Castle Rock Research Information

What Castle Rock Research Information does

Castle Rock Research Corporation, operating as Castle Rock Research Information, is a privately held Canadian educational publishing company founded in 1995 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The company develops curriculum-aligned study guides, workbooks, and digital learning resources for students in grades 3 through 12, with primary provincial coverage in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario and secondary coverage in North America. Its product family includes THE KEY Study Guide (print), SNAP Workbook, Class Notes Workbook, Problem Solved Workbook, the SOLARO web and mobile study platform, the Excelerator diploma preparation courses, and the SOLARO for Libraries program, alongside at least one post-secondary title (Financial Management for Engineers).

All content is developed internally through the proprietary GRANITE enterprise content management platform, which supports configurable workflows and outputs aligned to provincial curricula and to U.S. standards including APIP, SBAC, and PARRC. The company operates with 51-100 employees under Founder and CEO Gautam Rao and COO Mun Prasad, and sells to a distributed base of individual students and parents, schools and districts, public library systems, and sports and community organizations. The underlying technology stack is therefore best characterized as a content-management-centric publishing operation rather than a software platform company.

The business model combines one-time purchases of printed study guides priced at $20-$34.95 per unit, SOLARO monthly and annual digital subscriptions, institutional school ordering programs with bulk discounts, premium Excelerator diploma prep courses, and selected higher-priced textbooks such as the $79.99 Financial Management for Engineers title. Distribution occurs through direct e-commerce on its own website, custom school ordering links, public library partnerships (including Calgary Public Library and Edmonton Public Library), and sports and community organization partnerships (including Ontario Soccer, AYF&C, and CJGA). The revenue mix is therefore split between transactional print sales, recurring digital subscriptions, institutional orders, and partnership-driven free-access distribution, with no disclosed revenue, funding, or M&A activity in the available data.

Name

Castle Rock Research Information

Legal name

Castle Rock Research Corporation

Website

https://castlerockresearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Castle Rock Research Corporation is a Canadian educational publisher, founded in 1995 and based in Edmonton, Alberta, that produces curriculum-aligned print study guides, workbooks, and the SOLARO digital learning platform for grades 3-12 students in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Publishing

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Standardized Test Prep & Practice Materials (EDAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies) (EDAGAAAA), Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting) (EDAGAIAE)

Keywords

• Educational study guides
• Curriculum-aligned content
• K-12 exam preparation
• Online learning platform
• Digital education subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore City

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Printed Study Guides and Workbooks: One-time purchase of curriculum-aligned printed study guides (THE KEY Study Guide) and workbooks (SNAP, Class Notes, Problem Solved) for specific grades and subjects in Mathematics, Science, English Language Arts, and Social Studies for grades 3-12.
2. SOLARO Online Subscription: Recurring subscription to SOLARO digital study guide providing access to Math, Science, and ELA courses for grades 3-12. Available in 1-month or 12-month terms, with automated monthly recurring subscription option.
3. School and District Institutional Sales: Castle Rock works with schools and school districts across Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia to provide discounted study resources. Schools set up special discount sales for students through custom ordering links.
4. Excelerator Diploma Preparation Courses: Online, interactive diploma preparation courses for Alberta diploma examinations in Mathematics 30-1, Mathematics 30-2, Chemistry 30, Biology 30, Physics 30, Science 30, English 30, and Social Studies 30, delivered by top Alberta educators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Castle Rock Research develops, publishes, and sells curriculum-aligned educational study materials for grades 3-12, with deep focus on Canadian provincial curricula (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario) and U.S. state standards. The product portfolio combines printed study guides (THE KEY Study Guide, SNAP Workbook, Class Notes, Problem Solved) with the SOLARO digital learning platform (web and mobile) and Excelerator online diploma preparation courses, sold directly to students and families and through school district and library partnership channels.

Product overview

Castle Rock Research Information offers a portfolio of educational study guides and digital learning resources for students in grades 3-12 across North America. The core product portfolio includes THE KEY Study Guide (printed curriculum-specific study guides), SNAP Workbooks (student notes and problems workbooks), Class Notes and Problem Solved supplementary workbooks, and SOLARO Digital Study Guide (web and mobile online learning platform). The company also provides Excelerator Diploma Prep Courses (online interactive diploma preparation) and operates the Granite enterprise content platform internally for content development and quality control. SOLARO for Libraries extends free access through library partnerships. Products are aligned with provincial curricula in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and other Canadian provinces, as well as select U.S. state standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOLARO: Student-Oriented Learning, Assessment & Reporting Online - a digital study guide for Math, Science, and ELA for grades 3-12
• The KEY Study Guide
• SNAP Workbook
• Class Notes
• Problem Solved
• Excelerator
• GRANITE

