What Iris Reading does

Iris Reading is a Chicago-based, privately held LLC (Illinois) that delivers speed-reading, memory, and productivity training through a multi-format learning platform. The core product portfolio spans six core courses (e.g., Speed Reading Foundation, Mastery, Advanced Comprehension & Memory, Productivity, Note-Taking Mastery, Focus Formula), three bootcamps (Speed Reading Bootcamp 7.0, Brain Boost Bootcamp, ChatGPT Productivity Bootcamp), a growing set of professional and exam-prep specializations (CPA, CFA, medical, legal, standardized tests including SAT, ACT, LSAT, MCAT, Bar, GRE, USMLE, NCLEX, NCMHCE, ISEE), and three tiered bundles (3-course at $199, 3-bootcamp, and a 12-course library at $499). Delivery channels include self-serve e-commerce on irisreading.com, live in-person workshops in 14+ US cities and 30+ international cities, virtual 1-on-1 coaching, and customized group workshops for organizations. The platform is built on self-paced video with progress tracked via reading-speed (WPM) measurements, PDF handouts, and completion certificates; the underlying pedagogy is the proprietary "IRIS Method" that combines speed drills with comprehension and memory techniques (visualization, association, spaced retrieval).

The business model is predominantly one-time course and bundle licenses sold D2C, supplemented by professional-services fees for group workshops and a modest recurring bulk-licensing stream for enterprise. Pricing relies on heavy discounting from inflated list prices (typical 75–85% off). Named customers include Google, Microsoft, NASA, Fidelity Investments, U.S. Special Forces, CFA Institute, Northern Trust, Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Chicago, alongside a claimed 1M+ lifetime learners. The company is bootstrapped — no external funding rounds are disclosed, management team is not publicly listed, and no M&A or partnership activity has been disclosed. Operating geographies span North America, Europe, East and Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South America, and Australia/Oceania.

Name

Iris Reading

Legal name

Iris Reading, LLC

Website

https://irisreading.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Iris Reading is a Chicago-based speed-reading and memory training company selling self-paced online courses, live workshops in 14+ US and 30+ international cities, 1-on-1 coaching, and corporate group training to students, professionals, and enterprise organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Development & Cognitive Skills Training

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Reading Fluency & Speed Reading Programs (EDAMAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Reading Comprehension & Close Reading Enrichment (EDAMAJAB)

Keywords

• Speed reading training
• Memory improvement courses
• Professional development training
• Online learning courses
• Corporate training workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Online Course Sales: Individual self-paced online courses sold directly through the website. Courses include lifetime access, video content, drills, and certificates of completion. Revenue generated from one-time purchase of digital course content.
2. Course Bundles: Bundled packages of multiple courses offered at discounted prices compared to individual purchase. Examples include Core Speed Reading Mastery Bundle (3 courses) and Complete Reading & Productivity Library (12 courses).
3. In-Person Workshop Fees: Live instructor-led workshops conducted in various cities across the US and internationally. Offered as half-day or full-day sessions with in-person instruction.
4. 1-on-1 Coaching Sessions: Private personalized training sessions booked individually for tailored instruction. Sold via PayPal payment integration.
5. Group Workshop Contracts: Customized corporate training for organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions. Pricing varies by session length, format, group size, and customization level.
6. Bulk Course Licensing: Enterprise licensing allowing organizations to provide course access to multiple employees. Includes quantity pricing discounts for teams and departments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Iris Reading is a speed reading and memory training company that sells self-paced online courses, live in-person workshops, 1-on-1 virtual coaching, and customized enterprise group training programs. Its curriculum covers reading speed improvement, comprehension, memory retention, focus and concentration, note-taking, productivity, and professional/exam-specific applications, delivered under the proprietary IRIS Method. The company serves both individual learners and organizational clients including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, military units, and universities.

