Flat World Knowledge, the largest publisher of free and open college textbooks for students worldwide, has received $15 million in another round of funding, this one led by Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann, and Bessemer Venture Partners, a global investment firm. Also joining the round are returning investors Valhalla Partners, GSA Venture Partners (formerly Greenhill SAVP), High Peaks Venture Partners, and several angel investors.
The new funding will help Flat World expand its catalog beyond business and economics to include books for the 125 highest-enrolled courses on college campuses. The company recently published titles for three of the largest general education courses: introductory sociology, introductory psychology and college success, which have a combined enrollment of more than four million students annually. Over the next few months, the company will also publish new textbooks for English composition, algebra, chemistry and American government, among others.
