Pet Tech Startup VEA Wins $25,000 at Purina Pet Care Innovation Prize
Veterinary startup VEA (Veterinary Emergency Assistant) has secured a $25,000 cash prize after emerging as the 2025 grand prize winner of Nestlé Purina’s Pet Care Innovation Prize. The St. Louis-based company stood out among five finalists for its AI-powered veterinary smart assistant designed to help pet owners triage potential health concerns and expedite professional care decisions.
VEA’s tool operates like a virtual assistant tailored to pet health. By guiding users through a series of symptom-based questions, it delivers an assessment on whether a condition is urgent, non-urgent, or can be monitored at home. According to founder Dr. Steve Weinrauch, VEA uses a proprietary AI engine trained on over 500,000 veterinary triage interactions. This allows the system to offer accurate, fast recommendations while easing demand on veterinary clinics, especially during after-hours or emergent situations.
The Pet Care Innovation Prize, backed by Purina and investing partner Active Capital, is part of an initiative to support early-stage companies advancing the pet care space. Winners gain exposure to industry leaders, receive mentorship, and compete for the grand prize awarded during Global Pet Expo, held this year in Orlando, Florida.
Dr. Weinrauch, a veterinarian and former executive at Trupanion, emphasized how the funding and visibility will help accelerate product development and partnerships. Since its soft launch in March 2024, VEA has already served over 30,000 pet owners. The platform currently focuses on dogs and cats, with expansion plans underway to include other companion animals.
Industry analysts note that solutions like VEA reflect a broader digital transformation in pet care, with recent market reports projecting the global pet tech segment will exceed $20 billion by 2028. As more consumers seek convenient, tech-forward tools for pet wellbeing, products that bridge the gap between pet parents and professional care are gaining momentum.
Aside from VEA, the 2025 Pet Care Innovation Prize cohort included startups in smart hydration systems, nutrient analyzers, and telemedicine platforms—indicating investor and consumer enthusiasm across multiple pet wellness verticals. With increased competition and capital flowing into pet tech, tools that combine clinical expertise with user-friendly interfaces are poised to define the next phase of growth in the sector.