Deascuola

What Deascuola does

Deascuola is an Italian educational publishing company headquartered in Novara/Milan that produces textbooks, digital learning platforms, and teacher-training services primarily for Italian secondary schools (Scuole Secondarie di Primo and Secondo Grado) and, to a lesser extent, universities. Since December 2021 it has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gruppo Mondadori, managing a portfolio of legacy publishing brands including De Agostini, Petrini, Garzanti Scuola, Marietti Scuola, Cedam Scuola, Cideb, and Black Cat, as well as university imprints UTET Università, Città Studi, and ISEDI.

The core technology stack centres on HUB Scuola, a digital classroom platform hosting e-books and teaching tools, complemented by DEAFLIX (a subscription digital-learning platform with interactive subject paths), Dealink (a mobile AR application that activates multimedia content by scanning textbook pages), HUB Tutor AI (a conversational NLP tutor embedded in digital books), HUB Test and HUB INVALSI (assessment and standardized-test simulation tools), HUB Art (a library of over 10,000 high-resolution art images), and a 27-series podcast network reaching teachers and students. Supporting content channels include the DLive subject blogs (Matematica, Geografia, Arte) and Educazionecivica.it for civic education aligned with Agenda 2030.

Deascuola monetizes through one-time textbook licences (typical bundle pricing €34–€39 per student set), recurring digital subscriptions via HUB Scuola and DEAFLIX, and a freemium-to-paid professional development offering (Deascuola Formazione) delivered both live and online through MIUR-accredited and S.O.F.I.A.-certified courses. Distribution combines a national field-sales agency network selling directly to schools, an owned e-commerce storefront (ecommerce.deascuola.it), and physical retail through Mondadori Store. The customer base is institutional (Italian schools) and professional (teachers), with secondary exposure to families and individual students purchasing materials directly.

Name

Deascuola

Legal name

Deascuola

Website

https://deascuola.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Deascuola is an Italian school-publishing subsidiary of Gruppo Mondadori that produces textbooks, digital learning platforms (HUB Scuola, DEAFLIX), and MIUR-accredited teacher training for Italian secondary schools, operating brands such as De Agostini, Petrini, and Garzanti Scuola.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Publishing

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies) (EDAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms (BPAMAJAL), Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation Materials (EDAGAHAB), Teacher’s Editions, Methodology & Professional Resources (TESOL/TEFL) (EDAGAHAJ), Operations, Quality & Process Improvement (Lean/Six Sigma) (EDAGANAH)

Keywords

• Educational publishing
• School textbooks
• Digital learning platforms
• Teacher professional development
• Language learning courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Novara

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Textbook Sales: Sale of physical and digital textbooks for secondary schools and universities through various configurations (print + digital bundles)
2. Digital Subscriptions: Digital platforms including HUB Scuola, DEAFLIX, and digital resource access through subscription model
3. Professional Development Courses: Teacher training courses, webinars, and seminars through Deascuola Formazione, including both free and paid events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Deascuola is an Italian educational publishing company that produces and distributes textbooks (print and digital) for secondary schools and universities, alongside digital learning platforms (HUB Scuola, DEAFLIX), mobile apps (Dealink), and teacher professional development services (Deascuola Formazione). Operating multiple established school publishing brands including De Agostini, Petrini, Garzanti Scuola, Marietti Scuola, Cideb, and Black Cat, the company serves the Italian national curriculum with curriculum-aligned content and digital tools.

