Synvect – a biotechnology startup pioneering next-generation vector control solutions – announced it has raised a $3 million Seed Round from prominent investors, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Antler, NuFund, and Redbud. This funding round will advance the development and deployment of Synvect’s CRISPR-based technology, offering a scalable, eco-friendly solution to suppress disease-carrying mosquito populations.
Mosquito-borne diseases are rising worldwide, including in previously unaffected regions. Record-breaking outbreaks of Dengue fever and other illnesses have impacted California, Texas, and parts of Europe. Traditional control methods, such as chemical pesticides, are losing effectiveness due to resistance while also harming the environment—Paris, for example, had to be fumigated ahead of the Olympics. With Malaria, Zika, and West Nile intensifying due to globalization and climate change, the need for innovative solutions has never been greater.
Building on 15 years of research and $20 million in prior funding, Synvect has developed a game-changing approach to mosquito control. The company uses CRISPR to produce sterile male mosquitoes, which, when released, mate with wild females—who only mate once—preventing reproduction.
And unlike gene drive technologies, which spread edited genes through wild populations, Synvect’s approach ensures genetic modifications remain contained, making it one of the safest, most scalable mosquito suppression solutions.
Synvect received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval for its first product, SEPARATOR, paving the way for commercial deployment. And the company is launching pilot programs with government and mosquito control agencies in Florida, Texas, California, and other high-risk regions.
With funding, regulatory approval, and initial deployments underway, Synvect is well-positioned to reshape mosquito control and vector-borne disease prevention. The company will continue collaborating with government agencies, researchers, and communities to ensure responsible deployment and maximum impact.
KEY QUOTE:
“This technology has the potential to eliminate mosquito-borne diseases in large regions. We are thrilled to have the support of leading investors and regulators as we move towards large-scale implementation.”
- Nikolay Kandul, CEO of Synvect
