Inkshares
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
Inkshares firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Inkshares
- Legal name
- Inkshares
- Website
- https://inkshares.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Inkshares industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Self-Publishing Platforms (KDP-style Marketplaces & Portals) (MPAJAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Editorial & Production Services (Copyediting, Proofreading, Formatting, Typesetting) (MPAJAJAG), Author Website, Storefront & Direct-to-Reader Commerce (D2C Sales) (MPAJAJAE)
Keywords
Where Inkshares is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Inkshares business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Book publishing and sales: Inkshares publishes books that meet pre-order thresholds, generating revenue through sales of printed books and ebooks. Distribution occurs through their partnership with Ingram to major retailers and independent bookstores worldwide.
- Movie and TV rights: Sales of movie and TV rights for published books in Hollywood
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Print books sold directly through Inkshares |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Ebooks sold directly through Inkshares |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Print books sold through wholesale/retailers |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Ebooks sold through wholesale/retailers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Inkshares product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Inkshares operates a web-based crowdfunded publishing platform that allows authors to upload book drafts, receive reader feedback, and run pre-order campaigns. Books that reach their pre-order threshold are published by Inkshares, with the company handling the full editorial process (developmental editing, copy-editing, fact-checking, proofing), production (layout design, cover design, printing), and distribution through Ingram to major retailers and hundreds of independent bookstores. Authors receive 35% of net receipts as royalties.
Product overview
Inkshares is a crowdfunded publishing platform that operates as a unified platform combining multiple services. The core offering consists of a web-based publishing platform where authors can upload drafts, receive reader feedback, and run pre-order campaigns. Authors who reach their pre-order threshold get published through the platform, which handles the full editorial process (developmental editing, copy-editing, fact-checking, proofing), production (internal layout design, cover design, printing), and distribution through their partnership with Ingram to major retailers. Additional services include marketing (social media, email, traditional and online publicity) and film/TV rights sales for successful titles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Crowdfunded Publishing Platform A web-based publishing platform that enables authors to upload book drafts, receive reader feedback, run pre-order campaigns, and get published if they reach their pre-order threshold. The platform handles the entire editorial, production, and distribution process. Target users are independent authors and writers seeking publication.
- Book Distribution Service Wholesale book distribution through Ingram to major retailers (Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd) and hundreds of independent bookstores worldwide. Available in print and ebook formats.
- Editorial and Production Services Full-service publishing production including developmental editing, copy-editing, fact-checking, proofing, internal layout design, cover design, and printing, provided to authors whose books reach pre-order threshold.
- Film and TV Rights Sales Sales of movie and TV rights for published books in Hollywood, facilitating entertainment adaptation opportunities for successful books, delivered through Legendary Entertainment partnership.
- Marketing Services Marketing support for published books including social media marketing, email marketing, and traditional and online publicity to drive reader awareness and sales.
Quantifiable outcome
- Published books have received press coverage in Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, Fast Company, Bloomberg TV, and Wired
Companies that use Inkshares
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Inkshares technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Inkshares partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IngramcoreIngram serves as Inkshares' wholesale distribution partner, enabling book distribution to major retailers and independent bookstores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and hundreds of independent stores worldwide.
- Legendary EntertainmentcoreLegendary Entertainment handles sales of movie and TV rights for Inkshares published books in Hollywood, providing a path to entertainment adaptation for successful books.
- AmazoncoreBooks distributed through Amazon's retail platform including Amazon.com and Amazon Canada.
- ApplecoreBooks distributed through Apple's iBooks store.
- Barnes & NoblecoreBooks distributed through Barnes & Noble retail and online stores.
- KobominorBooks distributed through Kobo's eBook platform.
- ScribdminorBooks distributed through Scribd's subscription reading service.
- Independent BookstorescoreDistribution to hundreds of independent bookstores including Powell's Books, Copperfields Books, Elliott Bay Book Company, Harvard Bookstores, Politics & Prose, and many others.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Inkshares competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Substack: Subscription publishing platform where writers build readership and monetize via paid newsletters. Competes for the same author/creator audience seeking audience-driven publishing, though focused on serial digital content rather than finished books.
- Kickstarter: Crowdfunding platform widely used by authors to fund book pre-orders and validate demand before going to print. Shares the pre-order validation mechanic with Inkshares, though Kickstarter is horizontal and does not provide editorial or distribution.
- Wattpad: Reader community where writers publish serialized stories and tap into a large built-in audience for validation and discovery. Overlaps with Inkshares' community-curation model and has been successfully mined for film/TV adaptations (e.g., through parent company Webtoon).
Direct peers
- Reedsy: Marketplace connecting authors with vetted editors, designers, and marketers, plus a free discovery/review platform. Overlaps with Inkshares on editorial services and book discovery, though Reedsy does not publish or distribute.
- BookBaby: Self-publishing services company offering editing, design, printing, and distribution for indie authors. Comparable service stack to Inkshares, though it does not gate publishing on a pre-order threshold or sell film/TV rights.
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): The dominant self-publishing platform, allowing authors to publish ebooks and paperbacks for free with global distribution through Amazon. Directly competes with Inkshares for the same author pool, but offers no curation, pre-order validation, or Hollywood packaging.
- Lulu: Self-publishing platform offering print-on-demand, ebook distribution, and author services. Comparable as an end-to-end self-publishing alternative to Inkshares for independent authors, though without the pre-order crowdfunding gating.
- Draft2Digital: ebook aggregation and distribution service that places authors into major retailers (Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, libraries). Comparable distribution overlap with Inkshares' ebook channels; competes for the same indie author audience.
- IngramSpark: Ingram's self-publishing platform offering print-on-demand and ebook distribution to the same retailer network Inkshares accesses via Ingram. Comparable because it serves authors seeking professional distribution, though it does not include editorial, curation, or pre-order validation.
- Smashwords (Draft2Digital): ebook self-publishing and distribution platform that funnels titles into major retailers and library systems. Direct overlap with Inkshares on the ebook distribution layer and the indie author target market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Inkshares social profiles
Digital presenceInkshares financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Inkshares leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Inkshares funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Inkshares 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 Inkshares
What does Inkshares do?
Inkshares operates a web-based crowdfunded publishing platform that allows authors to upload book drafts, receive reader feedback, and run pre-order campaigns. Books that reach their pre-order threshold are published by Inkshares, with the company handling the full editorial process (developmental editing, copy-editing, fact-checking, proofing), production (layout design, cover design, printing), and distribution through Ingram to major retailers and hundreds of independent bookstores. Authors receive 35% of net receipts as royalties.
Is Inkshares a public or private company?
Inkshares is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Inkshares founded?
Inkshares was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Inkshares based?
Inkshares is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Inkshares make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Book publishing and sales are the primary driver. The others are movie and TV rights.
Who are Inkshares's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Substack, Kickstarter and Wattpad. Direct peers are Reedsy, BookBaby, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lulu, Draft2Digital, IngramSpark and Smashwords (Draft2Digital).
Does Inkshares have an API?
No public API is recorded for Inkshares.
What industry is Inkshares in?
Inkshares's product category is Independent Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAJAA, Self-Publishing Platforms (KDP-style Marketplaces & Portals), with a secondary code of MPAJAJAG, Editorial & Production Services (Copyediting, Proofreading, Formatting, Typesetting). Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.