Product overview

Deascuola is a comprehensive educational publishing company offering a multi-platform ecosystem for Italian schools. The portfolio includes core digital platforms (HUB Scuola, DEAFLIX), content distribution tools (Dealink app), assessment tools (HUB Test, HUB INVALSI), and over 27 podcast series. Educational resources span across subject-specific blogs (DLive Matematica, DLive Geografia, DLive Arte), civic education platforms (Educazione Civica with VIVA la Costituzione and Ero un bullo), professional development (Deascuola Formazione), and diverse textbook courses across languages (This is me!, Mots et mondes, ¡Venga, vamos!), Italian grammar (A tu per tu con la grammatica, Felicemente), and civic education (Insieme per il mondo che vogliamo, Protagonisti del mondo che vogliamo). The offering also includes innovative tools like the AI-powered Tutor AI, gamified learning (Ross e la Sgrammanebbia), transparency initiatives (Libro in Chiaro, Zaino Digitale), and sustainability projects (Futuro in Corso). Operating as part of Gruppo Mondadori since December 2021, the company manages multiple acquired brands including De Agostini, Petrini, Garzanti Scuola, Cideb, and Black Cat.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• De Agostini: Core school publishing brand
• Petrini
• Garzanti Scuola
• Garzanti Linguistica
• Marietti Scuola
• Valmartina
• Theorema Libri
• Liviana
• Ghisetti & Corvi
• Cedam Scuola
• Cideb
• Black Cat
• UTET Università
• Città Studi
• ISEDI
• HUB Scuola
• DEAFLIX
• DLive
• Dealink
• Deascuola Formazione
• Deascuola Podcast

Products and services

• HUB Scuola Comprehensive digital teaching platform that hosts e-books, digital resources, and teaching tools for daily classroom management, supporting teachers and students with inclusive learning paths.
• DEAFLIX Inclusive digital learning platform with interactive paths for consolidating fundamental subjects through self-contained, personalized lessons for middle and high school students.
• Dealink Mobile app using augmented reality to activate multimedia content (videos, audio, animations, photo galleries, exercises) by scanning physical book pages with a smartphone or tablet.
• HUB Test Assessment tool that allows teachers to create interactive tests and assign them to classes in training or assessment mode, monitoring student progress over time.
• HUB INVALSI Assessment tool providing INVALSI test simulations in Italian, mathematics, and English in the same format as official Italian national assessment tests.
• HUB Art Digital resource library providing over 10,000 high-resolution art images, drawings, and diagrams designed for classroom projection in art education.
• Ross e la Sgrammanebbia Educational video game for learning Italian grammar in an engaging, gamified way, designed for secondary school students.
• Deascuola Formazione Professional development platform providing webinars, online training, and customized courses (with certificates through S.O.F.I.A. platform) to enhance professional competencies of Italian teachers at all levels. MIUR-accredited training provider since 2013.
• Educazione Civica Civic education platform with interdisciplinary pathways covering legalità e Costituzione, ambiente e salute, cittadinanza digitale, and financial education for Italian schools.
• Deascuola Podcast Podcast series with 27 series and over 200 episodes covering current topics with audio stories, interviews, and insights for teachers and students.
• Profcast Monthly podcast for teachers featuring Deascuola authors and experts sharing teaching strategies, innovative approaches, and original ideas for engaging lessons.
• Futuro in Corso Educational project focused on social and environmental responsibilities for future generations, introducing technological and digital evolution in education and sustainable development goals.
• This is me! - Edizione IN English language course for secondary school featuring contemporary content and aligned with Italian national guidelines.
• Mots et mondes French language course for secondary school published under the Cideb brand, covering French language learning for Italian students.
• ¡Venga, vamos! Spanish language course for secondary school with focus on student-centered learning and environmental sustainability.
• A tu per tu con la grammatica Italian grammar course for secondary school with guided methodology for learning to express and communicate without errors (priced €38.70 for full set).
• Felicemente Anthology textbook for secondary school focused on the pleasure of reading, writing, and thinking, aligned with new Italian national guidelines.
• Incontro con l'arte Art history textbook for secondary school combining traditional and modern elements with virtual experiences, reconstructive plates, and interactive activities (priced €34.70).
• Insieme per il mondo che vogliamo Civic education textbook with an operative, inclusive approach that stimulates reflection, comparison, and critical thinking in a collaborative perspective.
• Protagonisti del mondo che vogliamo Civic education textbook with 17 thematic paths addressing sustainable development objectives of UN Agenda 2030.

