Art of Problem Solving

What Art of Problem Solving does

Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) is a privately held US educational company founded in 1993 by Richard Rusczyk that builds a vertically integrated math and STEM education platform for advanced K-12 students. The company operates three primary product lines: AoPS Online, a D2C online school serving grades 5-12 with live and self-paced courses priced from $155 to $894; Beast Academy, an elementary math curriculum (ages 6-13) delivered through print books and an online learning system; and AoPS Academy, a network of 15 US physical campuses plus a virtual campus offering in-person math, science, and language arts instruction. The curriculum is authored and taught by an unusually credentialed bench of former olympians, including USAMO winners, IMO gold medalists, and national team coaches.

Underlying the curriculum is a proprietary technology stack that includes Alcumus (an adaptive learning/recommendation engine with progress tracking), the AoPS Online Classroom (real-time live instruction platform), the AoPS Online Books platform (browser-based interactive textbooks integrated with the community and practice system), and For the Win! (a gamified math competition platform). These tools feed a 1M+ member online community that functions as both a top-of-funnel acquisition channel and a retention asset, with students progressing from free resources (Math Jams, MATHCOUNTS Trainer, community forums) into paid courses and book bundles.

AoPS monetizes through a mix of one-time book sales (print and digital, $10-$74), course tuition subscriptions ($155-$894 per 12-25 week course), and recurring online learning subscriptions such as Beast Academy Online and self-paced courses. Institutional revenue is indirect, anchored by WASC school accreditation, NCAA approval, and College Board AP designation (AP Calculus BC and AP Physics 1), which allow students to use AoPS coursework for high school credit. Brand-level validation is unusually strong: AoPS alumni comprise the entirety of Team USA's 2024 IMO first-place team, and the company holds platinum and silver sponsorships from quantitative trading firms including Jane Street, D.E. Shaw, Citadel, and Two Sigma. The company is led by CEO Ben Kornell, with founder Richard Rusczyk remaining active; total disclosed outside funding to date is a $3.5M round in June 2020.

Name

Art of Problem Solving

Legal name

AoPS Incorporated

Website

https://artofproblemsolving.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Art of Problem Solving is a US-based education company that delivers advanced K-12 math and STEM curriculum to high-performing students through online courses, textbooks, olympiad training, and 15 physical academy campuses, supported by a 1M+ member online community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Math Education

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Services (611), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Math Enrichment Curriculum, Workbooks & Question Banks (EDAMAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Competition Coaching & Training Programs (AMC/AIME/USAMO/MathCounts) (EDAMAEAA), Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA), Math & STEM Learning Technology (incl. Coding/Robotics Platforms) (EDAJAMAG)

Keywords

• Advanced math curriculum
• Online math courses
• Olympiad training programs
• Math competition preparation
• Elementary math education

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Online Courses: Live online math and science courses for grades 5-12. Courses range from 12-25 weeks with instructor-led instruction, homework feedback, and community access. Prices range from $155 for seminars to $894 for advanced courses like Calculus.
2. Print Books: Mathematics textbooks and curriculum materials for elementary through advanced high school math. Prices range from $10 for puzzle books to $74 for comprehensive textbooks like Intermediate Algebra.
3. Online Books: Digital versions of AoPS curriculum accessible through web browser. Same pricing as print versions, offering immediate access without shipping.
4. WOOT Programs: Worldwide Online Olympiad Training programs for math, physics, chemistry, and computer science. 7-month intensive programs priced at $845-$895.
5. In-Person Academy Classes: AoPS Academy physical campuses offering math, science, and language arts courses for grades 1-12 with small class sizes and accomplished instructors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Art of Problem Solving produces and delivers advanced math and science education for grades 1-12 through three integrated channels: AoPS Online (live online courses and textbooks for grades 5-12), Beast Academy (engaging comic-style curriculum and online platform for ages 6-13), and AoPS Academy (in-person small-class instruction at 15 US campuses plus a virtual campus). The company also operates an online community of 1M+ problem solvers and runs specialized Olympiad training programs (MathWOOT, CodeWOOT, PhysicsWOOT, ChemWOOT).

