Harvard Business Services
Harvard Business Services, Inc., founded in 1981 in Lewes, Delaware, is a privately held document filing service that has formed over 400,000 Delaware LLCs and corporations. It sells formation packages and $50/year registered agent subscriptions to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and non-U.S. residents across all 50 states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersLewes, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Harvard Business Services does
Harvard Business Services, Inc., founded in 1981 by Rick Bell in Lewes, Delaware, is a privately held document filing service that has formed over 400,000 Delaware limited liability companies and corporations. The company operates a web-based platform (delawareinc.com) supporting online ordering, live chat, phone-based inside sales via a toll-free 1-800 number, and the MyControlDesk client portal for document and account management. Its core products are Delaware LLC and corporation formation packages offered in Basic, Standard, and Green tiers for domestic customers and parallel packages for non-U.S. residents, each bundled with one year of registered agent service.
The revenue model combines low-dollar, high-volume one-time formation fees with a recurring $50/year registered agent subscription that is contractually locked for the life of each company. Ancillary services — mail forwarding, certificates of good standing, apostille, foreign qualification, stock amendments, name changes, series LLC formation, and franchise tax facilitation — contribute incremental professional services revenue. Go-to-market is sales-led, relying on SEO, a weekly blog, educational videos and webinars, and a Spanish-language site to attract entrepreneurs, SMBs, real estate investors, trucking owner-operators, and non-resident incorporators across all 50 U.S. states and internationally. The company is privately held with no outside funding and competes against larger, venture-backed formation agents such as LegalZoom and Northwest Registered Agent primarily on price, tenure, and personalized service.
Harvard Business Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Harvard Business Services
- Legal name
- Harvard Business Services, Inc.
- Website
- https://delawareinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Harvard Business Services, Inc., founded in 1981 in Lewes, Delaware, is a privately held document filing service that has formed over 400,000 Delaware LLCs and corporations. It sells formation packages and $50/year registered agent subscriptions to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and non-U.S. residents across all 50 states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Harvard Business Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Formation and Registered Agent Services
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161)
- SIC
- Services-Management Services (8741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business Registration & Corporate Affairs (Registries) (BPAIAOAA)
Keywords
Where Harvard Business Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lewes
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Harvard Business Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Registered Agent Services: Annual registered agent service fee of $50 per company, per year, guaranteed to remain fixed for the life of the company. This is a recurring annual subscription revenue stream.
- Company Formation Services: Fees for forming Delaware LLCs and corporations, including Basic, Standard, Green, and other package options. One-time formation fees plus annual registered agent renewals.
- Additional Business Services: Revenue from additional services including mail forwarding, certificate of good standing orders, certified copies, apostille service, foreign qualification filings, stock amendments, and franchise tax payment processing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Registered Agent Service - $50/year |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Formation Packages (Basic, Standard, Green) |
| Subscription | Annual | Registered Agent Agreement - $50 annual fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Harvard Business Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Harvard Business Services is a Delaware-based document filing service that forms Delaware LLCs and corporations on behalf of entrepreneurs, small business owners, and non-U.S. residents. Every formation package is bundled with one year of Registered Agent service, after which clients renew at a guaranteed flat $50 per company, per year. The company also provides recurring compliance and ancillary services such as foreign qualification, certificate of good standing, mail forwarding, apostille, stock amendments, corporate name changes, series LLC formation, and franchise tax payment processing.
Product overview
Harvard Business Services is a document filing service offering company formation and registered agent services. The core offering consists of Delaware LLC and Corporation formation packages (Basic, Standard, and Green tiers for domestic filings, plus Basic and Standard for international filings). The Standard packages include a physical corporate kit with seal, stock certificates, and minute book, while Basic and Green packages provide digital documents. Core services are bundled with one year of Registered Agent Service at $50/year guaranteed. Additional services include Foreign Qualification, Certificate of Good Standing, Mail Forwarding, Apostille Service, Stock Amendments, Name Changes, and Series LLC formation. The MyControlDesk online portal provides clients access to their accounts, documents, and communications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Delaware LLC Formation Preparation and filing of Delaware LLC formation documents with the Delaware Division of Corporations, bundled with one year of Registered Agent service. Targeted at entrepreneurs, small business owners, and non-U.S. residents forming a Delaware entity for asset protection and compliance.
