Before Innovative Pet Lab (IPL) became a nationally recognized name in pet health and wellness, it began with a moment of frustration and a question that wouldn’t let go.
“Why is it so hard for pet parents to understand what’s really going on inside their pets’ bodies when we know the science exists?” asked Jamie Smith, CEO and co-founder of IPL.
That question, and the answer that followed, led Smith, Dr. Betsy Redmond and Dr. Bob David to launch IPL in 2022. The founding team spent years working together in human diagnostics. They knew how to read biomarkers, identify patterns, and deliver early insight that could change outcomes.
And as pet parents themselves, they were facing unexplained health issues with their own dogs and cats. The symptoms looked strikingly familiar, mirroring what they saw every day in human patients but there was no simple, reliable way to get those same answers for pets. Why, they kept asking, was it so hard to understand what was happening inside the bodies of animals we love like family, when the science already existed?
“We knew we could take what we’d learned in human healthcare and bring that same level of insight to pets in a simple, at-home format,” says Smith. “We didn’t set out to build a “company” as much as we set out to solve a problem we were personally living with.”
Turning Innovation Into Traction
Since then, IPL has grown into a science-first, pet-obsessed team focused on giving pet parents early answers, clearer guidance, and real ways to support their pets’ health.
Today, the company offers seven SKUs, with an eighth—the Comprehensive Gut & Stress Test for Horses—launching in early 2026. Its best-selling product, the Comprehensive Gut Check for Dogs, remains a cornerstone of the brand, offering broad, clinically validated insight into a wide range of symptoms.
The company has had steady growth, doubling revenue every year. That growth has been fueled by strong growth across both retail and DTC channels. Smith is excited about this year’s pipeline.
“The demand we’re seeing, especially around our new clinical trials vertical and expanded retail partnerships, puts us in a position for our biggest leap forward yet,” says Smith.
IPL is part of a fast-growing category. In the United States, the veterinary diagnostics market is already substantial, valued at roughly $3.4 billion in 2023 and growing at an expected CAGR near 8–10 percent over the coming decade as pet ownership and preventive health spending rise.
Within this expanding ecosystem, the at-home pet diagnostic tests segment—which includes consumer-facing kits for conditions such as gut health, metabolic markers, and early disease screeningis emerging as a distinct category. In 2024, the U.S. at-home market generated approximately $24.6 million in revenue, and it is projected to grow to around $31.2 million by 2030, reflecting increasing demand for convenient, preventive health tools that allow pet parents to understand their animals’ health without frequent clinic visits.
While smaller in absolute terms today, this at-home segment is growing alongside broader diagnostics and preventive care trends, driven by high pet ownership, rising health awareness, and innovations that make professional-grade insight accessible outside traditional veterinary settings.
“The future belongs to pet companies that create products enabling preventive care at home,” Mark Rodriguez, Veterinary Business Consultant, highlighting how pet health innovation is shifting toward accessible, at-home solutions.
Building a Category From the Ground Up
From the beginning, IPL has taken a science-first approach, grounded in the belief that pet care should be part of family healthcare. The company’s mission is straightforward but ambitious—give pet parents earlier answers, clearer guidance, and real tools to support long-term health. Every product is developed with intention.
When launching a new product, IPL collect hundreds of samples and validate every biomarker.
“We don’t rush products to market,” says Smith “Everything we release is backed by solid clinical evidence to ensure accuracy and trust. Nothing is rushed to market. Accuracy and trust are non-negotiable.
What truly sets IPL apart, however, is not just the science, it’s what happens after the results come in.
“Our results are also highly personalized, not one-size-fits-all,” says Smith. “Every pet receives actionable next steps based on their specific biomarkers, whether that’s diet changes, lifestyle adjustments or targeted supplement recommendations. And when we do see something concerning, we don’t leave pet parents guessing. We help fast-track them to their veterinarian with clear guidance on what to follow up on.”
Learning in Real Time
Behind every milestone has been the challenge of building something entirely new. At-home diagnostic testing for pets—especially focused on gut health—is still unfamiliar to many consumers. That has meant IPL isn’t just building products; it’s building understanding, trust, and a category from the ground up. The work has been demanding, requiring constant learning and a careful balance between moving quickly and building responsibly.
“Most people don’t even realize at-home testing for pets exists, let alone why gut health matters, so we’re educating pet parents at the same time we’re building the category itself,” says Smith. “It’s incredibly rewarding, but definitely not simple.”
There are the classic startup hurdles: the things you think will be hard turn out to be easy, and the things you assume will be easy end up being very difficult.
“There’s been a lot of learning in real time, a lot of problem-solving we didn’t even know we’d need to do,” says Smith. “It’s a constant balancing act between building fast and building well.”
Industry Validation
IPL’s growth innovation have not gone unnoticed, earning national and international accolades.
