Introducing ZymeCO: Where Nature Meets Innovation
Jennifer Phillips, Director of Marketing • April 17, 2025

We’re excited to announce a new chapter in our journey: Colorado Biofactory is now ZymeCO.


This change isn’t just about a name—it marks the evolution of our vision and our commitment to redefining what’s possible through enzyme technology.



Our Story Starts at the Dinner Table

In 2021, a conversation over dinner sparked an idea that would eventually grow into something much bigger. Dr. Thaddaus Huber, a scientist with more than 15 years of experience in protein engineering and biomanufacturing, was introduced to a problem facing turfgrass managers across the country: thatch accumulation.


The challenge was brought to Thaddaus's attention by Armen Suny, Thaddaus’s father-in-law and a seasoned veteran in the turf industry. During the previous summer, Armen witnessed thatch collapse disease firsthand—a newly identified turf disease. Fascinated by how quickly natural fungal enzymes break down organic material, Armen proposed an idea: could Thaddaus develop a sprayable enzyme solution to tackle thatch buildup? What began as garage experiments quickly evolved into something groundbreaking—ThatchZyme, an innovative, enzyme-based product engineered to efficiently combat thatch accumulation.



Building a Team with Purpose

To turn this innovation into a scalable solution, Thaddaus joined forces with Dr. Michael Cantrell, co-founder of Colorado Biofactory. Michael brings a PhD in Botany from Colorado State University, along with deep experience in biological engineering, algal and plant physiology, and fungal fermentation. With over 15 years of research behind him, Michael co-leads ZymeCO’s scientific development, driving forward solutions that are both sustainable and effective.  Most recently ZymeCO also hired turf veterans and PhDs Mark Slavens as CEO, and Phil Dwyer as VP Sales & Marketing.



Why ZymeCO?

The name ZymeCO reflects our roots in enzyme innovation and our commitment to collaboration, sustainability, and science-backed solutions. Our mission is simple: to harness the power of nature to solve real problems in turfgrass, and we have now branched out to the agriculture industry.


Whether it’s enzyme degradation, plant response studies, or bio-based fermentation, our work is grounded in the belief that sustainable innovation doesn’t have to compromise on performance.



What’s Next?

We’re just getting started.


At ZymeCO, we're proud to be at the intersection of science and sustainability—developing high-performance products that help turf and ag professionals do more, naturally.


ThatchZyme is our flagship product, and we are happy to announce that we will be launching a few new products to our portfolio this spring.  Be sure to check out our socials, new website, and blog posts for news and product updates.


Thanks for joining us on this journey. We can’t wait to show you what’s coming next.

L-R:  Tad Huber, Michael Cantrell, Mark Slavens, Phil Dwyer

By ZymeCO April 21, 2026
Turfgrass researchers at ZymeCO have developed and manufactured a proprietary sprayable enzyme now being offered as ThatchZyme to lawn care companies as an effective new solution for managing thatch in lawns.
By Golf Course Industry Superintendent Radio Network April 20, 2026
From innovative origins to on-course applications, we go inside the ThatchZyme story with ZymeCO founder and CTO Dr. Tad Huber, vice president of sales and marketing Dr. Phil Dwyer, and legendary agronomist and industry search executive Armen Suny. What can enzymes do to improve golf and turf maintenance experiences? ZymeCO founder and CTO Dr. Tad Huber explains the experimentation that led to the development of ThatchZyme, a sprayable solution to help golf courses manage thatch. The discovery process included plenty of conversations with his father-in-law Armen Suny , a legendary and curious agronomist. Plus, ZymeCO vice president of sales and marketing Dr. Phil Dwyer joins Huber and Suny to reveal insights from the field. Topics covered on this episode include: ThatchZyme origins and innovation motivation Field observations Enzyme mechanism and design goals Market discovery Research & Development, portfolio expansion and positioning Application strategy and seasonal considerations Distribution and global reach All Golf Course Industry podcasts can be found on the Superintendent Radio Network page of popular distribution platforms. SOURCE: https://www.golfcourseindustry.com/media/thatch-management-golf-courses-enzymes/
By Jennifer Phillips April 6, 2026
ZymeCO welcomes Michael Johnson as Regional Sales Manager. Discover his experience in agronomy, biologicals, and specialty crop sales.
By Jenny Phillips, Director of Marketing January 26, 2026
Our partner Living Turf in Australia and New Zealand have been thrilled with the results, sharing the following: “Turf managers across the industry are seeing real results with ThatchZyme® from ZymeCO - healthier profiles, longer roots, reduced thatch, and improved turf performance."
First proven thatch degrading enzyme
By Phil Dwyer, VP Sales & Marketing November 12, 2025
Philip Beaver, Tipton Golf Course, Tipton, IN. Golf Course Superintendent, speaks about his first experience with using ThatchZyme.
Combat algal crust and improve turf performance with AlgaeZyme
By Phil Dwyer, VP Sales & Marketing November 5, 2025
Tyler Guy, Golf Course Superintendent for Signal Mountain Golf & Country Club, speaks about his first experience with using AlgaeZyme.
Erin Ahlers
By PRESS RELEASE November 3, 2025
ZymeCO announced the appointment of Erin Ahlers as Vice President, Manufacturing Operations. Ahlers brings more than three decades of agriculture industry experience spanning the full product pipeline, including early R&D, product development and field testing, manufacturing operations, and global quality assurance.
By Phil Dwyer, VP Sales & Marketing October 20, 2025
ThatchZyme’s customer outreach and education World Turf Tours most recently brought us to the United Arab Emirates with our hosting distribution partner Living Turf.
FulviZyme shuttles nutrients to where plants can use them.
By Jenny Phillips, Director of Marketing September 30, 2025
Nutrients often get “stuck” in the soil. FulviZyme acts like a tiny “nutrient shuttle” that grabs those nutrients and helps deliver them to the plants where they can actually use them.
thatchzt
By Phil Dwyer, VP Sales & Marketing September 11, 2025
Rob Cooper, Founder of Living Turf, adds “I have known Phil Dwyer, who is behind the science of ThatchZyme, for thirty years - that was the first major tick of approval for me. Now, having trialled the product, seen the data, and understand what it can do, I am eager to share it with our clients and see what it can do