What SC Labs does

SC Labs (legal name SC Laboratories, Inc.) is a U.S. multi-state cannabis and hemp testing laboratory founded in 2011 and headquartered in Santa Cruz, California. The company operates ISO 17025 accredited laboratories in five states — Arizona (Scottsdale, ex-C4 Laboratories), California (Santa Cruz), Colorado (Denver, ex-Agricor Labs), Michigan (Warren), and Oregon (Tigard) — and serves licensed cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, and brands, as well as hemp producers and national retail-distribution brands requiring compliance documentation. Core services are organized into compliance testing (cannabinoid potency up to 15 analytes, terpenoids up to 39, pesticides up to 105, residual solvents up to 64, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and microbial contaminants), R&D/QA-QC testing for product development, and specialty testing covering HLVd/viroid, low-dose beverages, expanded hemp-derived cannabinoids, Kratom, ECCO pesticide panels, and smoke taint testing for wine.

Underlying technology combines classical analytical chemistry instrumentation — HPLC-DAD for cannabinoid potency, GC-FID for terpenoids, HPLC-MS/GC-MS for pesticide residues, ICP-MS for heavy metals, and qPCR for microbiological contaminants — with a proprietary Client Service Portal that provides real-time COA delivery, sample scheduling, and METRC integration for state-mandated inventory tracking. Differentiated product layers include the licensed PhytoFacts/PhytoPrint chemometric reporting system (backed by U.S. Pat. 10,830,780) and an in-house courier and sampling network operating in nine California regions.

The business model is primarily transaction-fee B2B testing with quote-based pricing; testing is regulatory-mandated before products can be sold in any regulated state, providing baseline demand. Revenue diversification spans cannabis compliance testing, hemp compliance (including USDA and national retail panels), voluntary R&D/QA-QC work, and specialty services. Customer acquisition combines direct enterprise field sales targeting multi-state operators with content marketing, educational resources, and industry event participation. Growth has been funded internally supplemented by a 2016 investment from Tress Capital (undisclosed amount); the company acquired C4 Laboratories in April 2023 as its primary inorganic growth move.

Name

SC Labs

Legal name

SC Laboratories, Inc.

Website

https://sclabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SC Labs is a U.S. multi-state cannabis and hemp testing laboratory operating ISO 17025 accredited labs in Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, and Oregon, serving licensed cultivators, manufacturers, brands, and national retail distributors with compliance, R&D, and specialty analytical services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cannabis and Hemp Analytical Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Release Testing & Batch Certification (QC) (HLAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food, Feed & Nutraceutical Analytical Testing (HLAGADAN), Labeling, Nutrition Facts & Allergen Verification Services (AFALAAAH)

Keywords

• Cannabis compliance testing
• Hemp laboratory testing
• Analytical chemistry services
• Potency and contaminant testing
• Cannabinoid terpene profiling

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Cannabis Compliance Testing: Regulatory-mandated testing services for cannabis products including potency, pesticides, heavy metals, microbiological contaminants, residual solvents, mycotoxins, and terpenes. Testing is required before products can be sold in regulated markets.
2. Hemp Compliance Testing: Federal and state-required testing for hemp products including USDA compliance testing, national compliance panels, and state-specific packages for California, Colorado, and other states.
3. R&D and QA/QC Testing: Voluntary quality assurance and research testing services for product development, helping brands perfect products before compliance submission. Not reported to state regulators.
4. Specialty Testing Services: Additional testing services including environmental monitoring, vitamin E analysis, smoke taint testing for wine grapes, CBD/THC beverage testing, Kratom testing, and HLVd/viroid testing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SC Labs is a multi-state analytical testing laboratory that provides cannabis and hemp compliance and quality-control testing services to licensed cultivators, manufacturers, extractors, and brands across Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, and Oregon. The company delivers state-mandated test panels (cannabinoid potency, terpenes, pesticides, residual solvents, heavy metals, mycotoxins, microbials) plus R&D and specialty testing (e.g., chemometric PhytoFacts reporting, HLVd/viroid testing, low-dose beverage testing, smoke-taint testing), with results accessed through a proprietary Client Service Portal and integrated with METRC state compliance systems.

