What Home Training Tools does

Home Training Tools, Ltd. (operating as Home Science Tools) is a privately-held, family-owned specialty e-commerce retailer founded in 1995 and headquartered in Billings, Montana. The company sells hands-on science education supplies, lab kits, microscopes, dissection specimens, and curriculum materials directly to homeschool families, K-12 classroom teachers, homeschool co-ops, and institutional schools through its homesciencetools.com storefront. The flagship intellectual property is the Science Unlocked curriculum system, a proprietary grade-banded bundle structure (Wonder K-2, Accelerate 3-7, Launch 8-12) that combines textbooks, workbooks, and experiment supplies, complemented by branded product lines including Home Microscopes by HST and Home Science Kits. The company also assembles third-party publisher-aligned lab kits for curricula from Apologia, BJU Press, LIFEPAC, Berean Builders, Christian Light, and Monarch.

The business runs on a BigCommerce e-commerce platform with Authorize.net and PayPal for payments, UPS and USPS for shipping, and Zonos for international transactions, supplemented by Google Analytics and a third-party loyalty platform powering My Science Perks. Distribution is exclusively direct: a DTC storefront for consumers, a dedicated K-12 eProcurement site and school catalog for institutional buyers, and a 10%-commission affiliate program plus Refer-a-Friend rewards for community-led acquisition. Geographic reach is concentrated in the United States (with shipping restrictions on biological specimens) and Canada. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time product sales at unit prices ranging from roughly $12.95 for individual kits to $349.95 for premium microscopes, with curriculum bundles in the $66.95-$299.95 range; no subscription, recurring, or enterprise contract revenue is disclosed.

The company has 11-50 employees, no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, no M&A activity, and no leadership changes recorded in the source data. Founders Debbie Schaner and Frank Schaner (founder and CEO) remain associated with the business. The firm holds no patents, maintains PCI-DSS payment compliance and a WCAG 2.0 accessibility initiative, and operates with limited geographic diversification, making it a niche, operationally lean, family-run specialty retailer rather than a venture-backed growth company.

Name

Home Training Tools

Legal name

Home Training Tools, Ltd.

Website

https://homesciencetools.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Home Training Tools, Ltd. (dba Home Science Tools) is a family-owned e-commerce retailer, founded 1995 in Billings, Montana, selling hands-on science kits, lab equipment, microscopes, and curriculum bundles to US homeschool families, K-12 classrooms, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Science Supplies

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821)

akta.pro primary industry

Instructional Equipment & Classroom Tools (Whiteboards, Lab Kits, Manipulatives) (EDAEAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics Kits, Parts & Lab Equipment Providers (Education-Focused) (EDAMADAN), Open Lab Manuals & Practical Guides (STEM/CTE) (EDAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Science education supplies
• Homeschool curriculum kits
• Lab equipment retailer
• K-12 science materials
• Dissection specimens

Headquarters

HQ city

Billings

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time product sales of science supplies including chemistry equipment, biology specimens, lab kits, microscopes, and curriculum materials. Customers purchase individual items or bundled kits for specific experiments or courses.
2. My Science Perks Rewards Program: Loyalty rewards program where customers earn points for purchases and other activities, redeemable for discounts on future orders. Managed through third-party loyalty program integration.
3. Affiliate Program: 10% commission on store orders generated through affiliate partners including bloggers, content creators, and social media influencers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Home Training Tools, Ltd. (operating as Home Science Tools) is an e-commerce retailer that sells hands-on science education supplies, lab kits, microscopes, preserved specimens, and curriculum-aligned products to homeschool families, K-12 classroom teachers, co-ops, and schools. Its flagship proprietary offering is the Science Unlocked curriculum system with grade-banded bundles (Wonder K-2, Accelerate 3-7, Launch 8-12) that combine textbooks, workbooks, and experiment supplies, supplemented by proprietary Home Microscopes by HST and pre-assembled lab kits for third-party publishers such as Apologia, BJU Press, and LIFEPAC.

Product overview

Home Training Tools operates Home Science Tools as a specialized e-commerce retailer offering science education supplies for homeschool and classroom settings. The portfolio is organized around distinct product categories rather than a unified software platform: Chemistry supplies (equipment, glassware, chemicals, safety gear), Biology products (dissection specimens, microbiology, life science), Earth & Space science (astronomy, geology, environmental science), Physics & Engineering (lab equipment, robotics, electronics), and Microscopes. Science Kits provide themed experiment sets for various age groups and topics. The flagship curriculum brand is Science Unlocked, which offers grade-banded bundles (Wonder K-2, Accelerate 3-7, Launch 8-12) combining textbooks, workbooks, and experiment materials. Third-party publisher lab kits support established curricula from Apologia, BJU Press, LIFEPAC, and others. A companion Learning Center provides free science projects, experiment guides, and teaching resources. The company also sells science-themed gifts organized by age and interest category.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Science Unlocked: Complete science curriculum and lab kit system for homeschool students covering grades K-12 with level-based bundles (Wonder, Accelerate, Launch).
• Home Microscopes by HST
• Home Science Kits