- Delaware Corporation Formation Preparation and filing of a Certificate of Incorporation and corporate bylaws with the Delaware Division of Corporations, bundled with one year of Registered Agent service. Targeted at entrepreneurs and small businesses forming a Delaware C-corp or S-corp election.
- Registered Agent Service Annual service that receives and forwards legal documents, government notices, and service of process on behalf of a Delaware (or any-state) LLC or corporation at a flat $50 per company per year, guaranteed never to increase. Targeted at every Delaware company HBS forms and at ongoing clients across all 50 states.
- Foreign Qualification Filing Filing service that qualifies a Delaware company to do business in another U.S. state. Targeted at existing Delaware entities expanding operations into additional states.
- Delaware Certificate of Good Standing Ordering service for official Delaware certificates confirming a company's good standing with the Delaware Division of Corporations. Targeted at existing companies that need proof of good standing for banking, lending, licensing, or foreign qualification.
- Mail Forwarding Service Physical mail forwarding from the registered agent address. Targeted at clients, including non-U.S. residents, who use the registered agent address and need mail forwarded to their actual location.
- Apostille Service Authentication service for documents destined for use in foreign countries that are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention. Targeted at clients (especially non-U.S. residents) who need Hague Convention apostille authentication of corporate documents.
- Stock Amendment Filing Filing service for amendments to a corporation's stock structure, including changes to authorized shares or par value. Targeted at existing Delaware corporations restructuring capitalization.
- Corporate Name Change Filing Filing service to legally change a Delaware corporation or LLC's name with the Delaware Division of Corporations. Targeted at existing companies rebranding or correcting their legal name.
- Delaware Series LLC Formation Formation service for Delaware series LLCs, which allow multiple separate series of assets with individual liability protection under a single LLC umbrella. Targeted at investors and operators who want liability separation across multiple asset buckets (for example, multiple properties or fleet units).
- Domestic Basic Formation Package Entry-level formation package for U.S. clients that includes digital documents and one year of Registered Agent Service. Targeted at cost-sensitive individual founders forming an LLC or corporation in Delaware.
- Domestic Standard Formation Package Mid-tier formation package for U.S. clients that includes a physical corporate kit (corporate seal, stock certificates, minute book) and one year of Registered Agent Service. Targeted at founders who want a physical binder kit alongside their formation.
- Domestic Green Formation Package Eco-friendly formation package for U.S. clients delivered entirely by email with a digital corporate seal and one year of Registered Agent Service. Targeted at founders who want a fully digital, paperless formation experience.
- International Basic Formation Package Entry-level formation package for non-U.S. residents that includes digital documents and one year of Registered Agent Service. Targeted at international founders who only need the digital basics.
- International Standard Formation Package Comprehensive formation package for non-U.S. residents that includes a full corporate kit and one year of Registered Agent Service. Targeted at international founders who want a physical binder kit and full U.S. presence.
- MyControlDesk Client Portal Password-protected client online account system for managing company information, accessing formation and compliance documents, paying franchise tax and Registered Agent fees, and receiving service communications from Harvard Business Services. Targeted at existing clients managing their Delaware entities.
- Certified Copy of Corporate Documents Ordering service for certified copies of Delaware corporate documents. Targeted at existing companies that need certified copies for banking, foreign qualification, or apostille purposes.
- Delaware Annual Franchise Tax Payment Processing Facilitation of Delaware annual franchise tax payments submitted through Harvard Business Services and remitted directly to the Delaware Division of Corporations. Targeted at existing Delaware companies that want a single portal and reminders for their annual franchise tax obligations.
