Mosquitoes and the diseases they carry are expanding into new territories. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and global travel are reshaping where disease-carrying mosquitoes can thrive, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Cases of dengue, a viral illness spread by mosquito bites, more than doubled in a year, from 6.5 million reported globally in 2023 to a record 14.6 million in 2024, the WHO says.

A 30-person, Pennsylvania-based startup, Mosqitter, believes that combating this issue requires more than just killing mosquitoes. The company began by developing chemical-free devices that attract and trap female mosquitoes by mimicking the heat, scent, and breathing cues of humans. Anastasiia Romanova, co-founder and CEO of Mosqitter, stated that the company aims to introduce more sustainable mosquito-control products to a market still heavily reliant on chemicals.

Growth and Expansion

Mosqitter currently operates over 5,000 devices across five continents, a significant increase from just over 250 devices when TechCrunch last reported on the company in 2022. The startup is now focused on transforming its traps into an AI-powered monitoring network capable of identifying mosquito species, tracking population changes, and providing early warnings about emerging disease risks.

The company began its research and development in Ukraine in 2019 and officially launched its business operations in 2021. Initially, Mosqitter examined mosquito behavior, noting that female mosquitoes, which are the only ones that bite, seek blood before laying eggs. They typically lay 100 to 200 eggs on a roughly three-week cycle.

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“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,” Romanova explained.

Innovative Technology

Mosqitter combines elements such as heat, scent that imitates human skin odor, and light to attract mosquitoes. In its Grand model, the company also uses CO2 to mimic human breathing. Presenting at TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield competition in San Francisco, Mosqitter is utilizing AI to identify the mosquitoes captured by its devices. Its computer-vision system analyzes biological characteristics to distinguish between species.