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Innovation & Investment Pre-Day: Tuesday, 2 Dec, 202510:20am
A practical crash course on where the pet industry is headed — and how to play it, tailored for start-ups and investors ready to win.
Cut through the noise with key trends, quirks, risks, and opportunities shaping success in 2030 and ensure understanding of the environment you’re scaling in.
The essential guide for building or backing tomorrow’s pet businesses.
TrendsInvestment & Scaling
Candise Goodwin
FounderOutlier Advisors
Bruce Truman
President and FounderBLT Technology & Innovation Group10:40amA candid look at the pet industries funding gaps: why early-stage capital is scarce, where investors are placing bets, and how founders are getting creative with capital.
From tapping into angel investors and leveraging crowdfunding platforms to forging creative partnerships, this solutions-oriented session offers founders practical advice for navigating todays funding maze.
FundingModerator
Natalie Marks
Chief Executive OfficerVANEDr. Natalie Marks is a small animal veterinarian with over twenty years of clinical experience. She owned the largest animal hospital in Chicago. More recently, she has been the founder and president of MarksDVMConsulting, an educational and strategy consulting firm working with companies of all stages nationally and internationally. She is also on the Executive Committee of VANE, the premier veterinary angel network investor group. VANE currently has 28 portfolio companies and provides direction, connection, and funding to start-ups in the animal health space.
11:10amWe’re flipping the script…. again! After 2024’s sold out success it’s the return of the reverse pitch!
40+ investors, each with a dynamic two-minute pitch detailing their investment criteria, category preferences, stage of interest and what they look for in potential partners.
Following this reverse pitch the meeting scheduler will open to pre-book the afternoons 1-2-1 meetings.
Taking the guess work out of meetings so you can connect smarter and faster. Get ready, get comfortable and let the pitching begin!
Funding01:30pmBreak-Out SessionsNail your pitch, protect your ideas, and win investor confidence.
This session breaks down what today’s investors want to see—from deck structure to storytelling flow—so you can command attention, communicate traction, and raise capital with clarity and conviction.
PitchingAre you marketing to a myth?
Designed to give founders a cheat sheet for defining their true customer and where revenue can truly be generated.
This session decodes emotional drivers, pinpoints effective influencer channels, and helps you leverage in-clinic advocates effectively.
Sharpen your positioning, validate product–market fit, and build traction that converts.
Customer IdentificationMarketing Agency02:30pmAll present on the pre-day will have the ability to book up to six 1-2-1 meetings with investors and/or innovators present following the reverse pitch.
• Pre-Day Meetings are 20 minutes in length
• Guests will use the Swapcard event app to schedule meetings with fellow attendees.
• Access to the app will be provided 2 weeks prior to the event for attendees and 3 weeks ahead for event partners.
2.30-2.50 – Meeting 1
2.55-3.15 – Meeting 2
3.20-3.40 – Meeting 3
3.45-4.05 – Meeting 4
4.10-4.30 – Meeting 5
4.35-4.55 – Meeting 6
07:00pmSelected by the insights team at Pet Connect the Next 25 is comprised of the start and scale up founders to know and watch as they begin to put their print on the pet industry.
This high-promise group poised to disrupt have that special something that breaks through the noise and gains commercial traction.
We celebrate them on the eve of the summit.
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The New Rules of Engagement: Wednesday, 3 Dec, 202508:40-10:00am
Kicking off, a strategic look at the next 20 years of pet business evolution. Not crystal-ball futurism, a data-backed vision of pet care as lifestyle.
As wellness, tech, and retail merge into emotional ecosystems, discover how future brands will shape how pet parents live, feel, and connect. Unlock key growth vectors—and why today’s choices matter.
FuturismWellnessIn a world of smart feeders, personalized health plans, and AI-driven recommendations—who really owns the pet parent relationship?
This panel explores the shifting balance of trust, data, and influence between clinics, platforms, and brands—and what it takes to stay essential in an AI-shaped pet care ecosystem.
AICustomer EngagementModerator
Stephen Kirton
PresidentCirca Healthcare
Dr Christie Long
Chief Medical OfficerModern Animal10:30amNutrition remains top priority for pet parents. As attention has increased, so to have expectations. In a market crowded with premium promises and functional claims, leaders face rising pressure to scale trust, margin, and scientific credibility.
Explore what truly drives differentiation on packed shelves and leave with actionable strategies to future-proof portfolios, validate claims, and lead in this high-growth, high-stakes landscape.
Nutrition11:00amThe pet-human bond isn’t news - it’s the foundation. What matters now is how we design around it.
Join us as we unpack the ripple effects: how generational shifts, urban living, and rising expectations are redefining care delivery, access, and brand loyalty.
From care team communication to emotionally intelligent design this is your blueprint for building systems that truly serve the modern pet parent.
Human-Animal BondAccess to Care
Dr Molly McAllister
Chief Medical OfficerMars Veterinary Health11:20amPet insurance is no longer just about reimbursement—it’s a gateway to care, trust, and retention.
This panel explores how modern models—wellness plans, embedded coverage, and flexible financing—are reshaping access for underserved pet owners and unlocking new revenue.
Learn where insurance is headed, how it partners with retail, tech, and financial services and who’s still being left behind.
