What Zolo Technologies does

Zolo Carbon Smartech, Inc. (operating as Zolo Technologies) is a privately held U.S. industrial technology company headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, founded in 1999. The company designs, manufactures, and deploys laser-based combustion monitoring systems that use Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) to measure combustion gases (O2, CO, CO2, H2O) and temperature directly inside industrial furnaces in real time. Its two core platforms, ZoloSCAN and ZoloSCAN2, deliver in-situ, non-extractive, multi-point measurements with up to 14 independent fiber-coupled laser paths, eliminating the lag, drift, and maintenance burden of conventional probes and extractive analyzers. The company has accumulated 150+ global installations over more than 20 years, supported by ATEX/IECEx, Class 1 Div 2, and ISO 9001:2015 certifications.

Zolo sells its systems into five primary industrial verticals: electric arc furnace steelmaking, petrochemical reformers (hydrogen/ammonia/methanol), power generation boilers, steel reheat furnaces, and ethylene cracking furnaces, plus secondary applications in biomass gasification, waste-to-energy, flat glass, and recovery boilers. The go-to-market is direct enterprise sales — consultative, technical, project-based engagements involving site assessments, proof-of-concept deployments, and custom integration with customers' DCS/PLC systems via OPC UA, OPC DA, or Modbus protocols.

The business model combines capital equipment sales (each system carries documented ROI of 2–6% fuel reduction and $500K–$1.5M+ annual fuel savings per deployment, with sub-12-month payback in reformer applications) with ongoing service, monitoring, and integration contracts. Approximately $69.5M of venture capital was raised between 2000 and 2009 from Canaan Partners, Crescendo Ventures, Morgenthaler Ventures, and others; no subsequent funding rounds are disclosed, suggesting operating cash-flow support. Co-founder Andrew Sappey serves as CTO, and the company employs 11–50 people. The platform is positioned as "future-fuel ready" for hydrogen blends and bio-carbon, aligning with decarbonization-driven retrofits in legacy combustion assets.

Name

Zolo Technologies

Legal name

Zolo Carbon Smartech, Inc.

Website

https://zolotech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zolo Technologies designs and deploys laser-based TDLAS combustion monitoring systems (ZoloSCAN, ZoloSCAN2) that measure gases and temperature in real time inside industrial furnaces for steel, petrochemical, and power operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial combustion monitoring equipment

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Process Analytical Instrumentation (Gas analyzers, spectroscopy, pH/ORP, conductivity) (IMAGAFAE)

Keywords

• Combustion monitoring systems
• Industrial laser sensors
• Tunable diode laser spectroscopy
• Furnace process analytics
• In-situ gas measurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Industrial Combustion Monitoring Systems: Zolo generates revenue primarily through the sale and installation of its ZoloSCAN and ZoloSCAN2 hardware systems, which are deployed directly into industrial furnace environments. The revenue model includes upfront capital equipment sale, installation services, and ongoing monitoring, diagnostics, and service assurance contracts that deliver sustained performance improvements and recurring value over time.
2. Service and Support Contracts: Beyond installation, Zolo delivers ongoing monitoring, diagnostics, and service assurance ensuring sustained performance improvements and recurring value. This creates a long-term partnership revenue stream complementary to initial system sales.
3. Professional Services and Integration: Technical consulting and integration services to deploy the TDLAS systems into existing plant operations, including DCS/PLC integration via OPC UA, DA, or Modbus protocols.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Zolo Technologies designs, manufactures and markets laser-based multiplexed combustion monitoring systems (ZoloSCAN and ZoloSCAN2) based on Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS). The systems deliver real-time, in-situ, multi-point, multi-species measurements of O2, CO, CO2, H2O, and temperature directly inside industrial furnaces for steel, petrochemical, and power-generation operators. Offerings are configured as industry-specific solutions for Electric Arc Furnaces, reformers, power boilers, reheat furnaces, and ethylene cracking furnaces, with installation, DCS/PLC integration, and ongoing service assurance.

Product overview

Zolo Carbon Smartech offers two core laser-based combustion monitoring platforms — ZoloSCAN™ and ZoloSCAN2™ — using advanced Multiplexed-Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) to measure combustion conditions directly inside industrial furnaces. ZoloSCAN provides the foundational TDLAS technology, while ZoloSCAN2 delivers the enhanced multiplexed version with up to 14 independent measurement zones and fiber-coupled optics for broader coverage. Both platforms are offered with industry-specific solutions tailored for Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs), reformers, power generation boilers, reheat furnaces, and ethylene cracking furnaces. The company leverages 20+ years of proven technology with 150+ global installations across steel, refining, and power industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZoloSCAN™: Laser-based TDLAS combustion monitoring platform for real-time, in-situ measurement of combustion conditions (O₂, CO, CO₂, H₂O, temperature) in industrial furnaces.
• ZoloSCAN2™

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1M/year in fuel savings for reformer applications with ROI achieved in under 12 months
• +7 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ABB: Supplies industrial process measurement instruments and combustion optimization solutions for metals, power, and chemicals. Its Continuous Gas Analyzer line competes with Zolo's TDLAS-based monitoring approach.
• Siemens: Provides process analytics, combustion control, and emissions monitoring within its industrial automation portfolio. Competes with Zolo for in-furnace measurement and optimization budgets at large power and process plants.
• Endress+Hauser: Global leader in industrial process measurement and automation, including laser-based gas analysis through its SpectraSensors subsidiary. Directly overlaps with Zolo in TDLAS-based combustion and process gas analytics across refining and petrochemical customers.
• Honeywell: Offers process measurement and combustion control instrumentation (formerly part of its analytics portfolio). Targets the same refining, petrochemical, and power customers as Zolo with broader, bundled solutions.
• MKS Instruments: Supplies photonics, laser, and optical process monitoring solutions including gas analysis used in industrial and semiconductor applications. Adjacent technology overlap with Zolo's TDLAS platform.
• AMETEK: Manufactures process and analytical instruments (including combustion and emissions analyzers) for industrial markets. Competes in process gas measurement across similar end-markets as Zolo.
• Yokogawa Electric: Provides process analytical instrumentation including laser gas analyzers and combustion monitoring systems for oil & gas, petrochemical, and power customers. Directly comparable to Zolo's in-situ measurement product line.

Direct peers

• Neo Monitors: Specializes in laser-based gas detection and TDLAS analyzers for industrial safety, emissions, and process control applications. Closely comparable technology and target customers to Zolo.
• Zolo's SpectraSensors unit (E+H subsidiary) reference: Endress+Hauser's SpectraSensors division offers TDLAS-based gas analyzers targeted at hydrogen, ethylene, and refinery applications — a direct competitive overlap with Zolo's reformer and ethylene cracker solutions.
• SICK AG: Provides gas analyzers and process instrumentation including in-situ laser-based measurement systems for industrial combustion and emissions monitoring. Direct technology and vertical overlap with Zolo.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ZOLOTECH_com
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zolo-technologies

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zolo Technologies