What Science Interactive Group does

Science Interactive Group (formerly Hands-On Labs) is a US-based private company that delivers hands-on and virtual science lab solutions to higher education institutions, with stated reach to K-12, museums, and libraries. The company combines three product layers into an integrated offering: (1) physical Hands-On Lab Kits containing chemicals, specimens, glassware, and materials shipped to students; (2) virtual simulations including the proprietary V-Scope virtual microscopy platform; and (3) a peer-reviewed, Quality Matters-certified digital curriculum spanning 500+ labs across 16 disciplines, bundled with OpenStax textbook integration. The core technology is the SI Cloud (also referenced as HOL Cloud) learning management platform, which provides a custom gradebook with auto-grading, student tracking, and native LTI 1.1 and 1.3 integrations with Canvas, Blackboard, D2L/Brightspace, and Moodle.

The business operates a sales-led go-to-market motion targeting STEM administrators, faculty, and program leaders at colleges and universities, supplemented by college bookstore distribution partnerships with Follett and Barnes & Noble College for direct-to-student kit fulfillment via voucher codes. Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time physical kit purchases and recurring digital curriculum / SI Cloud platform subscriptions, with custom institutional pricing determined annually based on enrollment, discipline selection, and modality (online, on-campus, hybrid). The company is FERPA-compliant, conforms to Section 508 / WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards, and processes payments through a PCI-compliant third party.

Science Interactive claims 1,000+ institutional customers, 1.4M+ lab kits shipped, and 5,000+ instructors using the platform, with notable customers including University of Nebraska-Lincoln, George Mason University, Northern Arizona University, Loyola University Chicago, Doane University, and a broad base of community colleges. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent company or institutional investors, was originally founded in 1994, and acquired eScience Labs in December 2019 to consolidate its position in the online science education market. Tim Loomer serves as Chief Executive Officer. The company maintains a regional office in Englewood, Colorado, with primary headquarters in Yulee, Florida, and employs 101-250 people.

Name

Science Interactive Group

Legal name

Science Interactive Group LLC

Website

https://scienceinteractive.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Science Interactive Group provides hands-on lab kits, virtual simulations, and Quality Matters-certified digital curriculum via its SI Cloud platform to 1,000+ higher-education institutions across 16 STEM disciplines, with LMS integrations and bookstore distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Science Education Technology

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Labs, Remote Labs & Hands-On Practice Tools (EDAFABAH), Simulation-Based Learning & Virtual Labs (EDAGAEAG), Digital Labs, Simulations & Virtual Practicals (Non-XR) (EDAFACAF), STEM Lab Management & Classroom Device Integration Platforms (EDAFANAL), Biology & Life Science Enrichment (Biotech, Genetics, Anatomy) (EDAMABAF)

Keywords

• Online lab solutions
• Hands-on lab kits
• Virtual science simulations
• STEM curriculum
• LMS integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Englewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lab Kit Sales: One-time purchase of physical hands-on lab kits containing all materials needed for experiments, shipped directly to students or through institutional bookstores using voucher codes
2. Digital Curriculum Subscription: Subscription-based access to SI Cloud platform, digital curriculum, virtual simulations, and pre-lab content integrated with OpenStax textbooks

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Science Interactive provides an all-in-one science lab solution for higher education institutions, combining physical Hands-On Lab Kits shipped to students, Virtual Simulations (including the proprietary V-Scope virtual microscope), and Quality Matters-certified Digital Curriculum across 16 STEM disciplines, all delivered and managed through its SI Cloud learning platform with LTI 1.1/1.3 integration to major LMS systems. The offering supports online, on-campus, and hybrid course modalities for biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, nursing, physics, and other STEM subjects.

