• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Brainstorm Tech

Why This Startup Is Buying Tesla Cars for Its Employees

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 20, 2016, 10:24 AM ET

A small company in Raleigh, N.C. is taking a new tack to attract top talent.

Practichem, a company that makes scientific instruments, will lease a Tesla Model 3 for each of its employees, including those it plans to hire in the coming year, the company’s CEO Nick DeMarco confirmed to North Carolina news outlet News Observer. The company will lease Model 3s for its existing full-time staff team of 15 employees, as well as the 10 people it’s looking to hire.

Startups have long used incentives to attract employees. In Silicon Valley, for instance, one of the best ways to get top talent and keep those employees is to offer stock options. By offering stock, startups are able to conserve cash by paying employees less but still attract top-level professionals who want a stake in the company.

While Practichem has decided to go to with a Tesla (TSLA) to attract employees, its move is not unlike how Silicon Valley operates. Stock options typically vest over a period of time, making it less likely for employees to leave. At Practichem, the company is offering the Model 3, which likely won’t get to those who preordered the car until 2017, at the earliest. Depending on where Practichem’s leases fall in line, it’s possible that the company’s employees will be waiting more than a year before they actually hit the road with their Teslas.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

For its part, Tesla was taken aback at the interest in its Model 3. The car, which comes with a starting price of $35,000, is far more affordable than the luxury Model S and Model X models it currently sells, making it immediately popular among those who want to break away from traditional gas vehicles. Since then, some analysts have wondered how Tesla will satisfy heavy demand for its vehicles. However, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that his company will have no issue fulfilling Model 3 demand.

To bolster his argument, Tesla raised $1.5 billion in a new common stock offering to finance expansions related to Model 3 production. The company hopes that with its new cash, it’ll be able to produce 500,000 electric vehicles per year by 2018.

In total, Tesla said that it received 373,000 preorders on its Model 3.

For more about Tesla, watch:

So, why did DeMarco choose the Model 3 for his employees? He told the News Observer that his team has been working hard and should be “rewarded” for its effort. He also acknowledged that it could help him attract talent at lower cost, saying that it’s likely “much cheaper” than employing “headhunters” to find the right people.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Navy plans to buy 15 costly Trump-class battleships by 2055
PoliticsU.S. Navy
Navy plans to buy 15 costly Trump-class battleships by 2055
By Tony Capaccio, Roxana Tiron and BloombergMay 11, 2026
6 hours ago
Trump Mobile quietly rewrote its fine print to say the gold Trump phone may never be made, a year after taking $100 deposits
North AmericaU.S. Politics
Trump Mobile quietly rewrote its fine print to say the gold Trump phone may never be made, a year after taking $100 deposits
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 11, 2026
6 hours ago
Painting the Reflecting Pool is ‘more appropriate to a resort or theme park,’ says the president of a nonprofit suing the Trump administration
LawDonald Trump
Painting the Reflecting Pool is ‘more appropriate to a resort or theme park,’ says the president of a nonprofit suing the Trump administration
By The Associated Press and Steven SloanMay 11, 2026
9 hours ago
Nvidia co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang is driving a squeeze of memory chips.
AISemiconductors
Wall Street thinks memory is AI’s golden ticket. Harvard’s chip expert warns: ‘Curves that just go to the sky with no end…never continue forever’
By Eva RoytburgMay 11, 2026
9 hours ago
A female Indigenous Navajo small business owner at work in her jewelry shop.
Economynative americans
Native American businesses have diversified beyond casinos to become a rural economic force. Trump is cutting off a lifeline that goes beyond tribes
By Tristan BoveMay 11, 2026
9 hours ago
How much debt is too much? Warning signs and what to do next
Personal Financemoney management
How much debt is too much? Warning signs and what to do next
By Joseph HostetlerMay 11, 2026
9 hours ago

Most Popular

Forget U.S. debt, China's total borrowing is in 'a league of its own'—much worse and deteriorating faster, analyst says
Economy
Forget U.S. debt, China's total borrowing is in 'a league of its own'—much worse and deteriorating faster, analyst says
By Jason MaMay 11, 2026
12 hours ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a 'life advisor'—but college students might be one step ahead
Tech
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Gen Z and millennials are using ChatGPT like a 'life advisor'—but college students might be one step ahead
By Sydney LakeMay 10, 2026
2 days ago
‘This is the way’: Elon Musk endorses Warren Buffett’s famed 5-minute plan to fix the national debt
Economy
‘This is the way’: Elon Musk endorses Warren Buffett’s famed 5-minute plan to fix the national debt
By Jacqueline MunisMay 10, 2026
2 days ago
Microsoft’s CFO admits she joined the tech giant without even knowing her salary—and then missed her first day of work
Success
Microsoft’s CFO admits she joined the tech giant without even knowing her salary—and then missed her first day of work
By Preston ForeMay 11, 2026
14 hours ago
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
Success
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 9, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 11, 2026
16 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.