Product overview

SC Labs is a multi-state cannabis and hemp testing laboratory offering a comprehensive suite of testing services. The company's core offerings consist of Cannabis Compliance Testing and Hemp Compliance Testing across five states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon), complemented by R&D and Quality Control Testing services. Testing services are organized into Profile Testing (Cannabinoids, Terpenes, Trace THC, Homogeneity, Moisture Content), Contaminant Testing (Pesticides, Residual Solvents, Heavy Metals, Mycotoxins, Microbial Impurities, Foreign Material), Food Product Testing (Density, pH Analysis, Water Activity), and Specialty Testing (CBD & THC Beverage Testing, HLVd and Viroid Testing, ECCO Pesticide Testing, Environmental Testing, Vitamin E Testing, Smoke Taint Testing, Kratom). The portfolio includes proprietary Chemometric Reporting (PhytoFacts) for advanced terpenoid and cannabinoid data visualization. The company operates a Client Service Portal (CSP) for real-time data access and supports state compliance through METRC integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cannabis Compliance Testing Comprehensive state-mandated compliance testing for cannabis products (flower, concentrates, edibles, topicals, vapes) across five U.S. states, including potency, pesticides, residual solvents, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and microbial contaminants testing to meet state regulatory requirements. Intended for licensed cultivators, manufacturers, and brands.
• Hemp Compliance Testing Federal and state-specific compliance testing for hemp biomass, extracts, and finished products, including USDA compliance, national hemp compliance panels, and state-specific testing packages for California and Colorado. Target customers are hemp cultivators, processors, and brands selling into interstate commerce and retail distribution.
• R&D and Quality Control Testing Research, development, and quality-assurance testing for cannabis and hemp products during product development and production phases, providing actionable data before compliance submission. Results are not reported to state regulators.
• Cannabinoid Potency Testing Potency analysis and full-spectrum cannabinoid profiling targeting up to 15 cannabinoids using HPLC-DAD, used by cannabis and hemp brands for label accuracy and product development.
• Terpene Testing Terpenoid profiling targeting up to 39 terpenoids using GC-FID, used by brands, retailers, and breeders to characterize strain effects, flavors, and aromas.
• Chemometric Reporting (PhytoFacts) Advanced terpene- and cannabinoid-based reporting solution providing chemical-family categorization and predicted entourage effects using PhytoFacts and PhytoPrint reports developed in partnership with Napro Research, LLC under U.S. Pat. 10,830,780. Used by cannabis brands for product differentiation.
• Pesticide Testing Customizable pesticide residue analysis detecting trace amounts of chemical pesticides, fungicides, and plant growth regulator residues via HPLC-MS and GC-MS, targeting up to 105 pesticide analytes with a microextraction option for biomass screening.
• Residual Solvent Testing Detection of trace solvents, byproducts, impurities, and added chemicals in concentrated cannabis and hemp products, targeting up to 64 residual solvent analytes via GC-MS.
• Heavy Metals Testing Heavy metals and trace element analysis using ICP-MS. Standard panel reports four primary metals (Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury); expanded panel targets 14 analytes.
• Mycotoxin Testing Mycotoxin analysis targeting up to 6 analytes (Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2, Total Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin A) via HPLC-MS to detect toxic byproducts of mold and fungi in cannabis and hemp products.
• Microbial and Virus Testing Microbiological and viral analysis targeting up to 19 organisms including E. coli, Salmonella, and Aspergillus using qPCR and traditional plating methods, including Hop Latent Viroid (HLVd), Lettuce Chlorosis Virus, and Cannabis Cryptic Virus screening.
• CBD & THC Beverage Testing Specialized testing panel for cannabis and hemp-infused low-dose beverages measuring 15 cannabinoids using validated methods compatible with various emulsifiers, serving beverage brands including Lazarus Naturals, Sleeping Giant Brewing Co., Vertosa, and Bayou City Hemp Co.
• ECCO Pesticide Testing Expanded pesticide testing options including ECCO Certification Pesticides Test Panel (156 compounds) and CA Select: Pymetrozine Focused Panel (11 compounds) for California brands seeking contaminant screening beyond baseline compliance.
• Hop Latent Viroid (HLVd) and Viroid Testing Viroid and virus screening using RT-qPCR targeting Hop Latent Viroid, Lettuce Chlorosis Virus, and Cannabis Cryptic Virus, with an Expanded Viroid Test Panel for comprehensive pathogen screening. Reduces yield losses of up to 30% from undetected viroid infection.
• Smoke Taint Testing (Wine) Proprietary LC-MS/MS method measuring natural product phenolic diglycosides in wine grapes affected by wildfire smoke, targeting 6 compounds to help wine industry clients make harvesting and processing decisions.
• National Hemp Compliance Panel Comprehensive ISO 17025-accredited hemp test panel covering cannabinoids, pesticides, mycotoxins, residual solvents, microbiology, heavy metals, and water activity, designed for hemp businesses seeking nationwide regulatory compliance and major national retailer distribution.
• Expanded Cannabinoid Testing for Hemp Extended hemp-derived cannabinoid analysis covering 7 additional cannabinoids (Δ9THC Acetate, Δ10THC, Exo-THC, Δ8THCV, Δ8-iso-THC, 9R-HHC, 9S-HHC) beyond the standard panel, using HPLC-DAD.