Over the past few years, Innovative Pet Lab has earned industry accolades that reflect both impact and innovation. The company was named Best in Show in 2022 at the Petcare Innovation Summit, Pet Innovation Awards’ Cat Health Innovation of the Year and the Pet Connect Summit’s Access to Care Pioneer Award, honoring its role in expanding meaningful, data-driven wellness solutions for pets.
Most recently, IPL reached was selected as one of just five companies worldwide for the 2026 Purina Pet Care Innovation Prize – one of the most prestigious awards in the industry, Chosen from nearly 200 applicants alongside SKU alum PetPax, IPL was recognized for its science-driven approach to accessible pet wellness.
Purina – a global leader in pet care – announced the five startups selected as winners of its tenth annual Pet Care Innovation Prize, recognizing emerging companies that are shaping the future of pet health, wellness, nutrition and veterinary care. Each prize winner will receive $25,000 in non-dilutive funding, along with mentorship and access to industry expertise from Purina, as they continue building solutions for today’s evolving pet care landscape.
Each prize winner will receive $25,000 in non-dilutive funding, along with mentorship and access to industry expertise from Purina, as they continue building solutions for today’s evolving pet care landscape. Beyond funding, each prize winner will participate in a hands-on accelerator experience at Purina’s headquarters in St. Louis, where they will engage with Purina’s pet care experts, business leaders and external industry mentors. The program is designed to help founders refine their strategies, strengthen
Funding the Vision
One of the most significant turning points came with the close of a $1.1M funding round, a particularly meaningful achievement for a female-founded company raising capital in a challenging market.
“In my decades in healthcare, I’ve witnessed firsthand how personalized medicine evolved from a niche idea to a global standard in human health,” said Chris Moore, CEO of Nordic Group. “As we looked at the pet health sector, it was clear the same shift is coming—and needed. Innovative Pet Lab immediately stood out for its mission alignment and commitment to science-based wellness. We’re not just investing—we’re partnering to help Innovative Pet Lab scale globally. With our experience driving international expansion in precision medicine, we see this as a natural extension of our work to bring personalized care to more lives, both human and pet.”
The successful raise was followed by major retail expansion in 2025, including IPL’s first Costco roadshow, where thousands of pet parents engaged directly with the product—often seeing at-home pet diagnostics for the first time.
Partnerships soon followed. A collaboration with Independent Pet Supply opened the door to independent pet retailers nationwide, while a launch with the Army & Air Force Exchange marked a deeply personal moment for the founder, a military spouse, by making IPL accessible to military families across the country.
IPL’s products also are available on Chewy and on its own web site.
Powered by Community, Driven by Purpose
Along the way, community has played a vital role. Participation in accelerators like SKU has connected IPL to a network of mentors and fellow founders who bring perspective, expertise, and support when it matters most. That sense of shared experience has been a powerful force through both wins and challenges.
Still just three years old, Innovative Pet Lab has doubled revenue every year since launch and is on track for its strongest year yet in 2025. Looking ahead, an expanding retail footprint and growing demand for its clinical trials vertical position the company for its biggest leap yet in 2026.
For the founder, the proudest accomplishment isn’t the funding, the awards, or the press. It’s building something that genuinely helps pets and their families—turning an unmet need into a trusted tool, and assembling a team of smart, passionate people united by a shared belief.
Because when pets are family, they deserve answers—and care—worthy of that love.
“I’m most proud of building something that genuinely helps pets and their families,” says Smith. “Taking an idea that didn’t exist in the market and turning it into a trusted tool for pet health has been incredibly rewarding. And seeing the team we’ve built of smart, passionate people who believe in the mission makes me proud every single day.”
Through it all, SKU has been one of the most meaningful forces in IPL’s journey, says Smith.
“Beyond the incredible mentors, it’s the founder community that makes it truly special,” says Smith. “No matter the challenge, there’s always someone in the SKU network who has been there before—or who knows exactly how to help navigate what comes next. I’m deeply grateful for my extended SKU team of mentors, advisors, and fellow founders, whose support, perspective, and problem-solving have been there for me at every critical moment.”
Hard-Won Advice for Founders
Based on her own entrepreneurial journey, Smith has some advice for other founders.
- Stay scrappy and stay curious. You don’t need to know everything—but you do need to keep learning.
- Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. Building a strong team, whether full-time, fractional, or advisors, makes all the difference.
- Ask for help. You don’t have to have all the answers, but you do have to know when to lean on others.
- Be clear on your story and your “why.” Investors respond to conviction and clarity.
- Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Progress and traction speak louder than polish.
- Expect the journey to be nonlinear. Some days will be incredible, some days will be brutal.
- Stay grounded in your mission. If you keep solving real problems for real people (or pets), the momentum will come.