Zymochem / Company Spotlight
Every day, we interact with materials made from petroleum –– from the nylon in our clothes to the foam in our car seats.
However, producing petroleum-based materials is carbon- and energy-intensive, and they persist in the environment, often harming health.
What if the materials we rely on could be made without fossil fuel inputs?
Founded in 2015 by UC Berkeley scientists Harshal Chokhawala and Jon Kuchenreuther, ZymoChem is guided by three principles: create materials from renewable sources, use sustainable processes, and ensure biodegradability.
Its breakthrough fermentation platform uses proprietary carbon conserving (C2) microbes to create bio-based materials for a range of applications, including hygiene products, textiles, coatings, and plastics.
“Our carbon conserving technology can unwind the precedent set by decades of carbon-intensive manufacturing, and provide a model for materials product fit for the 21st century,” said Kuchenreuther, the company’s chief scientific officer.
VCET member, Joe Giallanella, is a senior leader at ZymoChem and manages its Branded Products division from Burlington. Giallanella has a background in brand management and consumer packaged goods, and once led the Seventh Generation Baby Care business, a category that could benefit from ZymoChem’s sustainably-minded ingredients.
“Hygiene articles are the third most wasteful items in our landfills behind paper and food waste. Diapers and other absorbent articles have been sitting there for 500+ years,” explained Giallanella, “because they are primarily petroleum-based and landfill-bound. If the hard working elements of a diaper came from bio-based sources and were biodegradable, we could rethink this end of life completely.”
In 2022, ZymoChem – based out of San Leandro, California – called with an opportunity that Giallanella couldn’t ignore.
“ZymoChem shared that they had created a bio-based, low carbon-footprint, biodegradable superabsorbent polymer – this is the primary ingredient in infant diapers. They asked that I develop a way to market this drop-in solution” Giallanella recalls. “I’m thinking, this not only builds off of prior experience, but could be a huge environmental unlock for the entire industry.”
With Giallanella rooted in Vermont, he proposed launching a satellite office to showcase the materials from VCET.
“The concept was well-received. ZymoChem wants to be a global company and leadership said “why not start in Vermont?’ From there, I was able to share so many reasons for ‘Why Vermont’ as opposed to ‘Why not Vermont.’”
Giallanella says Vermont has been a great space to work because of the easy access to data, research, and consumer feedback.
“It’s a great place to incubate new ideas,” Giallanella explained. “We have a very sustainability-minded consumer base, great talent, and Vermont has a long legacy of building great brands.”
Today, Giallanella is building the products division of ZymoChem from Burlington, joined by two other employees and agency support. He continues to co-work from VCET and host meetings there for his team.
The BTV satellite office is part of a larger story of growth for ZymoChem too as the team has expanded from 24 to 58 employees in the past two years, with plans to continue expansion in 2025.
Last year, ZymoChem reached a major milestone by launching its first product, BAYSE™, following nearly a decade of development. Initially intended for use in hygiene products, BAYSE can also apply to agriculture, cosmetics, and wastewater management needs.
Global brands have taken notice, including lululemon, athletica, inc. and Toyota Ventures, who contributed to ZymoChem’s $21 million Series A round that closed in January 2024. Recently in March 2025, lululemon, one of the world’s largest consumers of nylon, has announced a multi-year collaboration with ZymoChem to help expand the company’s use of bio-based nylon and advance its leadership in sustainable innovation. Closer to home, ZymoChem is backed by local Vermont investors, including VCET’s Vermont Growth Fund.
“Backing from large companies translates our mission for consumers,” said Giallanella. “They can see how our work can impact things that they come in contact with every day – like your workout gear or the upholstery in your car.”
ZymoChem’s innovative work has also attracted grants from the government. In August 2024, ZymoChem was awarded $1.57M from the U.S. Department of Defense for Bioindustrial Manufacturing, and is now scouting locations for a domestic production facility.
“The grant from the Department of Defense assists in readying our organization for government contracts and to begin mapping out the manufacturing arm of our business,” said Giallanella.
As ZymoChem grows, its commitment to sustainability remains central. In October 2024, the company announced that it amended their incorporation documents to become a Public Benefit Corporation, elevating their consideration of societal and environmental impacts alongside profitability. In January 2025, the company also announced that it recently achieved certified B Corp™ status.
“This codifies our mission. In our decision making, we are factoring in not just profitability of the business, but our impact on society and the environment,” said Giallanella.
From its office space at VCET in Burlington, ZymoChem exemplifies how an innovative city and state can support game-changing ideas.
“We are thinking about, ‘What does 100 years down the line look like? How can we build a better future?’” said Giallanella. “We appreciate the backing that we have received here locally and are excited to make our impact globally.”
Learn more about ZymoChem’s team, product, and growth here. You can also find them on LinkedIn here. Find Joe on LinkedIn.