Products and services

• Science Unlocked Curriculum Proprietary grade-banded homeschool science curriculum combining textbooks, full-color student workbooks, teacher guides, and bundled experiment supplies for a complete year of K-12 science education; available as Wonder (K-2), Accelerate (3-7), and Launch (8-12) full-year bundles plus single-month kits.
• Chemistry Supplies & Kits Chemistry lab equipment, glassware (beakers, flasks, test tubes, graduated cylinders, Pyrex), plasticware, chemicals, safety equipment (goggles, gloves, aprons), alcohol lamps/hot plates, digital scales, and curriculum-aligned chemistry kits for homeschool and classroom use.
• Biology Supplies & Kits Biology curriculum kits, microbiology supplies (agar, petri dishes, bacteria, virus & germ kits), dissection specimens, dissection kits and tools, life science materials including owl pellets, insect collecting supplies, plants & botany, ocean & water life, and human anatomy/physiology resources.
• Earth & Space Science Products Astronomy equipment and telescopes, geology supplies including rock tumblers, mineral and rock collections, plus environmental science kits covering solar/alternative energy, weather & climate, and ecosystems & conservation.
• Physics & Engineering Products Physics curriculum kits and lab equipment for force & motion, sound & wave motion, light, optics, and magnetism, plus technology and engineering kits including robotics and electronics.
• Microscopes Proprietary Home Microscopes by HST LED microscope line plus home, kids, student, laboratory, compound, stereo/dissecting, and digital microscopes from other brands, with prepared slides and slide-making accessories.
• Science Kits Ready-to-use themed experiment kits spanning chemistry, kitchen science, dissection, anatomy, biology, nature, earth & space, engineering, physics, electronics, forensic science, and science fair projects, including co-branded kits from Thames & Kosmos and Science Buddies.
• MicroChemistry Kit Advanced microscale chemistry kit with 18 hands-on activities covering physical properties, chemical reactions, reaction rates, pH, electrochemistry, and titration; includes 64-page manual, chemicals, safety equipment, and microscale lab apparatus. For ages 14+.
• Apologia Chemistry Lab Kit Pre-assembled equipment kit containing beakers, graduated cylinders, litmus papers, test tubes, scale, alcohol lamp, and other lab equipment needed to complete the Apologia Exploring Creation with Chemistry course experiments.
• Dissection Supplies Preserved specimens (fetal pigs, sharks, snakes, perch), dissection kits, dissection tools, and dissection guides for anatomy education; certain biological products restricted to 50 US states.
• Science Gifts Science-themed gift items organized by age bands (5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14+) and interest categories including STEM toys, engineering toys, chemistry toys, physics toys, nature toys, and thinking putty.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BigCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationHome Science Tools runs its e-commerce store on BigCommerce, a cloud-based commerce platform. BigCommerce is based in the US and is a participant in the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework. This platform handles all website functionality, product listings, shopping cart, checkout, and order processing.
• Authorize.netcoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary payment processor for credit card transactions. Authorize.net is an accredited payment gateway providing secure transaction processing for the HST online store.
• PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationAlternative payment option available at checkout for customers who prefer to pay through PayPal.
• UPS and USPScoreTechnology or IntegrationShipping carrier partners integrated with HST's checkout to provide real-time shipping estimates, delivery options, and package tracking for orders shipped to customers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• BJU Press: Homeschool curriculum publisher whose science courses pair with HST lab kits. Partner rather than competitor, but a vertical-integration risk if BJU were to build or acquire its own kit fulfillment.
• Mystery Science: K-5 science curriculum platform with hands-on lesson videos and activity guides. Adjacent competitor in the science-education content space targeting the same teacher and homeschool parent buyer.
• MEL Science: Subscription-based science kit company focused on hands-on chemistry and physics experiments for kids. Comparable science education kits, but with a recurring-revenue subscription model that differs from HST's one-time purchase structure.
• Apologia Educational Ministries: Homeschool science curriculum publisher (Exploring Creation series) whose lab kits are bundled and fulfilled by HST. Adjacent rather than directly competing — Apologia owns curriculum content, while HST owns kit assembly and fulfillment.
• KiwiCo: Subscription STEM/STEAM kit service for kids and teens. Targets a similar at-home enrichment buyer as HST's homeschool families, though broader across science, engineering, and art rather than deep science curriculum.

Direct peers

• Carolina Biological Supply: Major US supplier of science education supplies, kits, and preserved specimens for K-12 and homeschool markets. Overlaps directly with HST's chemistry, biology, and dissection categories, though Carolina skews more toward institutional schools.
• Thames & Kosmos: STEM and science kit publisher whose kits are sold through HST. Comparable product category (chemistry kits, robotics, physics kits) targeting the same home-and-classroom science education buyer, though Thames & Kosmos is brand-led rather than retailer-led.
• Steve Spangler Science: Science education brand offering hands-on experiment kits and STEM activities aimed at teachers and homeschool families. Closely comparable in content-marketing-led GTM and curriculum-aligned kit positioning.
• Ward's Science: Education-focused supplier of science kits, specimens, and lab equipment serving K-12 classrooms and homeschool families. Directly comparable in assortment (biology, chemistry, earth science) and target buyer (teachers and homeschool parents).

Broad incumbents

• Fisher Scientific: Large industrial and academic lab supplier with extensive chemistry, biology, and equipment catalogs. Comparable SKUs at the equipment and chemical level, but Fisher skews toward research/professional buyers rather than homeschool D2C.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HomeScience
• Facebookfacebook.com/homesciencetools
• Instagraminstagram.com/homesciencetools
• Pinterestpinterest.com/homesciencetools/_created
• Xx.com/HSTools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/home-science-tools

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Home Training Tools