Scott Pancoast believes he can put Greenville on the map with his company’s product, and he’s ready to take it to the world.

Zylö Therapeutics is a technology startup that uses a silica powder, called Z-pods — very similar in consistency to talcum powder — to be the vehicle of transport for everything from pain relievers to pesticides. The Z-pods have far-reaching medical applications, as they’ve shown promise in promoting hair growth, treating acne, relieving pain, helping with erectile dysfunction and treating cutaneous lupus, Pancoast said.

The company uses a small facility once owned by Michelin to manufacture and market the product. Aside from some workout equipment and a few machines lining a wall, the workshop is mostly empty, with a small adjacent laboratory where the magic happens. The company doesn’t manufacture the products that finally reach the public; they mostly work through partnerships that produce the product that gets sold to the consumer.

The Z-pods are an amorphous sand that’s perfectly safe for human consumption, said Pancoast. As the pods are rubbed into the skin, whatever they are carrying slowly absorbs into the skin.

The pods are also useful in pesticide applications because they don’t run off the soil easily.

Pancoast came to the Upstate from San Diego while his son attended Furman University and fell in love with the area. After a brief stint in retirement, Pancoast joined Zylo’s original owners as to help raise funds for the company. After a few ups and downs, the owners left the business him.

“Every day is a rollercoaster (with startups),” he said.

Pancoast has since received several seven-figure grants to develop the technology but says traditional capital is hard to come by.

“You get told no a lot,” he said.

Still, the company has grown to seven employees and two independent contractors, with plenty of room for growth. He hopes to expand to 40-50 employees, build a clean room or two and continue to build capital through grants and investments.

Z-Pod applications include:

Harnessing nitric oxide
Patchless use of CBD
Other pain relievers delivered without uncomfortable patches
Increasing the bioavailability of curcumin, a promising drug
Sustained pain relief with lidocaine

Scott Pancoast believes he can put Greenville on the map with his company’s product, and he’s ready to take it to the world.

Zylö Therapeutics is a technology startup that uses a silica powder, called Z-pods — very similar in consistency to talcum powder — to be the vehicle of transport for everything from pain relievers to pesticides. The Z-pods have far-reaching medical applications, as they’ve shown promise in promoting hair growth, treating acne, relieving pain, helping with erectile dysfunction and treating cutaneous lupus, Pancoast said.

The company uses a small facility once owned by Michelin to manufacture and market the product. Aside from some workout equipment and a few machines lining a wall, the workshop is mostly empty, with a small adjacent laboratory where the magic happens. The company doesn’t manufacture the products that finally reach the public; they mostly work through partnerships that produce the product that gets sold to the consumer.

The Z-pods are an amorphous sand that’s perfectly safe for human consumption, said Pancoast. As the pods are rubbed into the skin, whatever they are carrying slowly absorbs into the skin.

The pods are also useful in pesticide applications because they don’t run off the soil easily.

Pancoast came to the Upstate from San Diego while his son attended Furman University and fell in love with the area. After a brief stint in retirement, Pancoast joined Zylo’s original owners as to help raise funds for the company. After a few ups and downs, the owners left the business him.

“Every day is a rollercoaster (with startups),” he said.

Pancoast has since received several seven-figure grants to develop the technology but says traditional capital is hard to come by.

“You get told no a lot,” he said.

Still, the company has grown to seven employees and two independent contractors, with plenty of room for growth. He hopes to expand to 40-50 employees, build a clean room or two and continue to build capital through grants and investments.

Z-Pod applications include:

  • Harnessing nitric oxide
  • Patchless use of CBD
  • Other pain relievers delivered without uncomfortable patches
  • Increasing the bioavailability of curcumin, a promising drug
  • Sustained pain relief with lidocaine

Join now to enjoy expanded member benefits!

Enjoy exclusive member content, special events, savings, networking and more