The Experiment Publishing
The Experiment Publishing is an independent New York-based nonfiction book publisher, founded 2008, producing practical and narrative titles across food, history, science, parenting, and children's categories, distributed globally through W. W. Norton and regional partners to consumer, educational, and library markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Experiment Publishing does
The Experiment Publishing, LLC is an independent nonfiction book publisher founded in 2008 and headquartered at 115 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York. The company was co-founded by Matthew Lore (President/Publisher), Peter Burri (COO/CFO), and Richard Gallen, and publishes across practical and narrative nonfiction categories including food and drink, history, science and nature, parenting, health and wellness, philosophy, current affairs, creativity, and children's illustrated reference. Its catalog is anchored by recurring franchises such as the Shortest History series (concise histories of countries, regions, and topics) and the Maps for Curious Minds infographic atlas series, alongside one-off titles that have earned industry recognition including Foreword INDIES Gold awards, NAPPA honors, Choice Outstanding Academic Title designations, and Amazon Best Book selections.
The company's core production function is standard book publishing: manuscript acquisition, editorial development, design, and rights management, supported by an in-house team covering editorial, creative services, digital operations, publicity, sales, and rights/contracts. Distribution is the central operational dependency; the firm relies on W. W. Norton & Company as its primary distributor for the US and UK/Europe/Australia/New Zealand markets, with additional regional distributors covering Canada, China, India/Sri Lanka, Singapore/Malaysia/Brunei, Taiwan/Korea, Japan, Latin America, Ireland, and Africa, plus direct sales channels for libraries and rights licensing. Books are sold in paperback, hardcover, e-book, and audiobook formats through major retailers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, Books-A-Million), independent bookstores (via Bookshop.org), and library wholesalers.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time unit-priced book sales across print, e-book, and audiobook editions, with paperback pricing typically ranging from $7.95 to $30 USD and hardcover/paper-over-boards titles from $14.95 to $30 USD. The company serves three primary customer segments — general adult nonfiction readers, children and young readers, and educators/institutions (libraries and schools adopting titles for curricula) — with no disclosed B2B contracts or named enterprise customers. The firm is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity beyond an unverified reference to a 2020 Appletree Press acquisition.
The Experiment Publishing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Experiment Publishing
- Legal name
- The Experiment, LLC
- Website
- https://theexperimentpublishing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Experiment Publishing is an independent New York-based nonfiction book publisher, founded 2008, producing practical and narrative titles across food, history, science, parenting, and children's categories, distributed globally through W. W. Norton and regional partners to consumer, educational, and library markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Experiment Publishing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Popular Science, Technology & Nature Trade Publishing (MPAJAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature) (EDAGAIAC)
Keywords
Where The Experiment Publishing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Experiment Publishing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Book Sales: The Experiment generates revenue through the sale of published books across multiple genres including practical nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, and children's books. Books are sold through retail channels, online retailers, and library sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Paperback editions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hardcover and Paper over Boards editions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | E-book editions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Audiobook editions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Experiment Publishing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Experiment Publishing is an independent book publisher that acquires, edits, designs, produces, and distributes nonfiction titles spanning healthy eating, creativity, parenting, fitness, memoir, popular science, history, and current affairs. The list is anchored by recurring series such as The Shortest History and Maps for Curious Minds, alongside individual titles, sold in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. Distribution is executed primarily through W.W. Norton & Company in the United States, with regional partners covering Canada and other international markets.
Product overview
The Experiment Publishing is an independent book publisher founded in 2008, specializing in practical and narrative nonfiction across categories including food & drink, history, science & nature, health & wellness, current affairs, creativity, and more. The company publishes individual titles and book series, including The Shortest History series (concise history books on countries, regions, and topics) and the Maps for Curious Minds series (infographic atlases). Books are distributed globally through partnerships with W.W. Norton & Company (US and international markets) and Canadian Manda Group/University of Toronto Press (Canada).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Shortest History series
Companies that use The Experiment Publishing
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Experiment Publishing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Experiment Publishing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.
- W. W. Norton & CompanycorePrimary book distributor for The Experiment in the US market (New York office) and UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and all other international markets (London office). Handles orders, customer service, and library sales for these territories.
- Canadian Manda GroupcoreSales representatives for Canadian market distribution. Located at 664 Annette Street, Toronto, Ontario M6S 2C8, Canada.
- University of Toronto PresscoreHandles orders, returns, and customer service for Canadian distribution. Located at 5201 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T8, Canada.
- Princeton Asia (Beijing) Consulting Co.regionalDistribution partner for China market. Located at Unit 2702, NUO Center Building, No.2 Jiangtai Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100016.
- John Wiley & Sons AustraliaregionalDistribution partner for Australia and New Zealand markets. Located at Level 4, 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia.
