Hi, I'm currently a postdoc in a large NA academic research group working on molecular problems.
I haven't use bioviz (very cool though!) but it would be paid the same as journal open access fees (which can cost 1000s of dollars and are paid by the authors), through grants. The individual academics usually have full control of their grant money. For large purchases (here above 8000$ or so) the university asks for a competitive tender process or proof that only one vendor exists.
Very few research purchases require departement approval, and physical science professors are pretty used to spending large amount of money on software and equipment. For example, I'm currently working with two programs for which we pay about 20k$ in license fees a year.
I give significant academic discounts, so researchers can typically pay out of pocket. As for how to get in front of staff: all the old fashioned ways. Ads, content marketing, attend conferences (hard during COVID), give talks.
Since academic researchers are your customers, would you mind sharing a few tips on how to get your product in front of academic staff?
I'd assume the university department has to approve this expense, or do researchers pay out of their own pocket to avoid budget justification?