Product overview

Science Interactive offers an all-in-one online science education platform combining physical hands-on lab kits, virtual simulations, and digital curriculum. The core SI Cloud platform delivers content across 16 disciplines and integrates with major Learning Management Systems. The product portfolio includes Hands-On Lab Kits (shipped to students), Virtual Simulations (including the V-Scope microscope), Virtual Pre-Labs, Digital Curriculum (Quality Matters-certified), and OpenStax Integration—all accessible through SI Cloud's lab management platform with gradebook functionality. Solutions are available for Online, On-Campus, and Hybrid learning modalities, serving STEM leaders, instructors, and students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SI Cloud: Cloud-based learning management platform for science education, including lab management, gradebook, and curriculum delivery.
• HOL Cloud

Products and services

• SI Cloud Cloud-based lab management platform that delivers Science Interactive's curriculum content, manages student enrollment, provides the gradebook with auto-grading, and integrates with Learning Management Systems via LTI 1.1 and LTI 1.3 for higher education institutions.
• Hands-On Lab Kits
• Virtual Simulations
• Digital Curriculum

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.4M+ lab kits shipped to students across the US
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OpenStaxcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership providing OpenStax textbook content seamlessly integrated with Science Interactive curriculum and SI Cloud platform. Students receive affordable, high-quality textbook content paired with lab experiences.
• Canvas (Instructure)coreTechnology or IntegrationLTI 1.1 and LTI 1.3 integration enabling seamless single sign-on, grade pass-back, and lesson link connectivity between Canvas LMS and SI Cloud platform.
• BlackboardcoreTechnology or IntegrationLTI 1.1 and LTI 1.3 integration (both Classic and Ultra versions) for Blackboard Learn environment, enabling SSO and automatic grade synchronization.
• D2L/BrightspacecoreTechnology or IntegrationLTI 1.1 and LTI 1.3 integration for D2L Brightspace LMS, providing seamless lesson linking and grade pass-back capabilities.
• MoodlecoreTechnology or IntegrationLTI 1.1 and LTI 1.3 integration for Moodle LMS, enabling course sync, lesson links, and grade transfer functionality.
• FollettcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollege bookstore partner for distributing Science Interactive lab kits and voucher codes to students. Follett partners receive Net-30 terms without separate credit application.
• Barnes & Noble CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollege bookstore partner for distributing Science Interactive lab kits and voucher codes to students. Barnes & Noble partners receive Net-30 terms without separate credit application.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Labster: Labster provides immersive 3D virtual science lab simulations to higher-ed institutions worldwide. It directly competes with Science Interactive's V-Scope and virtual-simulation product lines for online and hybrid lab adoption.
• Pivot Interactives: Pivot Interactives offers interactive video-based science simulations and labs for high school and higher-ed. It competes with Science Interactive's virtual simulation and digital curriculum offerings in the same modality-agnostic lab market.
• eScience Labs: eScience Labs designs and supplies hands-on lab kits and digital curriculum to colleges and universities. It is now a subsidiary of Science Interactive Group, making it both a historical competitor and integrated offering.
• Carolina Biological Supply Company: Carolina Biological is a long-established supplier of physical science lab kits, specimens, and curriculum to K-12 and higher education. It is the closest direct competitor to Science Interactive's hands-on lab-kit business.

Emerging players

• Top Hat: Top Hat is a higher-ed active learning and digital courseware platform with growing STEM and lab content partnerships. It is an emerging player competing in the LMS-integrated digital curriculum layer adjacent to Science Interactive.
• PhET Interactive Simulations (University of Colorado Boulder): PhET provides free, open-source interactive science simulations widely used in higher-ed and K-12. It is a free-tier alternative that constrains Science Interactive's pricing power for simulation-only use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Cengage Group: Cengage provides higher-ed textbooks, digital courseware, and lab solutions across STEM disciplines. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping digital curriculum capabilities in the same higher-ed market.
• Pearson Education: Pearson is a global education publisher and digital courseware provider with science and allied-health offerings. It is a broad incumbent competing for the same institutional STEM procurement budgets.
• McGraw-Hill Education: McGraw-Hill is a major higher-ed textbook and digital learning publisher with science courseware and adaptive learning products. It competes broadly for STEM course-budget dollars alongside Science Interactive's curriculum + textbook bundle.
• Hayden-McNeil / Macmillan Learning: Macmillan Learning, via Hayden-McNeil and other divisions, provides lab notebooks, digital courseware, and science content to higher-ed institutions. It overlaps with Science Interactive in STEM curriculum and LMS-integrated content delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Science Interactive Group