NAVC Announces Winner of Seventh Annual VMX Pet Pitch Competition
The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) announced Inventory Ally as the winner of the seventh annual VMX Pet Pitch Competition, a shark-tank-style pitch event with a $5,000 prize, a membership in Purina’s Pet Care Innovation Network and an invitation to its annual Innovation Summit — an exclusive event held at Nestle-Purina headquarters in St. Louis, MO.
Inventory Ally was one of three finalists, narrowed down from a competitive pool of 60 applicants. The front-runners were showcased in the VMX Startup Circle, which allows startup companies to introduce their products, services and solutions to leading veterinary professionals and practice decision-makers attending the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) 2024.
“Inventory Ally’s work and recognition in winning this award reminds us all of the critical importance of helping veterinary practices run more efficiently, utilizing the latest innovations and resources available, so they have more time to spend treating and caring for patients,” said NAVC CEO Gene O’Neill. “We are continually impressed by the caliber of startup candidates participating in our annual competition. All three finalists raised the bar this year, presenting innovative products and solutions that enable veterinary practices to provide the best health care to animals of all kinds.”
“We’re excited to be able to support the growth of these companies by providing them with this incredible exposure across the veterinary industry and feedback from our accomplished judging panel,” said Aaron Massecar, NAVC’s Executive Director of the Veterinary Innovation Council, which helps curate and develop companies in the VMX Startup Circle and Pet Pitch Competition.
Inventory Ally is an inventory management program designed to optimize inventory costs, cut down on shortages and decrease the time spent managing inventory. With an affordable monthly subscription and an easy-to-navigate interface, Inventory Ally brings the power of dynamic, intelligent ordering straight to a computer or mobile device.
“We’re grateful to NAVC for providing a platform like the VMX Pet Pitch Competition and Startup Circle, allowing us to showcase Inventory Ally to veterinary professionals and industry innovators,” said Emmitt Nantz, co-founder of Inventory Ally. “Winning this year’s competition is particularly special for us as it follows our previous success at NAVC’s Veterinary Innovation Summit last fall. Being acknowledged in both contests is a testament to the innovative solutions we bring to the table. Inventory management is undoubtedly one of the most challenging aspects of running a veterinary business, and we’re thrilled to see how Inventory Ally is alleviating headaches for veterinary professionals. This win fuels our commitment to help hospitals reduce inventory costs, streamline processes and save time for the dedicated veterinary teams.”
The VMX 2024 Pitch Competition judges included:
- Jules Benson, BVSc MRCVS, Nationwide Insurance Vice President of Pet Health and Chief Veterinary Officer
- Cindy Trice, DVM, hound Chief Veterinary Officer and NAVC Board Member
- Ainsley Bone, DVM, MBA, Quantum Vetz founder
- Jennifer Welser, DVM DACVO, CityVet Chief Strategy Officer
“We are thrilled with the success of this event and are already looking forward to the talent pool for next year’s competition. We couldn’t be prouder of the growth of former Pet Pitch Competition winners who have gone on to do great things for our industry,” added O’Neill.
VMX is the world’s largest and most comprehensive veterinary conference and has held the Pet Pitch Competition since 2018.