Product overview

Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) is an educational technology company offering a multi-platform portfolio of products for motivated math students in grades 1-12. The core offering consists of AoPS Online (online school for grades 5-12), Beast Academy (elementary math curriculum for ages 6-13), and AoPS Academy (in-person learning centers). These are supplemented by adaptive learning tools (Alcumus), competition platforms (For the Win!, MATHCOUNTS Trainer), video content, and Olympiad training programs (MathWOOT, CodeWOOT, PhysicsWOOT, ChemWOOT). The company also publishes comprehensive math textbooks and offers online book versions, creating an integrated ecosystem for advanced math education from elementary through Olympiad level.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Beast Academy: Elementary school math curriculum for students ages 6-13, featuring comic-book style guide books and practice materials
• AoPS Academy
• Alcumus
• For the Win!
• WOOT

Products and services

• AoPS Online School

Quantifiable outcome

• All 6 Team USA members at 2024 IMO were AoPS alumni
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MATHCOUNTScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAoPS produces free videos and activity sheets in collaboration with MATHCOUNTS. MATHCOUNTS is a national math competition program that AoPS extensively supports through curriculum and contest preparation courses.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mathnasium: Mathnasium is a franchise-based in-person math learning center chain serving K-12 students with curriculum focused on building math skills. Comparable to AoPS Academy in physical delivery, advanced-student focus, and supplemental-after-school positioning, though Mathnasium targets mainstream math tutoring rather than Olympiad prep.
• Russian School of Mathematics: Russian School of Mathematics operates after-school and weekend enrichment centers offering advanced math curriculum and competition preparation from elementary through high school. Direct overlap with AoPS Academy's in-person math enrichment, Olympiad preparation, and college-bound talent positioning.
• Think Academy: Think Academy provides after-school math enrichment, competition training (AMC/Mathcounts), and Olympiad-style courses for K-12 students via in-person and online channels. Closely comparable to AoPS in targeting gifted math students with advanced curriculum and contest preparation.
• Brilliant: Brilliant offers an online STEM/quantitative problem-solving platform with self-paced courses in math, logic, and science for motivated learners. Overlaps with AoPS's adaptive and gamified learning products (Alcumus, For the Win!) and its self-serve PLG GTM motion targeting curious advanced learners globally.

Broad incumbents

• Khan Academy: Khan Academy is a large, broad-reaching free online education platform covering K-12 and early college math, science, and more. Comparable as a wide-portfolio incumbent in online math learning; competes for student attention and parent mindshare though serving a far broader and more mainstream audience than AoPS.
• IXL Learning: IXL Learning operates a large K-12 personalized learning platform covering math, ELA, science, and social studies used in schools and at home. Relevant as an incumbent across the broader K-12 adaptive-math software market where AoPS's Alcumus competes at the advanced end.
• Chegg: Chegg provides study help, tutoring, and textbook rentals across K-12 and higher-ed math and STEM subjects. Relevant as a broad incumbent offering on-demand math homework support and tutoring, overlapping with AoPS's supplemental learning positioning for older students.

Emerging players

• Wolfram Alpha: Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine for math and STEM problem solving used heavily by advanced students. Comparable to AoPS as a tool advanced learners use alongside coursework; partial overlap in addressing math problem-solving workflows for motivated students.
• Symbolab: Symbolab is an AI-driven math problem solver and tutoring tool for step-by-step homework help across K-12 and higher-ed math. Comparable to AoPS for advanced-student math help; competing more directly with AI tutoring adjacency rather than the Olympiad pedagogy niche.
• Synthesis: Synthesis is an online enrichment program for gifted and advanced learners offering collaborative problem-solving and math programs for ages 7-14. Comparable to Beast Academy and AoPS Online as an enrichment play focused on advanced elementary and middle-school talent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AoPSNews
• Facebookfacebook.com/artofproblemsolving
• Instagraminstagram.com/theartofproblemsolving
• Pinterestpinterest.com/artofproblemsolving/pins

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Art of Problem Solving