Quantifiable outcome

• Results delivered within 3 days on most tests with 1- and 2-day rush options available
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Napro Research, LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationSC Labs licenses the PhytoFacts and PhytoPrint chemometric reporting systems from Napro Research, LLC. These proprietary reports provide intuitive data visualizations for cannabis strain characterization based on terpene and cannabinoid profiles. The partnership enables SC Labs to offer unique chemometric analysis not available through other cannabis testing laboratories.
• METRCcoreTechnology or IntegrationMETRC (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance) is a state-mandated software platform used in multiple states. SC Labs has direct partner access to METRC systems in California, Colorado, Michigan, and Oregon, allowing them to efficiently escalate and resolve compliance issues and provide integrated reporting for clients.
• C4 Laboratories (Acquired)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSC Labs acquired C4 Laboratories, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, in April 2023. This acquisition expanded SC Labs' licensing and accreditation to include Arizona and enhanced testing capabilities and geographic reach. The Arizona facility operates under the SC Labs brand as an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Steep Hill Labs: One of the original cannabis-focused analytical testing labs, offering potency, terpene, pesticide, and microbial panels. Directly comparable to SC Labs as a multi-state cannabis compliance lab serving cultivators, manufacturers, and brands.
• EVIO Labs: Multi-state cannabis testing laboratory operating in several U.S. states, providing compliance and R&D testing services. Directly comparable to SC Labs in service offering and multi-state licensed lab model.
• ACS Laboratory: Cannabis and hemp testing laboratory offering full-panel compliance testing including cannabinoids, terpenes, pesticides, heavy metals, microbials, and mycotoxins. Comparable to SC Labs in scope of services and target customer base.
• Anresco Laboratories: Independent testing lab offering food, cannabis, and environmental analytical services with ISO 17025 accreditation. Comparable to SC Labs in food-adjacent analytical testing, including cannabis potency and contaminant panels.
• PSI Labs: Michigan-based cannabis safety and compliance testing lab offering full-panel cannabinoid, contaminant, and terpene testing. Comparable to SC Labs in serving the same regulated cannabis market segment.
• MCR Labs: Massachusetts-based cannabis testing laboratory offering compliance and R&D analytical services. Comparable to SC Labs in serving cultivators and manufacturers with regulated state testing requirements.
• Confidence Analytics: Washington-state cannabis testing lab offering potency, terpene, and contaminant analysis under I-502 compliance. Comparable to SC Labs in regulated-state cannabis testing services.
• Botanacor Laboratories: Colorado-based cannabis and hemp analytical testing lab offering full-panel compliance testing. Comparable to SC Labs' Colorado (formerly Agricor) operations in scope and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Scientific: Global testing laboratory network offering food, environmental, pharmaceutical, and product testing. Comparable as a broad incumbent in analytical testing services with far larger scale and adjacent categories (food safety, environmental), competing for multi-national cannabis/hemp brands that need pan-state or international coverage.
• SGS Société Générale de Surveillance: Global inspection, verification, testing, and certification company. Comparable as a large incumbent offering analytical and certification services across agricultural, food, and life sciences categories relevant to SC Labs' hemp and food-adjacent testing lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sc-laboratories-inc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SC Labs