Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the 2022 Petcare Innovation Summit (yes, the same event where, in 2019, DIG Labs was a "Best in Show" startup finalist!). While I remembered how action-packed the event was back then, this time I left feeling energized and inspired - having gained so many valuable insights and connections. With over 350 attendees this year, I only wish there had been more time to interact with more of these incredible innovators and industry leaders. As I reflect more holistically on 2022, I found that these key takeaways from my two days in Boston really summarized the year perfectly.
The future of pet health is one tap away.
I encountered some incredible new startups, industry advancements, and technologies, who are really living into the mantra that the future of pet health is one tap, swab, or photo away:
- Zoetis’ CatOAChecklist.com, which was created by observing and modeling thousands of cat movements through advanced tracking and AI, and distilling the information down into an easy to use tool for monitoring cat gait as a sign of pain.?
- MI:RNA, a veterinary diagnostics company specializing in the development of testing technology for precision veterinary disease detection, like early stage heart disease.
- Gentle Beast, an early stage start-up whose goal is to ensure than any dog who is adopted has the best chance at their fur-ever home by scaling access to personalized behavior training and support, from the comfort of home.
The importance of leveraging and enhancing pet tech - for pets and their parents.
- Advancements in pet tech enables us to intervene sooner and more efficiently to improve health outcomes. Artificial Intelligence, something we know well at DIG, has the ability to quickly provide information to a vet so they can make a decision sooner, enhancing their capabilities amidst an overworked and understaffed veterinary industry. A diagnosis that typically takes 24-48 hours can now happen in minutes to hours by leveraging AI.
- Technology is raising the standard of care. These new tools and capabilities change how soon patients receive treatment, as well as drive a better experience for customers and colleagues. Furthermore, success with these new advancements are raising pet parents’ expectations. After all, pets are the new babies (and plants are the new pets!).
- These new capabilities serve as a complement to veterinary care and in person training and behavior care - not a replacement. It helps our trusted vets understand what they are seeing, aids them in reading diagnostic data, as well as handles some of the interpretation for them. These capabilities also allow for approved pet parent education outside the office - since we typically see our pets' docs less than 16 minutes per year... which serves as a great segue to…
The need to increase innovation to support veterinarians
- Veterinary caseloads are growing, increasing the burden on veterinary well-being. Burnout and stress is on the rise, which makes sense given it’s forecasted that there is currently one practicing vet for every 2,000 pets.?
- Medical knowledge has increased significantly. In 1950, our medical knowledge doubled every 50 years. As of 2020, our medical knowledge doubles every 70 days. A lot of veterinary burnout stems from the lack of confidence due to the increased amount of information to learn, and quickly act on. Technology can help provide support and confirmation to the newer generation of vets.?
- Telehealth is a double edged sword. It can lead to increased burnout for veterinarians working in the space, but also helps educate pet parents. Innovating in this space, such as providing better capabilities for pre-visit wellness appointments can help educate clients at home prior to their visit, increasing in-person appointment efficiency. This could serve as an incredible unlock, as vets have so much to discuss during wellness appointments with pet parents, compared to previous generations, and are unable to give all the recommendations that would be most beneficial due to time constraints and staff shortages.?
Let me know what else you've learned in 2022 about pet tech and the tools available to pet parents and veterinarians - and if you plan on attending CES or VMX, please reach out so we can connect and help each other build the future of petcare, together.?
Entrepreneur, Strategic Advisor, Mentor, and Lead / Angel Investor
2 年yeah, Tara!...our family representative, Phoenix, supports your work (while splooging)
CEO @ Dogdrop | Scaling Pet Care through vSaaS & Franchising. I help people start and grow their pet service business. LA/ BAY AREA
2 年What a great recap!