round of investment is expected to be completed within the next six months. ...

Flat World began beta testing its four titles this fall with over 600 students at 20 colleges. It has set the commercial launch for January.

In addition to naming Newcomb as an advisor, Flat World has added to its sales and marketing team, appointing three former print salespeople to new spots. Sharon Koch, formerly director of marketing for a division of Prentice-Hall/Pearson Education, has been named marketing director; Brett Sullivan, a senior account manager with McGraw-Hill, has been named director of eastern region sales; and Jennifer Welchans, formerly with West Publishing and Prentice-Hall, has been named director of inside sales.

See also our past posts on Flat World Knowledge.