SciTech Communications
SciTech Communications is a founder-owned publishing company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that creates original written content on science, technology, and maker culture. It operates the Tooligans and Whoa! blogs and the Zenith Press book imprint, serving individual enthusiasts, educators, libraries, and law enforcement agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SciTech Communications does
SciTech Communications LLC is a privately-held, founder-owned publishing and content creation company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, founded in 2009 by Matthew Gryczan. The company creates and publishes original written content on science, technology, and maker-related topics, operating three distinct content properties: Tooligans, a blog and newsletter covering people in West Michigan who make things for the joy of it; Whoa!, a collection of stories about unusual people, places, and phenomena; and Zenith Press, a book publishing imprint whose flagship title is 'Carnival Secrets: How to Win at Carnival Games and What Games to Avoid' (1988), with a second book, 'Waterworks: Fun with Moving Water,' in development. The company employs 1-10 people (effectively operating as a sole proprietorship around its founder, who has completed more than 140 maker projects over his career and demonstrated at three Detroit Maker Faires and two Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faires).
The underlying technology stack is minimal: there is no proprietary platform, software product, or app; the operation is built around a content-managed website (scitechcommunications.net), a blog/newsletter publication, and book distribution via Amazon marketplace and direct website sales. The company does not employ software engineering, AI/ML, or API infrastructure as part of its product surface.
SciTech Communications earns revenue through two streams: one-time physical book sales (Carnival Secrets has sold more than 10,000 cumulative copies since 1988 through Amazon and direct channels) and ad hoc professional content creation services for media, websites, and companies in science and technology. Customer segments span individual enthusiast readers (carnival buffs, maker hobbyists), institutional reference buyers (libraries, law enforcement agencies), educators using the book as a physics/probability teaching aid, and regional West Michigan readers of Tooligans and Whoa!. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through organic content marketing, earned media (50+ newspaper features, NBC Today Show, BBC's The Secret Cabaret II), and Amazon marketplace listings; no subscription, SaaS, or contractual enterprise revenue model is in use.
SciTech Communications firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SciTech Communications
- Legal name
- SciTech Communications LLC
- Website
- https://scitechcommunications.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SciTech Communications is a founder-owned publishing company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that creates original written content on science, technology, and maker culture. It operates the Tooligans and Whoa! blogs and the Zenith Press book imprint, serving individual enthusiasts, educators, libraries, and law enforcement agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SciTech Communications industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Publishing Industries (513)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.) (MPAJAAAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Reference Works & Academic Databases (Encyclopedias, Indexes, Abstracts) (MPAJABAI)
Keywords
Where SciTech Communications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SciTech Communications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales - Carnival Secrets: One-time sale of physical books. Carnival Secrets was published in 1988 and has sold more than 10,000 copies worldwide. Available through Amazon and direct sales.
- Publishing/Content Creation Services: Original material creation for media, websites and companies involved in science and technology. The company researches and writes about various subjects of interest.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
SciTech Communications product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SciTech Communications is an independent publisher and content creator founded in 2009 that produces original written content on science, technology, and maker-related topics under three brands: Tooligans (a blog covering West Michigan makers), Whoa! (a collection of remarkable stories), and Zenith Press (a book imprint). Its flagship commercial product is the book "Carnival Secrets," published in 1988, which has sold more than 10,000 copies worldwide and serves carnival game enthusiasts, libraries, and law enforcement agencies.
Product overview
SciTech Communications is a publishing company founded by Matthew Gryczan in 2009 that creates original material covering science, technology, creative makers, and engaging stories. The company operates two blogs—Tooligans, a news source covering West Michigan makers who create things for joy, and Whoa!, a collection of remarkable stories about people and phenomena. Through its publishing imprint Zenith Press, the company publishes books including Carnival Secrets (a 1988 guide to carnival games) and the forthcoming Waterworks (about water-powered machines).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tooligans: A news source that covers people in West Michigan who make things for the joy of it.
- Whoa!