- Viva Books Private LimitedregionalDistribution partner for India and Sri Lanka markets. Located at 4737/23 Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi 110002, India.
- Pansing Distribution Pte LtdregionalDistribution partner for Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei markets. Located at 1 New Industrial Road, Times Centre, Singapore 536196.
- B.K. Agency LtdregionalDistribution partner for Taiwan and Korea markets. Located at 5F, 60 Roosevelt Road, Sec. 4, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
- Latin-Fly LLCregionalDistribution partner for Mexico, South & Central America, and the Caribbean markets. Located at 200 Leslie Drive, Apt. 822, Hallandale, FL 33009, USA.
- Everest International Publishing ServicesregionalDistribution partner for People's Republic of China. Located at 1-1-2002 Wang Jing SOHO, No. 1 East Futong Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102, China.
- RockbookregionalDistribution partner for Japan market. Located at Minami-4 Nishi-20 1-23-1102, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 064-0804, Japan.
- Russell Book RepresentationregionalDistribution partner for Éire & Northern Ireland. Located at Holywell, Dromore, Bantry, Co. Cork P75 NY22, Ireland.
- Africa Connection (Guy Simpson)regionalDistribution partner for Africa (except North Africa & South Africa). Located at The Old School House, Wallingford Road, Mongewell, Oxfordshire OX10 8DY, UK.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Experiment Publishing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Catapult Books: Independent publisher of literary nonfiction, memoir, and essays. Similar in editorial focus on narrative nonfiction and indie operating model.
- Workman Publishing: Independent trade publisher of practical nonfiction (cooking, parenting, self-help, calendars, gift books). Closely comparable to The Experiment in editorial scope, format mix, and indie scale.
- Melville House: Independent publisher of literary nonfiction, politics, and culture with a strong design identity. Comparable to The Experiment on narrative nonfiction editorial positioning and indie scale.
- Chronicle Books: San Francisco-based independent publisher of illustrated nonfiction, design, food, children's, and gift titles. Comparable to The Experiment on indie trade nonfiction positioning and design-forward catalog.
- Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers: Independent publisher of illustrated nonfiction, gift, humor, pop culture, and how-to titles. Directly comparable to The Experiment's illustrated gift and reference positioning, with team crossover through former Production Director Pamela Schechter.
- Quirk Books: Philadelphia-based independent publisher of popular nonfiction, pop culture, and quirky illustrated titles. Similar indie scale and audience overlap with The Experiment's narrative nonfiction line.
- Storey Publishing: Independent publisher of practical nonfiction on homesteading, cooking, gardening, crafts, and wellness. Closely comparable to The Experiment in practical-instructional editorial scope.
- Timber Press: Independent publisher of books on gardening, horticulture, ecology, and sustainable living — categories overlapping with The Experiment's nature, science, and home & garden lists. Several former Timber Press staff have moved to The Experiment, signaling operational similarity.
Emerging players
- Princeton University Press: Scholarly and trade publisher with strong popular science, history, and nature lists. Overlaps with The Experiment's science/nature nonfiction, particularly via accessible short-form series.
Broad incumbents
- W. W. Norton & Company: Largest independent US trade and academic publisher; simultaneously The Experiment's distributor and a competitor in trade nonfiction, science, and history lists. Comparable because it occupies overlapping editorial categories at meaningfully greater scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Experiment Publishing social profiles
Digital presenceThe Experiment Publishing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Experiment Publishing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
The Experiment Publishing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Experiment Publishing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Experiment Publishing
What does The Experiment Publishing do?
The Experiment Publishing is an independent book publisher that acquires, edits, designs, produces, and distributes nonfiction titles spanning healthy eating, creativity, parenting, fitness, memoir, popular science, history, and current affairs. The list is anchored by recurring series such as The Shortest History and Maps for Curious Minds, alongside individual titles, sold in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. Distribution is executed primarily through W.W. Norton & Company in the United States, with regional partners covering Canada and other international markets.
Is The Experiment Publishing a public or private company?
The Experiment Publishing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Experiment Publishing founded?
The Experiment Publishing was founded in 2008. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Experiment Publishing based?
The Experiment Publishing is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Experiment Publishing make money?
One revenue line is on record: book Sales.
Who are The Experiment Publishing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Catapult Books, Workman Publishing, Melville House, Chronicle Books, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Quirk Books, Storey Publishing and Timber Press. Princeton University Press is listed as an emerging player. W. W. Norton & Company is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Experiment Publishing have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Experiment Publishing.
What industry is The Experiment Publishing in?
The Experiment Publishing's product category is Independent Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAJ, Popular Science, Technology & Nature Trade Publishing, with a secondary code of EDAGAIAC, Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.