Thur Biotech

Thur Biotech Manufacturing produces bacterial and fungal inoculants sold as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents to Ethiopian smallholder farmers. The products use naturally occurring microbes to improve soil fertility, nutrient uptake and plant growth; farmers report yield gains of 15–30% at lower input cost than chemical fertiliser. Upcoming products include BioCoffe, a biofertilizer and biocontrol for coffee, AflaGuard for aflatoxin protection, and an agricultural extension service.

The company sells through a network of 96 agro-dealers and had reached more than 56,000 farmers across five regions by 2026, with annual sales rising from 3 tons in 2022 to 94.5 tons in 2025. It plans a new production facility and entry into other East African markets. Partners shown on its site include the World Food Programme.

The work began in 2019 as founder Samson Fentaye's graduation thesis; the company was registered in Addis Ababa in 2022 with Fentaye as CEO. Milestones include a $10,000 AYuTe Africa Challenge Ethiopia award (2023), a $172,000 USAID CATALYZE grant (April 2024), AYuTe Africa NextGen recognition (2024) and selection as a Top 10 finalist in the 2026 Africa's Business Heroes competition, announced September 2026.