Product overview

Iris Reading is a comprehensive speed reading and memory training company offering a multi-format learning platform. The core product portfolio consists of self-paced online courses organized into three main categories: 6 Core Courses (Speed Reading Foundation, Speed Reading Mastery, Advanced Comprehension & Memory, Personal Productivity, Note-Taking Mastery, and Focus Formula), 3 Bootcamps (Speed Reading Bootcamp 7.0, Brain Boost Bootcamp, and ChatGPT Productivity Bootcamp), and 4 Professional & Executive specialized courses covering business, financial, healthcare, and investment professionals. Additional offerings include 11 exam prep courses for standardized tests (ACT, SAT, LSAT, MCAT, Bar, CFA, USMLE, NCLEX, NCMHCE, ISEE, GRE, CPA) and 4 related courses (Maximizing Memory, Mind Mapping, Remember Names, and Communication Skills). These are available individually or bundled as the Core Speed Reading Mastery Bundle (3 courses, $199), Speed & Focus Bootcamp Bundle (3 courses), or Complete Reading & Productivity Library (12 courses, $499). Training is delivered through self-paced online courses, in-person classes in 14+ cities, 1-on-1 virtual coaching, and group workshops for organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Speed Reading Foundation Course Fundamental speed reading course teaching the basics of increasing reading rate while maintaining solid comprehension. Approximately 4+ hours of self-paced content with lifetime access. Priced at $99 (sale) / $300 (original).
• Speed Reading Mastery Course Advanced strategies to push reading speed higher while handling more complex material confidently. Approximately 8+ hours of self-paced content with lifetime access.
• Advanced Comprehension & Memory Course Strengthens comprehension and long-term retention with practical memory techniques and reading strategies. Approximately 13+ hours of self-paced content with lifetime access.
• Personal Productivity Course Practical system for managing tasks, projects and information to achieve more with less stress. Approximately 14+ hours of self-paced content with lifetime access.
• Note-Taking Mastery Course Improves how to capture, organize and review information from books, meetings and lectures. Approximately 3+ hours of self-paced content with lifetime access.
• The Focus Formula Course Focused training to reduce distractions, sustain concentration and get into deep work more consistently. Approximately 90 minutes of self-paced content with lifetime access.
• Speed Reading Bootcamp 7.0 Structured bootcamp to rapidly build speed reading foundation with guided drills and practice. Approximately 5+ hours of self-paced content with lifetime access.
• Brain Boost Bootcamp Upgrades focus, memory and mental energy with targeted exercises and science-based strategies.
• ChatGPT Productivity Bootcamp Course Practical prompting strategies to use ChatGPT as a productivity assistant for reading, research and workflow.
• Core Speed Reading Mastery Bundle (3-Course) Bundle including Speed Reading Foundation Course, Speed Reading Mastery Course, and Advanced Comprehension & Memory Course. 25+ hours of content, lifetime access, certificate of completion. Priced at $199 (77% off original $900).
• Speed & Focus Bootcamp Bundle (3-Course) Bundle including Speed Reading Bootcamp 7.0, Brain Boost Bootcamp, and ChatGPT Productivity Bootcamp. 10+ hours of training with lifetime access.
• Complete Reading & Productivity Library (12-Course Bundle) Comprehensive library including 12 courses plus 2 bonus programs covering speed reading, focus, memory, note-taking, productivity, mind mapping, and communication skills. 40+ hours of content with lifetime access. Priced at $499 (original $3,300).
• Speed Reading for Business Professionals Course Applies speed reading techniques to business books, reports, emails and market research for professionals. Priced at $147 (sale) / $300 (original).
• Speed Reading for Financial Professionals Course Learn to quickly process financial reports, research, filings and market commentary with greater clarity.
• Speed Reading for Healthcare Professionals Course Strategies to efficiently read clinical guidelines, patient notes, journals and continuing education material.
• Speed Reading for Investment Professionals (CFA) Course Learn to move faster through prospectuses, research reports and portfolio commentary without losing key details.
• Memory Techniques for Investment Professionals (CFA) Course Apply memory strategies to complex financial concepts, formulas and frameworks used throughout the CFA curriculum.
• Speed Reading for IR Professionals (NIRI) Course Tailored to investor relations professionals who need to process disclosures, market news and executive communications efficiently.
• Speed Reading for CPA Professionals Course Specialized training for CPAs who need to quickly process standards, guidance and client documentation.
• Speed Reading for Academic Professionals Course Designed for faculty and academic staff who need to manage dense articles, manuscripts and research literature.
