MORRISVIILE – Triangle-based Protochips™ has sold two product lines and added two new board members following a comprehensive search, the company announced this week.

The company, which provides machine vision and artificial intelligence workflow solutions, according to its website, announced it had sold two product lines to Electron Microscopy Sciences, C-Flat™ and Au-flat™.

“With the rapid growth of Cryo-EM and increasing demand for sample supports, EMS is best positioned to scale the C-Flat and Au-flat products to provide for a growing market demand over the coming years,” said Dr. David Nackashi, CEO and co-founder of Protochips, in a statement.  “This acquisition will also allow Protochips to accelerate our efforts in our fast growing in situ and software businesses for electron microscopy, powered by the new AXON™ machine vision platform.”

According to a statement, the two product lines will now be purchased directly from Electron Microscopy Sciences.  The two companies collaborated on providing the product lines, since 2005, Stacie Kirsch, president of Electron Microscopy Sciences, noted in a statement.

“The acquisition of these product lines enforces our commitment to furthering the growth of this innovative technology,” said Kirsch.

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New board members

Protochips is also adding two new board members, Sallie Shuping Russell and Jean Davis.

“After an extensive search, including valuable assistance from OnBoardNC, with the skills and experience brought to us by these two stellar executives, we feel confident about our future,” said Michael Zapata III, executive chairman of Protochips, in a statement.

OnBoardNC, a non-profit focused on reducing the gender gap in the board room, recommended Russell and Davis, a source familiar with the organization told WRAL TechWire.

“When starting the process of recruiting for talent to help us meet our strategic growth objectives, we set our goals high, and we exceeded them” said Zapata.

According to the company’s statement, Sallie Shuping Russell will join the board of directors.  It won’t be Russell’s first role, by any means.  She was a director at Falcon Therapeutics, and has a 35-year career as an investor, including with many institutional funds such as Intersouth Partners and a fund that would be acquired by BlackRock.

“Electron microscopy is such a key tool in today’s nanotechnology world, with applications in energy, catalysis, computing, and healthcare,” said Russell in a statement.  “Protochips has established itself as a leader and is developing important new applications that I am excited to be a part of.”

Jean Davis is an entrepreneur, angel investor, board member and technology policy consultant.  Davis formerly led MCNC, and  announced she would step down as CEO in 2019.  Davis also held multiple roles with the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

“During my time at MCNC we had the opportunity to work with research labs around the world and I believe Protochips’ products and technology are incredible tools for scientists working to solve real-world problems” said Davis in a statement.

Protochips recently appeared on the latest edition of the Triangle Tweeners List.

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