Cape Point Capital Partners, Haas Capital Partners, and Horsman Holdings Announce Investment in Secret Stories; Cape Point and Haas Capital Assume Operating Leadership
Haas Capital-led investment, in collaboration with Cape Point Capital and Horsman Holdings, in the only ESSA Tier 1 phonics supplement in the United States, used in 100,000+ classrooms nationwide. Cape Point and Haas Capital take a hands-on day-to-day operating role to help expand and market the platform.
Cape Point Capital Partners, Haas Capital Partners, and Horsman Holdings today announced their joint investment in Secret Stories, the K-12 literacy company behind the only Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Tier 1 phonics supplement currently rated in the United States. Haas Capital led the transaction in collaboration with Cape Point Capital and Horsman Holdings. Cape Point and Haas Capital took a hands-on operating role in the day-to-day business concurrent with close, focused on expanding district reach and accelerating the marketing engine behind the platform.
Secret Stories is one of the most widely deployed phonics supplements in American K-12 education. The program is used by 100,000+ classrooms nationwide and has reached millions of students since launch. Its research-validated methodology bridges the Science of Reading and the Science of Learning through a story-based mnemonic system that helps students internalize the rules of English phonics, including the long-standing problem of why letters change their sounds in different contexts.
Secret Stories holds the highest evidence designation available under the Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA Tier 1 (Strong Evidence), which is a meaningful credential for school districts navigating federal funding and curriculum approval requirements. Beyond that credential, the program is widely regarded by classroom teachers, district administrators, special education professionals, and parents homeschooling at scale, with applications spanning Early Literacy, Special Education, English as a Second Language, Adult Learners, Science of Reading, and Dyslexia intervention.
Under the new ownership structure, Horsman Holdings provides patient family-office capital alongside Haas Capital and Cape Point, while Cape Point and Haas Capital share day-to-day operating leadership across product, technology, sales, marketing, and platform growth into adjacent literacy and professional-learning categories. The team is focused on expanding district adoption and accelerating the marketing engine while protecting the founder-authored curriculum that built the brand's reputation in classrooms.
“Secret Stories is one of those rare businesses where the product is genuinely the best in its category, the credential, ESSA Tier 1, is verifiable, and the customer base of teachers, districts, and parents has built a reputation no marketing budget can buy. Together with Haas Capital and Horsman Holdings, our job is to honor what the founder built and to scale it without ever compromising the underlying program.”
About Secret Stories
Secret Stories is a K-12 literacy company and the publisher of the only ESSA Tier 1 (Strong Evidence) phonics supplement currently rated in the United States. The program is used in 100,000+ classrooms nationwide and reaches millions of students through its story-based mnemonic methodology bridging the Science of Reading and the Science of Learning. Applications span Early Literacy, Special Education, English as a Second Language, Adult Learners, Science of Reading, and Dyslexia intervention.
About Cape Point Capital Partners
Cape Point Capital Partners is an operator-led private investment firm that acquires, operates, and scales businesses across industrial services, ecommerce, healthcare services, home services, defense and security, and transportation and logistics. The firm has completed 30+ acquisitions across six core verticals.
About Haas Capital Partners
Haas Capital Partners is an operationally focused private investment firm partnering with founders and operators in the lower middle-market. Led by a team of entrepreneurs, business owners, and proven operators, Haas has a track record of building high-performing businesses through operational excellence and sustainable value creation.
About Horsman Holdings
Horsman Holdings is the single-family office of Patrick Horsman, allocating patient, long-duration capital across alternatives on behalf of family trusts, insurance entities, and foundations. Horsman deploys primarily through wholly-owned platforms led by experienced operators with significant personal capital invested, alongside select direct investments where capital, network, or operating expertise creates real edge.
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Media Contact
Christian Johnson
Managing Partner, Cape Point Capital Partners