Company name: Maine Laboratories doing business as PFAS Laboratories
Founder(s) name(s) and role(s): Katie Richards, CEO; Chris Richards, CSO
Where are you based (city/town, Maine): Norridgewock ME
Year founded: 2022
What inspired you to start this company?My husband, Chris, and I were trying to get access to our own PFAS test for our well and realized how difficult it was for an individual to access a test. Labs accredited for PFAS Testing were overwhelmed with large government contracts and turnaround time to receive data back was running 5-6 weeks. In addition, we were surprised to find out that no labs in the state of Maine had the capability to perform PFAS analysis. As an analytical chemist, Chris knew the technology and with my business background, we teamed up to open Maine’s first accredited PFAS Lab.
What did the earliest version of the business look like?
We started small, Chris and I and one employee. Our big early win was Maine accreditation for PFAS testing in Feb 2023. We went from idea to open doors in less than 9 months. We have learned so much in expanding the types of samples we accept (soil, water, plant and animal tissues, milk, eggs, papers, product testing, biosolids, landfill leachates, pretty much anything!) to the accreditations we have acquired (international ISO 17025, national NELAC and DOD ELAP). We have grown from just one to 7 full-time employees as of Jan 2026.
What problem are you trying to solve, and for whom?
Our mission is to provide reliable and justifiable data so that people can make important decisions. This helps homeowners deciding if they need to install a water filter system, a researcher mapping PFAS movement in the environment to a technology company creating the next PFAS destruction technique. Our primary goal is to empower our customers to make progress on the persistent PFAS problem head-on.
Why hasn’t this problem been solved well before?
PFAS contamination has built up over 75 years of industrial manufacturing and product use. We are still in the early days of understanding how extensive the issue of PFAS contamination is. Maine is leading the nation in understanding the scope of contamination with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sludge spreading investigation and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) PFAS Fund supporting research to help farmers. There are a lot of states that have not made any attempts to understand the scope of contamination in their environment.
What does your company do to solve this problem?
We take the uncertainty out of tough decisions. Instead of worrying that you may have a contamination problem, we tell you one way or the other so that you can sleep better at night. As Maine’s top-accredited PFAS lab, we serve homeowners while collaborating with industry and academics nationwide.
What makes your solution different or better than alternatives? We are unique in that we are the only lab that specializes in just PFAS testing which means our equipment and staff stay dedicated to one focus. This enables us to have consistently low turnaround times in delivering results to customers without distraction from other testing. Who are your customers today?
We have three primary customer groups.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from talking to customers?
Cost is a big barrier because PFAS testing requires ultra precise equipment to measure down to 2 parts per trillion (ppt) in drinking water. Customers told us this, so we developed an in-lab method that uses less sample for the same high-quality data. We launched the test on Amazon and are seeing interest nationally from as far away as North Pole, Alaska, NC, and TX to name a few.
What assumption turned out to be wrong early on? It seems obvious, but I underestimated how vital relationships are. We differentiate ourselves by being accessible, answering questions on how to read reports or even diving into raw data, which builds loyalty and repeat business beyond what I expected. I am grateful for our early adopters that have stuck with us through this amazing period of growth.
What progress are you most proud of so far?
Securing Department of Defense (DOD) Environmental Laboratory Accreditation was a HUGE achievement. Only one other lab in Maine has it and it is rare achievement for a lab our size. What makes it even sweeter though is the growth mindset I see in the team after participating in such an intense review of our work. We evaluate our processes every day and regularly debate ways to improve our documentation and defensibility. Nothing makes me prouder than to see the team up the ante on internal processes.
How did participating in Dirigo Labs support your growth?
I am very grateful for Dirigo Labs Accelerator Program. I enjoyed getting to know my cohort, had fun attending in person workshops, relied on the mentors and facilitators for guidance on tough business decisions in the moment and learned about ALL aspects of opening a business. Specifically, I learned how to talk about my business and long-term goals in a professional and public way. It forced me to consider what success looks like 3-5 years down the road and made it easier for me to facilitate long term business planning.
Where do you see the company heading in the next 6–12 months?
We will continue to boost sample volume by attending conferences, outreach to potential academic partners and building our government bidding processes. We recently added two new hires for a total of seven full-time employees. As a long-term goal, I aim to grow the business enough to expand our Norridgewock team to 10 full time employees.
What’s the biggest challenge you’re working through right now? Our team has grown in expertise with new accreditations. We’re expanding methods and launching R&D in 2026 to lead in PFAS testing expertise. The challenge and the strength is balancing continuous improvements with time constraints and prioritizing the projects that will have the greatest impact.
What kind of help would be most valuable right now? I am eager to leverage AI in business for automation, business development, and improving the customer experience. I would love to connect with other small business owners experimenting with AI to share real world successes, not just discussing theory.
Stay Connected
Website: www.pfaslaboratories.com
LinkedIn / social links: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maine-laboratories
Best way for people to reach you: katie@pfaslaboratories.com