Quantifiable outcome

• MIUR accreditation since 2013 for teacher training
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MIUR (Ministero dell'Istruzione)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013MIUR accreditation as 'Ente Formatore' enables Deascuola to provide certified professional development courses for Italian teachers that count toward their continuing education requirements.
• Radio 24minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPodcast collaboration producing content like 'I libri che mi hanno cambiato la vita' and 'Che lavoro fai? Scrivo!' combining Deascuola educational content with Radio 24 audience reach.
• Radio 24minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint production of podcasts for education and career awareness content.
• ASviS (Alleanza Italiana per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASviS contributes sustainable development content to Deascuola's civic education materials and teacher training on sustainable development goals (Agenda 2030). Martina Alemanno from ASviS delivers professional development webinars.
• Associazione dei Geografi ItalianiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 'Mondi - Temi di geopolitica' podcast series, providing expert geopolitical content for educational purposes.
• Ce.Di.SMa (Universita Cattolica di Milano)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Centro Studi e Ricerche sulla Disabilita dell'Universita Cattolica di Milano for developing inclusive educational materials and 'per tutti' accessible versions of textbooks.
• INDIRE (Istituto Nazionale di Documentazione, Innovazione e Ricerca Educativa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINDIRE partnership related to 'Avanguardie educative' (innovative teaching) movement, connecting Deascuola with educational innovation initiatives.
• Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo GiammettiminorOthersCultural partnership hosting the Venus exhibition featuring art education content related to Deascuola's art textbooks and educational resources.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Zanichelli: Leading Italian educational publisher of textbooks and digital resources for secondary schools and universities. Directly competes with Deascuola in the Italian scuola secondaria adoption market across core subjects and languages.
• Giunti Scuola: Major Italian educational publisher under Giunti Editore, publishing K-12 textbooks and digital learning materials with a comparable catalog breadth in the same market as Deascuola.
• Hoepli: Historic Italian publisher with significant presence in school and university textbooks as well as vocational/technical education — overlaps materially with Deascuola's secondary and university portfolio.
• Loescher / G.B. Paravia: Italian educational publisher (part of G.B. Paravia / Pearson group) producing textbooks and language-learning materials for secondary schools. Directly competes with Deascuola's language and core subject textbooks in Italy.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson Italia: Italian subsidiary of Pearson, one of the world's largest education publishers, offering textbooks and digital learning platforms (MyLab etc.) that compete against Deascuola in secondary schools and university markets.
• Oxford University Press Education: Global education publisher with a strong English-language teaching portfolio (English File, Headway) adopted in Italian secondary schools via Black Cat-like channels. Comparable as a foreign-language publisher competing in the same classrooms.
• Cengage (Natoli/Hoepli lingua): Global education publisher providing K-12 and higher-ed textbooks and digital platforms; its European education footprint overlaps with Deascuola in digital learning platforms and language materials.
• Cambridge University Press Education: Major global educational publisher active in K-12 and Cambridge qualifications, comparable to Deascuola as a publisher of curriculum-aligned content and assessment tools with an international profile.

Regional players

• Mondadori Education (other brands): Sister brands under Gruppo Mondadori (Marietti Scuola, Garzanti Scuola etc.), now consolidated with Deascuola. Useful comparable for portfolio-level economics and pricing dynamics in the Italian school adoption market.

Emerging players

• Erickson: Italian publisher specializing in inclusive education, special educational needs, and teacher training resources. Overlaps with Deascuola's Deascuola Formazione and inclusive-editions initiatives, including BES/DSA materials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/deascuola
• YouTubeyoutube.com/DeascuolaChannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/Deascuola
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deascuola
• Instagraminstagram.com/deascuola

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Deascuola