Mosqitter transforms mosquito traps into disease surveillance network

Dengue is reshaping the global disease landscape. The World Health Organization reported that cases more than doubled within a single year, climbing from 6.5 million in 2023 to 14.6 million in 2024. That expansion coincides with warming temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and the movement of people across borders, all of which are creating new territory where disease-carrying mosquitoes can establish themselves.

Mosqitter, a Pennsylvania-based startup with roots in Ukraine, believes the answer lies not in chemicals but in the data mosquitoes can provide. The company manufactures trap devices designed to lure and catch female mosquitoes by mimicking human signals: warmth, body odor, and breathing. It is now weaving those devices into an AI-powered network capable of tracking mosquito species, monitoring population trends, and signaling disease risks.

The company, founded in 2019 as an R&D effort in Ukraine and launched commercially in 2021, has expanded from just over 250 devices in operation when last covered by TechCrunch in 2022 to more than 5,000 units across five continents. That growth is fueled by a new data layer: the Febris Monitoring System, a platform designed to transform mosquito traps from isolated pest-control devices into a distributed surveillance infrastructure for governments and health agencies.

Why female mosquitoes matter

The company’s hardware strategy rests on understanding mosquito biology. Female mosquitoes, the only ones that bite, seek blood to fuel egg production. They lay eggs roughly every three weeks, typically in batches of 100 to 200.

Anastasiia Romanova, Mosqitter’s co-founder and CEO, told TechCrunch: “We saw an opportunity: if we could catch the female mosquito at the point when she is about to lay eggs, we could potentially reduce the mosquito population and prevent it from growing.”

That insight shaped the device design. Mosqitter’s traps combine heat matching human skin temperature, scent mimicking human skin odor, and light. The higher-end Grand model adds carbon dioxide to simulate human breathing, according to Romanova. The approach is intentionally chemical-free, targeting a market that has historically relied on pesticides.

The hardware line

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Consumer and residential

Mosqitter Mini is the entry-level product, priced at $199 retail, targeting residential spaces. The company sells it directly to consumers through Amazon and its own website. It can also function as a portable monitoring device.

Professional deployments

Mosqitter Grand, the flagship offering at $1,999, is built for larger areas and public spaces. The professional system is positioned for government procurement and commercial deployments.

Data services and monitoring

The company plans to introduce the Febris Monitoring System as a platform serving institutional buyers including governments, public-health agencies, mosquito-control programs, airports, municipalities, and universities. Unlike the hardware products, Febris is a software service providing mosquito population monitoring and disease-risk assessment.

Romanova emphasized an important distinction: “It’s very important to understand that Febris does not diagnose disease. We can’t say with certainty that a particular mosquito carries dengue. What we can say is that a particular mosquito species is present, and knowing that can help indicate an increased potential risk associated with diseases that species can transmit.”

AI species identification with expert validation

Mosqitter uses machine learning to identify mosquito species from images captured by its traps. The system processes each image through a neural network, cross-references the result against external entomological datasets, and brings human expert validation into the loop.

Romanova described the process: “You can think about it as three judges analyzing a case and producing a verdict.”

The neural network assigns a confidence score based on how closely the three assessments align. Environmental inputs, including weather patterns, wind speed, and humidity, feed into the system as well. The company says it will use these data points to forecast shifts in mosquito populations and associated disease risks as its dataset expands.

Geographic expansion and regional partnerships

Brazil and establishing manufacturing

Brazil, facing a high burden of dengue, has become a focal point for expansion. The company has built local manufacturing and sales operations there, according to the co-founders.

European airports and public health

Mosqitter is working with the UK Health Security Agency to deploy Febris at major transportation hubs including Heathrow and Gatwick airports. International travel brings mosquitoes and disease vectors across borders, and Romanova noted that continuous monitoring at transit facilities is essential. In Greece, Mosqitter works with an established pest-control company to reach local markets.

North America and mixed go-to-market

In the US, the company sells its Mini device directly through e-commerce channels. The company also targets India, Ukraine, and Nigeria as key expansion territories. Olga Diachuk, Mosqitter’s co-founder and COO, told TechCrunch the startup is seeking B2B partners globally, particularly distributors with established networks connecting them to governments and retailers.

Business model and revenue projections

Mosqitter makes money from hardware sales, while Febris introduces a recurring revenue stream through monitoring services, dashboards, analytics, and data licensing.

The company is on track to generate more than $1 million in revenue in 2026, Romanova said. Revenue from Febris has only recently started flowing, but the company projects the data business could bring in more than $3.5 million in 2027, based on the value of contracts currently in the bidding process.

Those projections underpin the company’s capital strategy. Mosqitter is raising $5 million in two tranches: $1 million upfront and $4 million contingent on reaching milestones with Febris. To date, the company has raised $1.9 million.

The name’s origin

Most people assume Mosqitter combines “mosquito” and “quitter,” but Olga Diachuk said that is incorrect. The name combines “mosquito” and “eater,” a label that made more sense when the company focused primarily on catching mosquitoes before pivoting toward data intelligence.

Source: TechCrunch