2010
ARCTEC (Arthropod Control Product Test Centre) established at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
A global centre of excellence for independent evaluation and testing of vector control products, insecticides, and repellents.
2011
ARCTEC founders (Professor Logan and Professor Cameron, plus their research team) discover the bed bug pheromone at LSHTM
2013
ARCTEC at LSHTM
Lead major vector control trials and public health education projects across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including dengue, malaria, and Zika preparedness programmes.
2016
First patent inlicensed to Vecotech (a separate spin-out co-founded by Professor Logan and Professor Cameron) from LSHTM
Vecotech begins sensor discovery work funded by BMGF
ARCTEC contributes to vector surveillance and odour-based behavioural research through ZikaPLAN, strengthening global response capacity for Zika virus and related vector-borne diseases.
2017
ARCTEC and Vecotech successfully deliver Innovate UK and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation R&D projects on odour-based malaria diagnostics, insecticide resistance studies, and behaviour change communication projects.
2018
Professor James Logan discovers the odour biomarkers of malaria at LSHTM
2019
Vecotech discovers new, effective slow-release formulation for insect attractants
2020
Global Vector Hub (GVH) launched by LSHTM and ARCTEC under ZikaPLAN, the first global open-access data and networking platform for vector control professionals.
Vector-Borne Diseases MOOC and Zika Prevention MOOC launched via FutureLearn, co-developed with LSHTM reaching tens of thousands of learners worldwide and establishing ARCTEC as a civic-tech leader in public health education.
Vecotech launches BugScentsTM Attractant
2021
Arctech Innovation officially launched, merging ARCTEC and Vecotech, combining world-class science, product innovation, and civic-tech capability in data, diagnostics, and vector control.
Arctech innovation accelerates digital diagnostics and scent-based sensor development, including Semeion IQ™ odour data platform.
2022
Arctech innovation extends reach across consumer and environmental health through hygiene research and innovation with Reckitt.
Expansion of social impact and civic-tech programmes:
- Healthy Home, Healthy Family mobile education platform with Bayer Foundation addressing malaria and COVID-19 dual burdens.
- Behaviour Change Toolkit deployed in >10 countries for vector-borne disease education.
2023
Strategic recruitment and creation of Services Business Unit, merging contract research and social impact divisions delivering services to 300+ global clients and expanding into 17 partner countries.
Awarded new Innovate UK Smart Grant and UKRI funding to accelerate the development of digital pest detection systems and AI-driven odour sensors
Arctech innovation develops pest detection platform and files patent for scent-based pest detection
BugScents™ Sentry Pro launched
Arctech innovation’s first proprietary product range for professional pest control markets, powered by patented attractant technology.
2025
Launch of Arctech Innovation Plant Health
Expanding into agriculture with a base at Rothamsted Research, applying odour science to sustainable crop protection, pest detection, and biopesticide innovation.
2026
Launch of Digital Odour Technologies (dot)
An evolution towards living smarter in a changing world. Digitising the hidden dimension of scent to predict and prevent disease and monitor environmental health.
dot will continue to pioneer the convergence of scent science, data, and AI to protect people, animals, plants, and ecosystems, shaping a safer, more sustainable world through scent-driven innovation.