• Speed Reading for ACT Exam Prep Course Help ACT students move faster through passages and questions while maintaining strong accuracy.
• Speed Reading for SAT Exam Prep Course Speed reading and retention strategies tailored to the reading and writing sections of the SAT.
• Speed Reading for LSAT Exam Prep Course Move faster through logical reasoning and reading comprehension sections without sacrificing precision.
• Speed Reading for MCAT Exam Prep Course Speed reading and memory strategies tailored for dense MCAT passages and high-volume content review.
• Speed Reading for Bar Exam Prep Course Focused strategies to manage outlines, practice questions and dense legal material for Bar exam preparation.
• Speed Reading for CFA Exam Prep Course Help CFA candidates move faster through curriculum readings while retaining formulas, concepts and frameworks.
• Speed Reading for USMLE Exam Prep Course Designed for medical students preparing for the USMLE who need to manage large volumes of technical reading.
• Speed Reading for GRE Exam Prep Course Techniques for handling dense passages and analytical reading tasks on the GRE more efficiently.
• Maximizing Memory Course Learn practical memory techniques to remember what you read, recall key ideas and retain information longer.
• Mind Mapping Course Package Learn how to use mind maps to organize ideas, plan projects and review material more visually and efficiently.
• How To Remember Names Effectively Course Step-by-step techniques to remember people's names more reliably in professional and social settings.
• How To Talk to Anyone to Advance Your Career Course Practical communication strategies to build relationships, expand network and advance career.
• In-Person Classes Live instructor-led workshops available in 14+ US cities and 30+ international cities. Offered as half-day or full-day sessions with in-person instruction in small-group settings.
• 1-on-1 Coaching Private personalized sessions tailored to individual goals and reading workload, available virtually. Sold via PayPal payment integration.
• Group Workshops On-site, live virtual, or hybrid customized workshops for academic institutions, professional organizations, government/military agencies, and Fortune 500 executive teams. Includes bulk course licensing options for teams and departments with group discounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reading speed improvement reported by graduate student after completing speed reading course
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Large online learning marketplace partnering with universities and companies to offer courses, certificates, and degree programs. Overlaps with Iris's academic and professional course catalog at a broader, more credentialed scale.
• Udemy: Massive online course marketplace with extensive catalog on productivity, study skills, speed reading, memory, and professional development. Competes for the same self-directed adult learners via similar one-time-purchase pricing.
• MasterClass: Premium subscription video learning platform featuring celebrity instructors across productivity, writing, and self-improvement. Comparable premium positioning and similar consumer learner demographic.
• LinkedIn Learning: Enterprise-skewed professional development platform owned by Microsoft, offering courses on productivity, communication, and business skills. Overlaps with Iris's professional and executive segments and benefits from LinkedIn distribution.

Emerging players

• Blinkist: Subscription app that condenses non-fiction books into short reads/blinks. Competes for the same 'read more in less time' use case that Iris targets, particularly with students and busy professionals.
• Headway: Book summary app and learning platform offering short insights and growth-oriented micro-courses. Targets an overlapping consumer learner segment focused on efficient consumption of ideas.

Direct peers

• Jim Kwik (Kwik Brain): The most direct competitor — a globally recognized speed reading, memory, and brain performance trainer selling online courses, live events, and corporate keynotes. Targets the same student/professional/executive personas with overlapping course categories.
• MindValley: Personal transformation and lifelong learning platform offering video courses, live events, and memberships on memory, focus, productivity, and mind training. Closely overlaps with Iris's focus on performance-oriented adult learners.
• The Great Courses (Wondrium): Premium video-based lifelong learning platform with courses on study skills, memory, speed reading, and professional development delivered by expert instructors. Comparable in format, learner demographic, and breadth of catalog.

Others

• Skillsoft / Codecademy: Enterprise corporate learning platforms selling subscriptions for technology, business, and productivity skills to large organizations. Relevant as a comparison point for how Iris's bulk course licensing and group workshops compete for enterprise L&D budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/irisreading
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iris-reading

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 Iris Reading