Thinking Habitats (SBA Certified Hub Zone Firm)

What Thinking Habitats (SBA Certified Hub Zone Firm) does

Thinking Habitats, LLC is a Detroit, Michigan-based private education company founded in 2015 that develops THINKING PRO, an evidence-based digital enrichment curriculum unit designed for adolescents and young adults in grades 8-12, with flexibility for advanced 6-7th graders and college/GED learners. The product is delivered through a secure web platform accessible from any device and combines 20 interactive, gamified learning videos (funded by a Small Business Innovation Research grant) with close reading of local news media, group discussions, and a Capstone Project. A proprietary Competency Framework structures how students identify claim categories, evaluate internal logic, and synthesize information across multiple texts. The company is also an SBA Certified Hub Zone Firm, and operates Thinking Habitats Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in Ohio that channels donations and grants to support curriculum implementation.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer sales occur through a self-serve e-commerce storefront selling individual learner licenses at $19.95 and individual teacher licenses at $125-$175 (priced per student capacity tier up to 35 learners). School- and district-wide implementations — including the 5-6 week Short Curriculum Unit and the 10-12 week Intensive Curriculum Unit — are sold via custom quotes, purchase orders, and sole-source letters, with optional professional development and coaching bundled in. Pricing for these larger deals is not publicly disclosed and contracts run on multi-year terms, typically aligned to the academic year (expiring June 30). The inside-sales motion is supported by phone outreach (313-202-9000), a website with demo booking, and content marketing through a blog and email newsletter. Documented implementations span Michigan, Kentucky, and New Jersey, with named customers including Christian County School District (KY), Pickney High School (MI), Holland High School (MI), and Paterson Public Schools (NJ). Reported outcome metrics include 88% reading-strategy proficiency, 84% thinking-strategy proficiency in school-wide implementations, and a 400% higher effect size in reading comprehension versus comparable programs such as RAAL and Xtreme Reading. The company has not disclosed any venture funding rounds, ownership transfers, or executive hires beyond the Thinking Habitats Foundation board (Dr. Florian Feucht, President; Joshua Spieles, VP; Kristina Latta-Landefeld, Secretary; Tony Maziarz, Treasurer Pending).

Name

Thinking Habitats (SBA Certified Hub Zone Firm)

Legal name

Thinking Habitats, LLC

Website

https://thinkinghabitats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Thinking Habitats, LLC is a Detroit-based education company founded in 2015 that develops THINKING PRO, an evidence-based digital curriculum unit for grades 8-12 that builds critical thinking, reading, and writing skills through interactive videos and local news analysis, sold via direct e-commerce licenses and quote-based school and district contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Digital Curriculum

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Open Educational Resources (OER) & Curriculum Repositories (EDAFACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)

Keywords

• Digital curriculum solutions
• Critical thinking education
• Media literacy curriculum
• K-12 ELA curriculum
• Teacher professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Learner Licenses: Direct-to-consumer digital licenses for individual learners to access THINKING PRO Essentials. License valid through June 30, 2026. Price point at $19.95 for self-paced, no-teacher-required access to 20 interactive videos.
2. Individual Teacher Licenses: Digital access for one teacher to manage up to 35 students. Teacher licenses range from $125-$175 depending on student count. Includes 20 instructional videos, built-in progress tracking, and on-demand teacher overview.
3. School and District Licenses: Classroom licenses for up to 100 students and school/district-wide implementations. Pricing via custom quote and Purchase Order. Includes professional development, training, and coaching support.
4. Foundation Donations: 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation accepting individual, corporate, and foundation donations to support scholarships, grants, and implementation of critical thinking programs in educational institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Thinking Habitats develops THINKING PRO, an evidence-based digital enrichment curriculum unit for grades 8–12 (with extensions for advanced 6th–7th graders and college/GED learners). It is delivered through a secure online platform combining 20 gamified interactive videos, close reading of local news, group discussions, and a Capstone Project to build critical reading, thinking, and writing skills tied to real-world issues. The product is offered in three versions (Essentials, Short Curriculum Unit, and Intensive Curriculum Unit) and sold via direct individual licenses or custom school/district contracts with bundled professional development.