Access to Care
Miles Thorson
CEOOdie Pet Insurance
Boo Larsen
Senior Vice President Veterinary IndustryCareCredit11:40amWhat does it really take to go from idea to acquisition in the pet industry? In this founder case study, we unpack the journey from first product to earned trust, investor backing, and strategic exit.
Honest lessons on traction, pivots, partnerships—and how to scale when the path isn't straight.
ScalingGrowth12:00 - 02:10pmHarness the opportunity of a rapidly evolving pet market. From choosing the right channels—distribution vs. retail—to real-world marketing wins and customer education strategies, this session delivers sharp insights and actionable focus points for presenting new offerings to today’s pet parents.
Mindy Cannon
Marketing ManagerEPiQ Animal Healthepiq
Website: https://www.epiqah.com/
epiq Animal Health is a master distributor who revolutionizes the animal health industry by partnering with manufacturers and distributors to deliver innovative products to veterinary professionals and pet owners. epiq serves as the connective tissue across the supply chain, creating efficiencies and adding value to supply chain and growth management, product and account management, and marketing and strategy.
epiq leverages insights and relationships and is committed to transparency and integrity, ensuring top-notch service for their partners. Whether support is needed in supply chain management or a comprehensive suite of services, epiq customizes a plan that aligns perfectly with their partner’s needs. True success means nothing unless shared with partners.
C-suite executives from across the pet care ecosystem, leading veterinarians, insurers, retailers, investors as well as multinational pet care corporations, and the rest, gather to connect, partner and do business at Pet Connect.
• Meetings are 15 minutes in length
• Pet Connect attendees will use the Swap card event app to schedule meetings with fellow attendees.
• Access to the app will be provided 2 weeks prior to the event for attendees and 3 weeks prior for event partners.
12.30-12.45 - Meeting Slot 1
12.50-1.05 – Meeting Slot 2
1.10-1.25 – Meeting Slot 3
1.30-1.45 – Meeting Slot 4
1.50-2.05 – Meeting Slot 5
02:10 - 03:30pmFrom rising shipping costs to sourcing volatility, pet brands are under pressure. This breakout reveals how to build true operational resilience—through smarter supply chain diversification, logistics optimization, and leveraging data to mitigate risk.
Walk away with actionable strategies to protect margin, reduce disruption, and scale confidently in uncertain times.
Supply ChainMindy Cannon
Marketing ManagerEPiQ Animal Healthepiq
Website: https://www.epiqah.com/
epiq Animal Health is a master distributor who revolutionizes the animal health industry by partnering with manufacturers and distributors to deliver innovative products to veterinary professionals and pet owners. epiq serves as the connective tissue across the supply chain, creating efficiencies and adding value to supply chain and growth management, product and account management, and marketing and strategy.
epiq leverages insights and relationships and is committed to transparency and integrity, ensuring top-notch service for their partners. Whether support is needed in supply chain management or a comprehensive suite of services, epiq customizes a plan that aligns perfectly with their partner’s needs. True success means nothing unless shared with partners.
For brand leaders, CMOs, and founders looking to drive deeper loyalty, this breakout explores how to craft a resonant brand story and identify your true whitespace.
Gain practical insight into how your customers discover, evaluate, and commit to brands—and what it takes to stand out in a crowded market.
Brand BuildingNarrative
Katy Briggs
Managing DirectorWilloughby DesignIn her role as Managing Director, Katy is focused on guiding brand strategy and uncovering consumer insights that lead to big ideas. Katy's career has been driven by developing a keen understanding of the human behavior that drives purchasing decisions. She has worked with world-class brands like Hallmark, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Helzberg Diamonds and Kohl’s. At her core, Katy is a problem solver and a storyteller. As a strong collaborator and thoughtful writer, Katy leads teams through the strategic process to simplify the complex and deliver succinct brand systems.
Willoughby Design
Website: https://willoughbydesign.com/
Willoughby is a woman-owned (WBE) branding agency with decades of experience working with consumer brands ranging from AMC Theatres to Main Event and Weight Watchers. From strategic framing to fully integrated identity systems, everything we do is focused on building strong brands that ignite business innovation and growth.
Moving brands from ho hum to hell yeah.
Successful exits start long before the deal. In this breakout, M&A insiders reveal how to position for acquisition—from shaping financials and forecasting performance to managing risk, brand narrative, and buyer alignment.
Learn what truly drives valuation and how run a process that protects your upside and delivers results.
M&AExitingIn today’s pet industry, brand isn’t enough. This session explores how proprietary innovation—whether product science, tech platforms, or service protocols—can drive valuation and strategic interest.
Learn what acquirers are really looking for, how to protect your edge, and how to position IP as a core asset, not an afterthought.
IPThe best campaigns don’t guess—they adapt.
Discover how leading pet brands use real-time consumer insight to guide creator strategy, stretch budgets, and break through the noise. across Instagram, YouTube, and beyond.
Listen better, spend smarter, and turn scrolls into serious traction.
Social MediaCreatorsVeterinary leaders are facing a triple bind: talent recruitment, declining footfall, and tech growing pains. In this interactive session, hear how top-performing practices are solving for scale—redesigning workflows, rethinking roles, and leveraging technology to boost revenue per DVM, reduce churn, and build more resilient, high-performing operations from the inside out.
Vet Practice Optimisation03:30pm
Jump to: Tuesday, 2 Dec | Wednesday, 3 Dec