Intel buys digital textbook provider Kno

Kno's 225,000 titles will give a big boost to Intel's digital content library

The thing that I think shocked me the most about going to college (besides how disgusting some people will leave a common area bathroom) is how expensive some of my textbooks were. I'm talking hundreds of dollars. And I was a film major! Then, when I went to sell it back, the bookstore would offer me some paltry amount, like $10, knowing that they could resell the book the next semester for another $100.

That is why I am a big believer in the digital textbook movement. Not only does it cut down on waste, and makes it so that you don't have to lug giant books around with you, but it can severely cut down on the cost.

One such company that is firmly in the digital textbook business is Kno, which has now been purchased by Intel, it has been announced. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Buying up Kno will give a big boost to Intel's education iniative, Intel VP John Galvin wrote in a blog post on Friday.

"The acquisition of Kno boosts Intel’s global digital content library to more than 225,000 higher education and K-12 titles through existing partnerships with 75 educational publishers," said Galvin.

"Even more, the Kno platform provides administrators and teachers with the tools they need to easily assign, manage and monitor their digital learning content and assessments."

The two companies share a common philosophy, Gavin noted: that "engagement is key to student success."

Founded in 2009, the Santa Clara-based Kno began life as a provider of a textbook e-reader. Due to the high cost of such a device, which would have taken away all of the financial benefits of buying one (the double-screen tablet was priced at $899 while the single-screen tablet was priced at $599, which might be two semesters’ worth of college textbooks right there), it shifted away from that model, becoming an educational software company in 2011.

Last year the company began distributing a line of K-12 digital textbooks in partnership with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The company has raised a total of over $80 million, including $46 million in equity and debt financing, led by Andreessen Horowitz, with help from Silicon Valley Bank and TriplePoint Capital in 2010.

The company also raised a $30 million Series C round led by Intel Capital, which contributed a $20 million to the round. Other participants in the round included Advance Publications and all of Kno’s previous investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, FLOODGATE, and SV Angel.

Kno currently offers titles that can be accessed on the Web, Android, iPad, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

VatorNews has reached out to Intel and Kno but they could not be reached for comment. Will we update if we learn more about the deal.

(Image source: https://www.kno.com)