Practichem, a biotechnology instrumentation and software startup based in Raleigh, is a company you may not have heard much about. Until Thursday.

Landing $5 million in funding is generating buzz.

In an exclusive Q&A, its founder and CEO Nic DeMarco talks about plans for the funding, hiring, sales, new products, and the benefits of moving to Raleigh from Wisconsin.

The company is ona fast growth path after having moved to the Triangle from Wisconsin in 2013.

  • How many employees do you have now? In what areas are you hiring, and how many employees do you hope to add?

Sixteen across NC, Wisconsin, UK.

We hope to hire 10 more for a total of 25 employees.

Specifically[we are] looking for multiple web app developers, software testers, chromatography applications specialist, tech writer, marketing and sales.

  • Can you tell me who the investors are?

Individual investors wish to remain private.

{Note: In a press release, the company cited the investors as providing angel capital.]

  • Is this the first outside funding?

This is our first outside funding round.

  • How difficult was it to raise the funding?

Doing something different is always difficult.

  • Why raise outside funds rather than fund with organic growth?

We grew organically until we proved the idea. The additional funds will help us promote our mission.

  • How do sales look for 2016? Lots of traction?

We are getting an unexpected level of response from industry and academic customers. We run web demos and on-site demos multiple times every week.

  • What makes Practichem unique?

Practichem is committed to open science and to moving the lab into the world of the Internet of Things (IoT).

We are the only manufacturer of chromatography equipment that has cut the size of the equipment by one half, cut the cost by one third, and utilizes a browser interface to facilitate anywhere, any device access to the research being done.

  • The company’s lead product is called the Arista Slice. What’s the price?

$35,000 covered for three years

  • Is it built in the US?

Yes. We source locally wherever possible.

  • What are key products under development and what areas do they address?

We are currently putting the final touches on an integrated fraction collector, which expands the scope of automation.

  • Has your decision to move to Raleigh proved to be a good one?

Wisconsin is a great home for many industries, but Raleigh is the right place for biotechnology.

The local government helps with training (thanks Wake Tech & BTEC), and by easing employee transitions into biotechnology careers (thanks NCWorks / Capital Area Workforce Development).

Since the move, product and company growth has skyrocketed. We made the right choice.