Product overview

Thinking Habitats offers a single unified product called THINKING PRO, an evidence-based enrichment curriculum unit for adolescents and young adults. The product portfolio consists of three versions: (1) THINKING PRO Essentials — a self-paced, low-prep option with 20 interactive videos available for individual learner ($19.95) or teacher licenses ($125-$175); (2) THINKING PRO Short Curriculum Unit — a 5-6 week comprehensive unit incorporating interactive videos, close reading of local news, group discussions, and a Capstone Project; and (3) THINKING PRO Intensive Curriculum Unit (ICU) — a 10-12 week intensive version for academic recovery. All versions share the same 20 interactive learning videos as their core instructional engine and are designed for grades 8-12, with flexibility for advanced middle schoolers and college/GED learners. The platform is accessed digitally from any device, with optional professional development and coaching available for school-wide implementations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thinking Habitats Foundation: A 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization that oversees scholarships, grants, fundraising, and donations to support teacher and district-wide training, implementation of critical thinking programs, and ongoing research and development.

Products and services

• THINKING PRO Evidence-based enrichment curriculum unit for adolescents and young adults in grades 8–12, with flexibility for advanced 6th–7th graders and college/GED learners. Integrates into core subjects, support programs, and enrichment tracks to help students analyze information from multiple sources, form evidence-based arguments, communicate clearly, and connect classroom learning to real-world issues.
• THINKING PRO Essentials Self-paced, low-prep version of THINKING PRO with 20 interactive videos covering key reading and reasoning skills, with gamified lessons, scaffolded practice, instant feedback, and progress tracking. Sold as individual learner licenses ($19.95) or individual teacher licenses ($125–$175) supporting up to 30–35 students.
• THINKING PRO Short Curriculum Unit A 5–6 week curriculum unit version of THINKING PRO that combines interactive videos, close reading of local news, group discussions, and a Capstone Project. Sold to individual teachers or schools/districts via custom quote and Purchase Order.
• THINKING PRO Intensive Curriculum Unit (ICU) A 10–12 week teacher-guided intensive version of THINKING PRO designed for academic recovery and foundational skill-building. Available to individual teachers or schools/districts via custom quote and Purchase Order.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% proficiency in reading strategies; 84% proficiency in thinking strategies (school-wide implementations)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature4 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CommonLit: CommonLit offers free digital ELA reading curriculum with discussion and assessment tools. It overlaps with THINKING PRO's ELA close-reading and critical-thinking use case, particularly for grades 6-12, though CommonLit's free model puts pressure on paid alternatives.
• Nearpod: Nearpod provides interactive digital lessons and formative assessment tools used in K-12 classrooms. It competes for the same teacher-led interactive instruction budget and overlaps on formative-assessment features in THINKING PRO.
• iCivics: iCivics provides civic education curriculum for middle and high school students. It overlaps with THINKING PRO's social studies / civic-action Capstone Project use case and competes for the same district curriculum dollars.
• Lexia Learning: Lexia provides reading instruction for K-12 with adaptive, evidence-based programs. It competes for the same district literacy budget and student population, with significantly deeper LMS integration and a larger installed base.
• Achieve3000 (Imagine Learning): Achieve3000 (now part of Imagine Learning) provides differentiated literacy instruction for secondary students with measurable effect-size data. It competes directly on the literacy-intervention wedge THINKING PRO uses to enter districts.
• Newsela: Newsela provides differentiated, real-news reading content for K-12 ELA and social studies. It is the most direct competitor to THINKING PRO on the authentic-news-meets-literacy-instruction thesis, with a similar target buyer (district ELA coordinators) but a much larger scale.
• News Literacy Project: News Literacy Project's Checkology platform provides media literacy curriculum for middle and high school students. It directly competes on the local-news and source-evaluation angle that THINKING PRO uses as a differentiator.
• Generation Citizen: Generation Citizen delivers action civics programs for secondary students, closely aligned with THINKING PRO's Capstone Project where students solve local issues through research and advocacy. It competes on the same civic-engagement outcome districts fund.

Broad incumbents

• Edmentum: Edmentum provides a broad portfolio of K-12 online learning, assessment, and intervention products. It competes indirectly as an established enterprise vendor whose contracts can crowd out single-product suppliers in district procurement.
• Imagine Learning: Imagine Learning is a broader K-12 EdTech portfolio company that includes literacy (Imagine Learning Literacy, formerly Imagine Learning Insights) plus math, assessment, and ELL products. It competes indirectly as a full-suite alternative to a single-subject supplement like THINKING PRO.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thinkinghabitats

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Thinking Habitats (SBA Certified Hub Zone Firm)