- All-50-States Entity Formation and Registered Agent Service Entity formation and Registered Agent services offered across all 50 U.S. states, beyond the historical Delaware-only focus. Targeted at clients who need to form or maintain entities in states other than Delaware and want a single vendor.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 400,000 Delaware LLCs and corporations formed since 1981
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Harvard Business Services
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Harvard Business Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Harvard Business Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Harvard Business Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BizFilings: Business formation and registered agent provider (part of Wolters Kluwer) serving small businesses and mid-market clients with incorporation, RA, and compliance services. Overlaps with HBS on Delaware and multi-state formation, with stronger enterprise compliance offerings.
- Incfile (now Bizee): Online incorporation service offering LLC and corporation formation plus registered agent service, historically promoted with a free first-year RA bundled with formation. Competes head-to-head with HBS on price-sensitive entrepreneur customers in Delaware and other states.
- ZenBusiness: Tech-enabled formation and registered agent provider targeting SMBs and entrepreneurs, with pricing that bundles RA into formation packages. Directly competes with HBS on formation, RA pricing, and customer acquisition through aggressive digital marketing.
- Northwest Registered Agent: A direct competitor focused on registered agent services and LLC/corporation formation across all 50 states, with a similar customer base of entrepreneurs and small businesses. Like HBS, Northwest emphasizes a single low annual RA price and privacy/service quality as differentiators.
- Swyft Filings: Online business formation service offering LLC and corporation filings plus registered agent service across the U.S. Targets the same entrepreneur and SMB segments as HBS with competitive formation packages and bundled RA offerings.
- CorpNet: Online legal document filing service for LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits, offering formation, registered agent, and compliance services. Competes directly with HBS in the Delaware and multi-state formation and RA market, especially for small business customers.
- MyCorporation: Online business formation and registered agent service for LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits. Targets the same entrepreneur and SMB segments as HBS with comparable formation packages and bundled RA pricing.
Broad incumbents
- LegalZoom: Large national online legal services platform offering Delaware LLC/corporation formation, registered agent service, and a much broader portfolio of legal products. Competes directly with HBS on formation and RA while extending into adjacent legal services that HBS does not offer.
- Corporation Service Company (CSC): Large incumbent provider of registered agent, corporate compliance, and entity management services primarily serving larger enterprises and legal departments. Competes with HBS in the RA market but at a higher price point and with a more enterprise-focused service model.
- Rocket Lawyer: Online legal services platform offering business formation, registered agent, and ongoing legal subscription services. Competes with HBS on formation and RA while bundling broader legal documents and attorney consultations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Harvard Business Services social profiles
Digital presenceHarvard Business Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Harvard Business Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Harvard Business Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Harvard Business Services 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 Harvard Business Services
What does Harvard Business Services do?
Harvard Business Services is a Delaware-based document filing service that forms Delaware LLCs and corporations on behalf of entrepreneurs, small business owners, and non-U.S. residents. Every formation package is bundled with one year of Registered Agent service, after which clients renew at a guaranteed flat $50 per company, per year. The company also provides recurring compliance and ancillary services such as foreign qualification, certificate of good standing, mail forwarding, apostille, stock amendments, corporate name changes, series LLC formation, and franchise tax payment processing.
Is Harvard Business Services a public or private company?
Harvard Business Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Harvard Business Services founded?
Harvard Business Services was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Harvard Business Services based?
Harvard Business Services is headquartered in Lewes, United States, in the North America region.
How does Harvard Business Services make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Registered Agent Services are the primary driver. The others are company Formation Services and additional Business Services.
Who are Harvard Business Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BizFilings, Incfile (now Bizee), ZenBusiness, Northwest Registered Agent, Swyft Filings, CorpNet and MyCorporation. Broad incumbents are LegalZoom, Corporation Service Company (CSC) and Rocket Lawyer.
Does Harvard Business Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Harvard Business Services.
What industry is Harvard Business Services in?
Harvard Business Services's product category is Business Formation and Registered Agent Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAOAA, Business Registration & Corporate Affairs (Registries). Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8741.