INZECTO
INZECTO

Changing times demand modern answers to familiar threats. Climate volatility, rapid urbanization, and global mobility are reshaping how viruses move and how people must respond. Inzecto, a science-led vector-control company, aims to be part of the solution not only during outbreaks but well before they occur.

Mosquito-borne diseases once considered "tropical" are now spreading into temperate cities. This shift is driven by rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. These climate changes are expanding the habitats of various mosquito species, the primary vectors for viruses such as West Nile, dengue, chikungunya, Yellow fever, and Zika. The effects bear their fangs all over the world, with a recent outbreak in an unexpected place: The Las Vegas Desert.

The data paints a sobering picture of the unfolding crisis. In 2024, the Americas reported more than 13 million cases of dengue. Brazil experienced repeated epidemic waves, while countries in Central and South America faced the simultaneous circulation of multiple viruses. Southern Europe began reporting locally transmitted dengue cases, and West Nile virus remained entrenched across Europe and the United States.

"The reason is as practical as it is biological," Enrico Levi, Inzecto founder and CEO, states. "Most urbanmosquitoes can breed in something as tiny as a bottle cap. And in cities, they're often hiding out on private property, where public spraying just doesn't reach."

Because many dengue cases are asymptomatic, infections can spread undetected. This creates a silent buildup before health authorities detect an outbreak. Once transmission becomes established locally, containment can be costly and slow.

Inzecto stresses that the most efficient defense is to stop breeding at the source before viruses gain a foothold. Why? Vaccines exist for some mosquito-borne viruses, but their availability is limited by factors such as scope, eligibility, cost, and accessibility. For example, vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever are widely available. However, for Dengue, West Nile, and Zika, no human vaccines are currently licensed for widespread public use.

Even where vaccines help, Inzecto insists that vector control remains essential to cut transmission. Early, targeted action reduces risk without the broad environmental impact of aerial or truck-based spraying. These methods can kill beneficial insects and often miss private backyard sources where biting mosquitoes often develop.

Inzecto's approach focuses on exactly those challenges. The company's flagship Mosquito Trap, originally developed for the military, had to meet battlefield conditions. It's rugged, intuitive, portable, and usable by non-specialists. The same features make it effective for civilian use.

"The trap's shape, color, and scent infusion mimics an ideal egg-laying site, drawing in gravid females," Dr. Phil Koehler, Head of Science at Inzecto, shares. "Inside, a microporous coating delivers a two-pronged effect. An adulticide kills the mosquito upon contact, while a larvicide prevents any eggs laid from maturing into biting adults. This interrupts the life cycle where it starts."

The trap can run passively for months. It requires only a small amount of water, minimal setup, and no direct handling of insecticides. Its action is highly targeted, affecting only mosquitoes and leaving pollinators and other beneficial insects untouched.

"The smartest trap is the one mosquitoes choose over other potential breeding sites. If it can outcompete every bottle cap and flowerpot on a street, a microdose on a few square inches does far more good than gallons sprayed into the wind. Inzecto does just that," Dr. Koehler states.

Inzecto's Mosquito Trap is designed to integrate into multiple channels. Pest control professionals can use it to maintain suppression between service visits. Municipalities can distribute traps to households in at-risk neighborhoods, creating dense networks of coverage in places public crews cannot regularly reach. NGOs can deploy them in resource-limited settings ahead of seasonal risk peaks.

Recognizing that no single tool can solve the mosquito challenge, Inzecto treats its platform as adaptive. Deployment strategies are adjusted for climate, housing type, and community participation. The company works with public agencies, universities, and NGOs to validate results and improve uptake.

This commitment has earned notable recognition. In 2019, the organization was named one of the global finalists for the Financial Times/IFC Transformational Business Awards. That same year, it was selected as one of APLU's Top 20 University Startups and became a "Sweet 16" finalist in the Cade Prize for innovation. These honors reflect a consistent trajectory of translating research-driven design into practical public health infrastructure.

"Technology becomes meaningful when its impact is felt. The real breakthrough is when a community understands that mosquito-borne viruses are a serious, present risk and that the countermeasure is as simple as water in a trap. Our mission is to change the conversation from treating the diseases to preventing them by controlling their vectors," Levi remarks.

As climate and urbanization favor mosquito vectors, waiting for outbreaks will only raise costs in lives and resources. Inzecto is revolutionizing what it means to be preventive through not only education but also novel, easy-to-use, and effective devices. By equipping both professionals and the public with simple and effective tools, individuals can cut the risk before a headline ever appears.