Trajectory Inc.

Trajectory

Company type	Private
Industry	Technology, Publishing, Electronic publishing
Founded	2011
Founder	Jim Bryant
Headquarters	Marblehead , United States
Area served	International
Products	Deep learning algorithms for book analysis and recommendations

Trajectory is a U.S.-based technology firm focused on the international book publishing sector. Established in 2011 by Jim Bryant and headquartered in Marblehead, Massachusetts, the company specializes in creating advanced deep learning algorithms for analyzing and recommending books.

History

Since its inception, Trajectory has collaborated with more than 300 eBook distributors around the world. In 2013, the company expanded its capabilities by acquiring assets from the startup Small Demons, which included access to HarperCollins’ e-book collection for data analysis purposes. This acquisition enhanced Trajectory’s core algorithmic strength and diversified its product lineup.

In 2014, Trajectory launched a standardized technique for tracking sentiment progression within fiction, boosting its ability to provide content-driven recommendations. By January 2015, it introduced an innovative method that generates book recommendations directly based on the text content.

Trajectory maintains a substantial international presence, notably entering the Chinese e-book market through a strategic alliance with Tencent Literature in 2015. This agreement allowed the distribution of over 200,000 Chinese titles throughout North and South America and enabled Tencent’s 820 million users to access English-language titles. Further collaborations with Chinese distributors such as Xiaomi and Dangdang expanded its footprint in China.

In 2015, Trajectory forged partnerships with organizations including Peoples Education Press, Zhejiang, Anhui, Diamond Comic Distributors, Gardners, and the Association of American University Presses, thereby extending its distribution network. The company’s innovative approach to business earned it the Book Industry Study Group's Industry Innovation Award that same year, acknowledging its leadership and competitive edge within publishing technology.

Customers

Trajectory operates across both publishing and distribution segments of the global e-book industry, collaborating with prominent entities throughout the book supply chain.

Publishers

Notable publisher clients comprise Macmillan, Abrams, MIT Press, Peoples Education Press, Anhui, and Zhejiang.

Distributors

Its distributor partners include Tencent Literature, Xiaomi, Dangdang, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, among over 300 others.

Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning

To improve book discovery, Trajectory leverages cutting-edge Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques alongside proprietary deep learning algorithms, setting a new standard for recommendation systems in publishing. These technologies analyze various aspects of book content—such as sentiment trends, grammatical elements, genres, and keywords—and match them against an extensive database to deliver highly accurate suggestions. Unlike competitors like Amazon or Netflix, which base recommendations on sales figures and user activity, Trajectory’s NLP engine processes books in English, Chinese, Spanish, and German, continually enhancing recommendation precision worldwide.