- Zenith Press
Products and services
- Tooligans A news source and blog that covers people in West Michigan who make things for the joy of it, featuring behind-the-workbench stories on topics such as rocket stoves, hand-forged knives, and battery-powered gyrocars. Aimed at maker hobbyists and the West Michigan DIY community.
- Whoa! A collection of stories about people and things that prompt the reaction "Did you see that?!" — covering intriguing topics such as self-moving tombstones and fairy shrimp habitats, with downloadable resources for further investigation. Aimed at general curious readers.
- Carnival Secrets A 211-page book detailing how to win at carnival games, which games to avoid, and how to build your own carnival games for practice. Includes 64 photos, 24 illustrations, 3 mathematical tables, and a glossary of carnival slang. Sold through Amazon and the company website to carnival buffs, libraries, and law enforcement agencies as a reference work.
- Waterworks An upcoming book about building machines that use moving water as a power source, inspired by the Kenner Hydrodynamics toy construction set from the 1960s. Includes photos and drawings on constructing Waterworks sets from household materials. Intended for children and adults fascinated by water-powered devices.
Companies that use SciTech Communications
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SciTech Communications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
SciTech Communications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
SciTech Communications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Workman Publishing: Independent publisher of specialty consumer non-fiction and gift/reference titles. Comparable as a similarly positioned specialty trade house publishing quirky practical titles for niche audiences.
- Storey Publishing: Specialty publisher focused on DIY, maker, homesteading, and hands-on project books. Direct analog to SciTech's Waterworks-style maker content and project-driven publishing approach.
- Quirk Books: Independent specialty publisher known for quirky, niche consumer titles. Comparable business model of small-scale press monetizing unusual subject matter (e.g., carnival games).
- Microcosm Publishing: Small independent publisher of specialty zines, books, and DIY content distributed through alternative channels. Comparable in scale, mission, and direct-to-consumer distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- O'Reilly Media: Major technical/maker book publisher with broad title catalog and deep institutional reach. Larger-scale incumbent operating in adjacent maker/technology publishing space.
- Make Community (Make: Magazine): Established maker-movement media brand covering DIY projects, makers, and technology. Overlaps heavily with Tooligans content and addresses the same maker persona, but at significantly larger scale.
- Quarto Group: Global illustrated book publisher with specialty and hobby imprints. Comparable through its portfolio of niche illustrated/how-to consumer books distributed worldwide.
Emerging players
- Instructables: Community-driven DIY/maker project platform with overlapping maker audience and project documentation style. Competes for the same West Michigan maker mindshare that Tooligans targets.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
SciTech Communications social profiles
Digital presenceSciTech Communications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SciTech Communications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SciTech Communications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SciTech Communications M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SciTech Communications
What does SciTech Communications do?
SciTech Communications is an independent publisher and content creator founded in 2009 that produces original written content on science, technology, and maker-related topics under three brands: Tooligans (a blog covering West Michigan makers), Whoa! (a collection of remarkable stories), and Zenith Press (a book imprint). Its flagship commercial product is the book "Carnival Secrets," published in 1988, which has sold more than 10,000 copies worldwide and serves carnival game enthusiasts, libraries, and law enforcement agencies.
Is SciTech Communications a public or private company?
SciTech Communications is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SciTech Communications founded?
SciTech Communications was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SciTech Communications based?
SciTech Communications is headquartered in Grand Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does SciTech Communications make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Book Sales - Carnival Secrets are the primary driver. The others are publishing/Content Creation Services.
Who are SciTech Communications's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Workman Publishing, Storey Publishing, Quirk Books and Microcosm Publishing. Broad incumbents are O'Reilly Media, Make Community (Make: Magazine) and Quarto Group. Instructables is listed as an emerging player.
Does SciTech Communications have an API?
No public API is recorded for SciTech Communications.
What industry is SciTech Communications in?
SciTech Communications's product category is Independent Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAN, Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAJABAI, Reference Works & Academic Databases (Encyclopedias, Indexes, Abstracts). Its NAICS code is 5131 and its SIC code is 2731.