Fighting a Deadly Killer: How YEEO is Tackling Mosquito-Borne Disease and Finding Support in the NM Startup Ecosystem
NM Angels recently spoke with Kevin Pope, CEO and Founder of YEEO Eco-Safe, to learn more about what inspired him to start the company, why he chose NM, and how the NM Angels has been involved.
Mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance—they’re deadly.
Each year, mosquito-borne diseases affect 700 million people and lead to the deaths of over a million, which is more than any other single cause of death in human history. That staggering fact, combined with rising global temperatures and expanding mosquito habitats, inspired environmental scientist and entrepreneur Kevin Pope to launch YEEO Eco-Safe, a company working to create safe, effective, and sustainable mosquito control solutions.
Now headquartered in Albuquerque and backed by the New Mexico Angels, YEEO is advancing a promising technology developed at the University of New Mexico with ambitions that stretch worldwide.
“I’ve built companies around clean water and energy transition, but in this case, it’s a public health issue,” Kevin said. “I got excited about this when I was first introduced to the technology available for license at the University of New Mexico.”
When Kevin met Dr. Ivy Hurwitz and Dr. Michael Workman, he knew their work was something special. Beyond being accomplished innovators, they embraced the entrepreneurial mindset needed for commercialization. Dr. Hurwitz, a Research Professor at the University of New Mexico’s Center for Global Health, has spent her career addressing public health challenges with sustainable, science-based solutions. Together with Dr. Workman, she co-invented yeast-encapsulated essential oils for mosquito control. She now serves as YEEO’s Chief Science Officer, and Dr. Workman serves as Senior R&D Scientist.
A New Home for Innovation
Originally, Kevin planned to launch YEEO in Florida, where mosquito control is big business. But after visiting Albuquerque and experiencing the growing innovation community here, his plans changed.
“When I met folks in ABQ and saw how strongly New Mexico was trying to bring high tech and good tech jobs to the state—and actively putting their money where their mouth is—I realized this is clearly New Mexico tech and it needs to stay in New Mexico,” Kevin said.
A $250,000 grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department (NM EDD) helped seal the deal, and Albuquerque became YEEO’s headquarters.
Early-Stage Support from NM Angels
Kevin’s first encounter with NM Angels came early, when President Drew Tulchin sat down with him to offer guidance.
“NM Angels was there from the get-go,” Kevin said. “Drew’s advice helped define our path forward and connected us to people who later became investors.”
NM Angels was part of the NM EDD grant through in-kind mentorship, and two of Kevin’s mentors played pivotal roles, both strategically and financially.
Tailored Mentorship
As a founder with multiple exits, Kevin didn’t need Startup 101. Instead, NM Angels mentors offered high-value feedback tailored to what mattered most.
“We had a standing meeting every week and talked about whatever was pressing at the time. For a while, my focus was closing our seed round, so a lot of the mentorship was helping identify potential funders, getting the word out, and inviting us to events,” Kevin shared. “The nice thing about one-on-one mentorship is that it’s flexible…and we didn’t waste time on things that weren’t helpful.”
Building a Global Company in New Mexico
Recently, YEEO closed its seed round and hired its first employee, a recent New Mexico State University grad who’s now helping establish the company’s Albuquerque-based R&D lab.
The company’s next big milestone? U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval—and five test sites around the U.S. are already underway.
At the same time, the company is making strides internationally.
“We’re pursuing U.S. and Southeast Asia in parallel. Our CSO, Dr. Ivy Hurwitz from the UNM Center for Global Health, and one of our NM Angels investors, Brad Armstrong, just returned from a major pest control conference in Malaysia. We’re already getting interest from potential customers there,” Kevin said.
“New Mexico is getting a business that could export to 100 countries—all because they believed early and made real investments in our growth,” he added.
Advice for Founders and a Vote of Confidence for NM
For startups considering where to build their company, Kevin doesn’t hesitate to recommend New Mexico.
Kevin shared that in places like Florida, there’s little appetite for investing in physical products. In New Mexico, however, he met investors who care about impact and “want to see the product do good for people.”
“I’m not sure where we’d be without that NM EDD grant; we’d be at least a year behind and a year makes an enormous difference for a startup business,’ Kevin said. “I’m very much a cheerleader for the New Mexico tech industry.”
Learn More or Get Involved:
NM Angels is NM’s premier organization of angel investors supporting start-up and high-growth companies by pairing capital with mentorship. Interested in mentoring, partnering, or joining the community? Contact us to learn more.
YEEO Eco-Safe: Headquartered at the BioScience Center in Albuquerque, YEEO is preparing for global growth and is still accepting investments. Want to learn more or explore ways to support their work? Contact them today.