Ascension
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersWest Chester, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
Ascension firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ascension
- Legal name
- Ascension
- Website
- https://ascensionpress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ascension industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious Publishing
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Worship & Liturgy Publishing (Liturgical Texts, Missals, Service Books, Hymnals) (MPAJAHAE), Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG), Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD), Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB)
Keywords
Where Ascension is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Chester
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ascension business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Physical Book Sales: Sale of Catholic Bibles, catechisms, study guides, and religious books through e-commerce platform. Products include various formats (leatherlike, paperback, large print, notetaking) at price points from $18.99 to $264.99.
- Digital Media and App Access: Free app with podcasts and digital content. Free subscriptions provided to priests and religious. Some premium digital content may drive engagement that converts to physical product sales.
- Study Programs and Courses: Online courses through Thinkific platform for Bible studies and leadership training. Programs include 'The Bible Timeline,' 'Foundations of Faith,' and other faith formation content.
- Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel, rosaries, gifts, prayer cards, planners, journals, and 'In a Year' branded merchandise.
- Support/Donation Model: Support Ascension section offering donations to fund free media including The Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year podcasts. Items priced at $25.00 for supporting free media content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Holy Bible - The Great Adventure Catholic Bible, Second Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Catechism of the Catholic Church, Ascension Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Is God Bigger Than a Dragon? Children's Book |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition - 4-Volume Bundle |
| Subscription | Monthly | Alto Monthly Prayer Companion |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Support Ascension Free Media |
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Subscriptions for Priests & Religious |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Ascension product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ascension is a Catholic media publisher that produces and sells Catholic Bibles, catechisms, study programs, religious books, children's resources, and branded merchandise through its e-commerce storefront. Its content ecosystem is anchored by the flagship "In a Year" podcast series (The Bible in a Year, The Catechism in a Year, The Rosary in a Year) and delivered digitally through the Ascension App and the Thinkific-based Study Dashboard. The company also supplies parish and school curricula, including the Pillars of Faith K-8 program, supported by parish relationship managers and bulk institutional pricing.
Product overview
Ascension is a Catholic media publisher offering a comprehensive portfolio of faith formation resources. The core offerings include the Bible Timeline Learning System (The Great Adventure Catholic Bible), the Catechism in multiple editions, and the family of 'In a Year' podcasts including The Bible in a Year (over 1 billion downloads), The Catechism in a Year, and The Rosary in a Year. These are delivered through the Ascension App (mobile/web), the Thinkific-based Study Dashboard, and YouTube video series. The product line extends to study programs like Genesis: From Creation to Covenant and Foundations of Faith, children's resources including the Great Adventure Catholic Bible for Young Beginners and Ascension Catechism for Young Beginners, liturgical resources like the Liturgy of the Hours Second Edition, and the Alto Monthly Prayer Companion. The company also publishes books such as 'Is God Bigger Than a Dragon?' and operates the Catholic Classics media series.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Bible in a Year: The flagship podcast program featuring Fr. Mike Schmitz reading through the Bible in one year
- The Catechism in a Year
- The Great Adventure
- Ascension Kids
- Catholic Classics
- The Ascension App
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 billion podcast downloads
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ascension
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ascension technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ascension partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- David HenrieflagshipDisney star David Henrie and his wife Maria Henrie released their first children's book 'Is God Bigger Than a Dragon?' through Ascension. The book combines rhyming text with illustrations by Adam Gustavson and features Scripture-based answers to help children ages 3 to 7 explore God's greatness. Ascension positions the book as a resource for family Bible study, bedtime reading, and faith milestones including baptisms and first communions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ascension competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Catholic Answers: Catholic Answers operates Catholic media, podcasts, books, digital content and apologetics resources. It overlaps with Ascension's creator-led education, publishing and Catholic audience engagement.
- Hallow: Hallow is a Catholic prayer and meditation app offering audio content, guided prayer and subscription access. It is a direct peer to Ascension's Catholic audio, app, prayer and faith-formation offerings.
- Formed: Formed is a Catholic faith-formation platform with video, audio, Bible study, sacramental and parish resources. It directly overlaps Ascension's integrated digital, parish and school content model.
- Dynamic Catholic: Dynamic Catholic produces Catholic educational programs, videos, books and parish resources focused on spiritual formation. It is comparable to Ascension's study programs, publishing, creator-led content and institutional distribution.
- Catholic Company: The Catholic Company sells Catholic books, devotionals, gifts, rosaries and religious articles through direct-to-consumer e-commerce. It directly overlaps Ascension's physical religious products and merchandise business.
- Word on Fire Catholic Ministries: Word on Fire distributes Catholic media, books, videos and digital content through creator-led evangelization. It is a direct peer in Catholic publishing, podcasts/video, audience development and related merchandise.
- Our Sunday Visitor: Our Sunday Visitor is a Catholic publisher and resource provider serving parishes, schools, families and individuals. Its books, curriculum, ministry resources and institutional channels are closely comparable to Ascension's publishing and religious-education operations.
- Ave Maria Press: Ave Maria Press publishes Catholic theology, spirituality, prayer, ministry and educational materials. It is a direct publishing peer to Ascension's Bibles, catechisms, study programs and spiritual resources.
Broad incumbents
- EWTN: EWTN is an established Catholic media network spanning television, radio, digital programming, news and religious content. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Ascension's content, podcast, app and publishing distribution capabilities.
Emerging players
- BibleProject: BibleProject creates digital Bible education through animated videos, apps, podcasts and related resources. It has partial but meaningful overlap with Ascension's visual learning systems, media distribution and Bible-study audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses6 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ascension social profiles
Digital presenceAscension compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Ascension financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ascension leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ascension funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ascension M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ascension
What does Ascension do?
Ascension is a Catholic media publisher that produces and sells Catholic Bibles, catechisms, study programs, religious books, children's resources, and branded merchandise through its e-commerce storefront. Its content ecosystem is anchored by the flagship "In a Year" podcast series (The Bible in a Year, The Catechism in a Year, The Rosary in a Year) and delivered digitally through the Ascension App and the Thinkific-based Study Dashboard. The company also supplies parish and school curricula, including the Pillars of Faith K-8 program, supported by parish relationship managers and bulk institutional pricing.
Is Ascension a public or private company?
Ascension is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ascension founded?
Ascension was founded in 2019. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Ascension based?
Ascension is headquartered in West Chester, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ascension make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Physical Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Media and App Access, study Programs and Courses, merchandise and support/Donation Model.
Who are Ascension's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Catholic Answers, Hallow, Formed, Dynamic Catholic, Catholic Company, Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, Our Sunday Visitor and Ave Maria Press. EWTN is listed as a broad incumbent. BibleProject is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ascension have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ascension.
What industry is Ascension in?
Ascension's product category is Religious Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAHAC, Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides), with a secondary code of MPAJAHAE, Worship & Liturgy Publishing (Liturgical Texts, Missals, Service Books, Hymnals). Its NAICS code is 516210 and its SIC code is 2731.