Blurb, Inc. Explained

Blurb Inc. is an American self-publishing platform that allows users to create, self-publish, promote, share, and sell their own print and ebooks. It also offers software for laying out books.

History

The company was founded in 2005 by Eileen Gittins and funded by Canaan Partners and Anthem Venture Partners. Blurb's headquarters are in San Francisco, California.

Time magazine named Blurb one of 2006's "50 Coolest Web Sites".^[1]

The company generates nearly $100 million^[2] in revenues per year.

Blurb announced a partnership with Amazon^[3] in April 2014. The deal allows Blurb-designed books to be sold and distributed on the Amazon platform. The partnership enables self-publishing on the platform with a 15% cut on Blurb books.^[4]

In May 2014 Blurb acquired MagCloud,^[5] a self-publishing platform for magazines, under a licensing agreement from HP. In the deal, Blurb took over the company's technology and operations. Blurb was acquired by their print fulfillment partner Reischling Press, Inc. (RPI) for an undisclosed amount in August 2020.^[6]

Awards

• In April 2008, Blurb was nominated for a 2008 Webby Award.^[7]
• In August 2010, Blurb was announced as 2010 AOP Open Award Winner.^[8]
• Blurb was an Inc. 500 No. 1 media company in 2010.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web Search and Services . https://web.archive.org/web/20060819180431/https://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1222614,00.html#blurb . dead . August 19, 2006 . . August 3, 2006 . April 26, 2010.
2. Web site: All Entrepreneurs Need to Tell These 6 Stories. June 3, 2016. Inc.. November 6, 2016.
3. Web site: Blurb Announces Partnership with Amazon to Simplify Self-Publishing Photo Books. Burgett, Gannon . April 22, 2014. PetaPixel . November 6, 2016.
4. Web site: Blurb strikes unique 15% deal with Amazon . November 10, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141111014616/https://www.whatsnewinpublishing.co.uk/content/blurb-strikes-unique-15-deal-amazon . November 11, 2014 . dead .
5. Web site: Blurb acquires HP's MagCloud, aims to dominate long-tail publishing. Griffith, Erin . May 6, 2014. . November 6, 2016.
6. Web site: Gary . Pageau. August 3, 2020. RPI acquires Blurb. February 13, 2021 . The Dead Pixels Society. en-US.
7. https://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=12 12th Annual Webby Awards Nominees & Winners
8. Web site: 2010 Open Award Winners are Announced & Exhibition is Launched. May 30, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20111007192624/https://awards.the-aop.org/AOP_Open. October 7, 2011. dead.
9. Web site: America's Fastest-Growing Media Company. September 1, 2016. Inc.. November 6, 2016.