Products and services

• THE KEY Study Guide Printed curriculum-specific study guide for students in grades 3-12 covering Mathematics, Science, English Language Arts, and Social Studies, designed to prepare students for school tests, final exams, Provincial Achievement Tests, and diploma examinations. Each guide includes Unit Review, Unit Test, and Exam Preparation components with practice questions and detailed solutions.
• SNAP Workbook Student Notes and Problems curriculum-specific workbook for grades 3-12, intended for classroom use or self-guided learning throughout the school year, with complete explanations of curriculum concepts, illustrative examples, and practice exercises. Teachers can assign even-numbered problems for homework as full solutions are provided in separately sold manuals.
• SOLARO Digital Study Guide Online student self-directed learning resource (Student-Oriented Learning, Assessment & Reporting Online) augmenting provincial and state curriculum in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science for grades 3-12. Delivers up to 10 courses with lessons, on-demand practice quizzes, tests, and study tools accessible on any desktop, laptop, or mobile browser via 1-month or 12-month subscriptions.
• Excelerator Diploma Preparation Courses Online interactive diploma preparation courses for Alberta diploma examinations, delivered by top Alberta educators using SOLARO. Covers Mathematics 30-1, Mathematics 30-2, Chemistry 30, Biology 30, Physics 30, Science 30, English 30, and Social Studies 30, including test-taking strategies and time management.
• Class Notes Workbook Curriculum-aligned workbook providing essential teaching pieces and explanations of concepts in age-appropriate language, designed to support classroom instruction with additional information and examples without the practice problems included in the SNAP workbook.
• Problem Solved Workbook Workbook providing example problems and questions with complete, detailed solutions demonstrating the problem-solving process, containing the same problems as the SNAP Workbook plus complete solution sets for self-study and review.
• Granite Enterprise Educational Content Platform Enterprise content management platform that manages all educational content development, quality control processes, and workflows for THE KEY, SNAP, and SOLARO products, supporting configurable workflows, next-generation content constructs for APIP, SBAC, and PARRC standards, and standardized output management across multiple formats.
• School District Discount Program Bulk ordering program for schools and school districts in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario providing discounted pricing on study resources, with custom school ordering links and consolidated delivery (print orders delivered to school for pickup; digital orders emailed for activation).
• SOLARO for Libraries Free access program for SOLARO digital study guide delivered through partnerships with public library systems across Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, including Calgary Public Library, Edmonton Public Library, Fraser Valley Regional Library, and Greater Victoria Public Library.

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered north american partner, regional partner, library partner - alberta and library partner - british columbia.

• Ontario Soccernorth american partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerOntario Soccer is a North American partner of Castle Rock Research. The partnership provides educational resources for families of soccer participants in Ontario.
• American Youth Football & Cheernorth american partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican Youth Football & Cheer is a North American partner. The partnership provides educational resources for families of youth football and cheer participants across the United States.
• Canadian Junior Golf Associationnorth american partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCanadian Junior Golf Association is a North American partner offering educational resources to families of junior golf participants in Canada.
• National Championship Sportsnorth american partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Championship Sports is a North American partner providing educational resources to families of sports participants.
• Challenger Sportsnorth american partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerChallenger Sports is a North American partner offering soccer programs and associated educational resources to member families.
• Canadian Armed Forces Morale and Welfare Servicesnorth american partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCanadian Armed Forces Morale and Welfare Services is a North American partner providing educational resources for military families.
• San Francisco Brown Bombersregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSan Francisco Brown Bombers is a regional partner providing educational resources to community members.
• Rising Stars Football Academyregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRising Stars Football Academy is a regional partner providing educational resources to academy families.
• Calgary Public Librarylibrary partner - albertaGTM or Marketing PartnerCalgary Public Library offers free SOLARO access to library patrons through their digital library platform.
• Edmonton Public Librarylibrary partner - albertaGTM or Marketing PartnerEdmonton Public Library offers free SOLARO access to library patrons as part of their digital resources.
• Chinook Arch Regional Library Systemlibrary partner - albertaGTM or Marketing PartnerChinook Arch Regional Library System provides free SOLARO access to patrons across their library system.
• Fraser Valley Regional Librarylibrary partner - british columbiaGTM or Marketing PartnerFraser Valley Regional Library offers free SOLARO access to patrons as part of their eLibrary services.
• Greater Victoria Public Librarylibrary partner - british columbiaGTM or Marketing PartnerGreater Victoria Public Library provides free SOLARO access to library members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kaplan: Test prep and educational services provider offering study guides, online courses, and tutoring for standardized exams. Comparable in print and digital test preparation products for students.
• IXL Learning: Subscription-based K-12 online learning platform covering math, English, science, and social studies with curriculum alignment to U.S. state and Canadian provincial standards. Direct competitor to SOLARO in the online supplemental learning category.
• Khan Academy: Nonprofit offering free online lessons, practice exercises, and test prep across K-12 subjects. Competes directly with SOLARO for self-directed student learning time and parental adoption, though Khan Academy is freemium and not curriculum-region specific.
• Princeton Review: Test preparation company offering study guides, courses, and tutoring for standardized exams. Comparable to Castle Rock's test prep books (THE KEY) and Excelerator diploma prep courses.
• Oxford Learning: Canadian supplemental education company providing tutoring and learning programs for K-12 students. Direct comparable in Canadian supplemental education market with overlapping curriculum-aligned offerings.
• Study.com: Online learning platform offering video-based lessons, study guides, and test prep for K-12 and college students. Comparable in subscription-based digital study resources for self-directed learners preparing for exams.

Emerging players

• Top Hat: Educational technology platform providing interactive courseware and content for higher education and K-12. Comparable in digital learning platform delivery, though Top Hat focuses more on classroom instruction tools than independent study.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson Education: Global education company with K-12 textbook publishing, assessment, and digital learning platforms. Comparable in curriculum-aligned educational content across multiple subjects and geographies, with significantly broader portfolio.
• McGraw Hill: Major educational publisher offering K-12 textbooks, study guides, and adaptive learning platforms. Comparable in curriculum-aligned print and digital study resources, but operates at much greater scale across all subjects and U.S. Common Core standards.

Regional players

• Nelson Education: Canadian educational publisher producing K-12 textbooks and digital learning resources aligned to provincial curricula. Comparable in curriculum-aligned K-12 publishing, with broader subject coverage and institutional penetration in Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/castlerockresch
• Facebookfacebook.com/castlerockresearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/491836

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Castle Rock Research Information