Fountainhead Press

Fountainhead Press, established in 2002, operates as a publishing house focused on the higher education market. The company was founded by Scott Timian and Felix Frazier, who leveraged their combined 50-plus years of experience in the publishing industry to address frustrations with overpriced and inflexible textbooks. Their goal was to collaborate directly with instructors to create personalized and content-rich course materials.

The firm's business model centers on disrupting the traditional textbook market by providing affordable, customized educational content. Fountainhead Press works with educators to either adapt existing texts or develop new materials tailored to specific course needs, covering disciplines such as English, Communication, Science, and Spanish. This collaborative approach ensures the content is relevant and pedagogically current. Revenue is generated through the sale of these physical and digital textbooks to students and institutions. In January 2021, the company was acquired by Top Hat, a Toronto-based EdTech active learning platform, to expand its portfolio of interactive digital courseware. The acquisition integrated Fountainhead's 500 titles, used at over 400 institutions, into Top Hat's platform.

The company’s product is a catalog of customizable higher education course materials. A key feature is the ability for instructors to personalize content, ensuring alignment with their curriculum and teaching style. Through the partnership and subsequent acquisition by Top Hat, these materials were transformed into interactive digital courseware. This allows for an active learning experience with tools for engagement, motivation, and student assessment integrated directly into the digital texts. The company emphasizes keeping costs low, passing savings on to students, and utilizing eco-friendly practices.

Keywords: higher education publishing, custom textbooks, academic courseware, educational materials, textbook alternatives, interactive learning, digital textbooks, personalized content, Top Hat, course material customization, affordable textbooks, EdTech content, faculty collaboration, academic publishing, English composition, communication studies, student engagement, digital learning solutions, online course materials, eco-friendly publishing