Ikaros Publishing

What Ikaros Publishing does

Ikaros Publishing (Εκδόσεις Ίκαρος) is an independent Greek publishing house founded in 1943 and headquartered in Athens, operating under the consumer-facing brand Ikarosbooks. The company publishes a diversified literary catalog across poetry, fiction, essays, biographies, non-fiction, graphic novels, and children's literature spanning age groups from infants to young adults, including established series such as Skandar, Millie and Mo, Pitsibouini, and Little Bear. Its product line includes both physical books and digital e-books, with per-unit pricing typically in the €8–€25 range.

The company distributes through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at ikarosbooks.gr, which supports worldwide shipping, alongside physical bookstore events and author presentations in Greece (e.g., at Το Σεντουκάκι in Chalkida). The marketing mix is modest and content-led: an owned website, an email newsletter, organic social presence on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and in-person literary events. The 2026 release calendar shows active translation of high-profile international prize-winning authors (Strega 2025, Nadal 2023, Femina 2025) into Greek alongside original Greek works, indicating a deliberate bilingual publishing program.

Commercially, Ikaros operates as a small traditional publisher with roughly 15 employees, no disclosed funding, no B2B anchor accounts, and a one-time-purchase revenue model — there are no subscriptions or recurring contracts. The business is privately held, with no evidence of VC/PE backing, M&A activity, or a parent company. The technology footprint is limited to standard e-commerce and e-book delivery, with no AI/ML components disclosed.

Name

Ikaros Publishing

Legal name

Εκδόσεις Ίκαρος

Website

https://ikarosbooks.gr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ikaros Publishing is an independent Greek literary publishing house founded in 1943 in Athens, producing poetry, fiction, essays, children's books, and e-books for Greek readers and the international Greek-speaking market via direct e-commerce and physical bookstore events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Retailers and News Dealers (459210)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Books & Educational Readers Retail (CRALAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Children’s Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Publishing (MPAJAFAH)

Keywords

• Book publishing
• Literary publishing
• Children's books
• Greek literature
• E-book distribution

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical Book Sales: Sale of printed books across multiple genres including poetry, fiction, essays, biographies, and children's literature. Books are sold directly through their e-commerce platform with international shipping.
2. E-book Sales: Digital distribution of books through their e-commerce platform, allowing for instant delivery of electronic versions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ikaros Publishing is a Greek book publisher that produces and sells a multi-genre catalog of physical books and e-books—including poetry, fiction, essays, biographies, non-fiction, graphic novels, and age-segmented children's literature (from infants to young adults)—via its direct-to-consumer online shop (ikarosbooks.gr) with international shipping, supplemented by in-person events at physical bookstores.

Product overview

Ikaros Publishing is a Greek publishing house founded in 1943, offering a diverse portfolio of books across multiple categories: general literature including poetry, fiction, essays, biographies, and non-fiction works; a comprehensive children's books catalogue spanning from infants to young adults with series like Σκάνταρ (Skandar) for young adults, Μίλλυ και Μο (Millie and Mo) for toddlers, Πιτσιμπουίνοι for mystery-loving children, and Αρκουδάκος (Little Bear) for preschoolers; graphic novels; and eBook digital editions. The company operates an online shop (ikarosbooks.gr) selling directly to consumers worldwide with shipping and returns services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Books (Βιβλία) General book catalogue including literature, poetry, fiction, essays, biographies, and non-fiction works published by Ikaros Publishing, available in Greek and in translation from international authors.
• Children's Books (Παιδικά Βιβλία) Children's literature catalogue including picture books, illustrated books, and fiction for age groups ranging from 1 year to 12+ years, organized into dedicated series collections.
• eBooks (Ηλεκτρονικά Βιβλία) Digital editions of published books available for electronic reading through the company's e-commerce platform.
• Σκάνταρ (Skandar) Series Fantasy adventure book series for young readers featuring the character Skandar, including titles such as 'Ο Σκάνταρ και ο πόλεμος του άυλου' (Skandar and the Spirit War).
• Μίλλυ και Μο (Millie and Mo) Series Board book series for young children (ages 1+) featuring interactive elements such as flaps and moving parts, including titles like 'Μίλλυ και Μο: Το πάρτι' and 'Μίλλυ και Μο: Η πρώτη μέρα του Μο'.
• Πιτσιμπουίνοι (Pitsibouini) Series Mystery book series for children featuring the character Μικρός Μπλε (Little Blue) as the island detective, including titles like 'Πιτσιμπουίνοι: Εξαφάνιση στο Πίτσι Πίτσου'.
• Αρκουδάκος (Little Bear) Series Preschool book series featuring the character Little Bear (Μπιζι Μπερ) with interactive elements including moving parts, targeted at children aged 1-3 years.
• Graphic Novels Graphic novels and illustrated narrative works, including titles like 'Ιερουσαλήμ: η ιστορία μιας πόλης' (Jerusalem: The Story of a City) by Vincent Lemire and Christophe Gaultier.
• Online Shop (Ηλεκτρονικό Κατάστημα) E-commerce platform for purchasing physical books and e-books, featuring browsing by category, age group, collection, and author, with international shipping and a 14-day returns policy.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Patakis Publishers: Patakis is a major Greek publishing house with broad literary and children's catalog, and one of the largest publishers in the Greek market. Operates direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels, comparable to Ikaros's e-commerce model.
• Kastaniotis Editions: Kastaniotis is a long-established Greek publisher of literary fiction, non-fiction, and translated works. Directly comparable to Ikaros in scope, genre mix, and target readership.
• Livani Publishing: Livani is a Greek publisher specializing in literary fiction, poetry, essays, and translated works, with a distinctive catalog of international authors. Comparable to Ikaros in literary positioning and translation focus.
• Gavrielides Editions: Gavrielides is a Greek publisher with a mix of literary, poetry, and essay titles, and a long history in the Greek market. Comparable to Ikaros as a fellow Athens-based literary publisher with similar direct-to-consumer distribution.
• Kedros Publishers: Kedros is one of Greece's leading literary publishers, cataloging Greek and translated literature across poetry, fiction, essays, and children's books. Operates directly from Athens with similar catalog breadth and target audience to Ikaros.
• Metaixmio Editions: Metaixmio is a Greek publisher with a strong literary and children's catalog, including translated international bestsellers. Directly comparable in editorial focus and Greek-market positioning.
• Polis Publishers: Polis is a Greek literary publisher of fiction, non-fiction, essays, and social science titles. Operates a comparable catalog mix and direct-retail model alongside Ikaros.

Emerging players

• Dalkey Archive Press: Dalkey Archive Press is a US publisher specializing in translated and experimental literary fiction. Comparable to Ikaros in its focus on literary translated works and niche literary readership.
• Archipelago Books: Archipelago Books is a US not-for-profit literary publisher specializing in translated world literature. Comparable to Ikaros in its translation-focused literary mission and catalog of international prize-winning authors.

Broad incumbents

• New Directions Publishing: New Directions is a long-established US independent publisher of literary fiction, poetry, and translated works. Comparable to Ikaros in its heritage brand, literary positioning, and emphasis on international translated literature.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ikaros-publishing

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 Ikaros Publishing