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Vetmab Biosciences

The Cat Health Company

DOG PPL

Team

Garri Zmudze is the co-founder of AniVC and one of the earliest investors to focus on both longevity and veterinary biotech. In 2020, he co-founded LongeVC, a biotech venture capital firm and one of the earliest and most knowledgeable VCs in longevity. He is also an active angel investor, with successful investments including AI drug discovery unicorn Insilico Medicine and pet genetics startup Basepaws. He advises multiple companies and nonprofits in the longevity ecosystem and sits on the board of the Longevity Biotechnology Association and the Sheba Longevity Center. He is a vocal advocate for making biotech breakthroughs available to more people (and their pets).

Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, AniVC’s advisor, is a leading animal aging researcher, a founding director of the Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute, CEO at Optispan, a co-director of the Dog Aging Project. He serves as Affiliate Professor of Oral Health Sciences at the University of Washington and Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He has published over 250 papers, serves on editorial boards for Science, eLife and GeroScience, and is the editor-in-chief for Translational Medicine of Aging. He is also the former President of the American Aging Association and serves on its executive committee and board.

Jay DeLong, AniVC’s advisor, is the co-founder and managing partner of Active Capital, which has led Nestlé-Purina's PetCare Innovation Prize and Founder’s Network for the past 8 years. He has launched multiple industry-specific seed funds and advises the pet care sector on incubations, pitch competitions, and sourcing early-stage deals. He was the co-founding general partner of SixThirty Financial Technology Accelerator and SixThirty Cyber. He also co-founded a technology entrepreneur center, T-REX, and served as a director at Research Enabled, a platform connecting industry with research expertise across Missouri and Illinois universities.

Caroline Heller, AniVC’s advisor, is a veterinarian and animal health strategy expert who has worked in the animal health and nutrition sectors across the US, Europe, and globally. She spent ten years at Zoetis, where she served as vice president of commercial development and lifecycle management. She also led global marketing for Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health, and she spent over 6 years at Pfizer as market development manager and director of strategic planning. Caroline earned her MBA from Columbia University and her DVM from Tufts University. She is also a member of VANE (Veterinary Angel Network for Entrepreneurs) and serves as chief business officer at Rumin8.

Mitchell Marrow, AniVC’s advisor, is an Ivy League graduate, former NFL draft pick, and hedge fund executive turned entrepreneur. He was the founder and CEO of Spot Group, a premier pet services company with partnerships spanning real estate, Fortune 500, travel, and hospitality sectors. After scaling the venture and raising capital through strategic investors, he exited to a major industry player in 2017. Since then, he has advised and raised capital for companies across the pet, veterinary, and animal health industries. He currently serves on the advisory boards of Best Friends Pet Hotel, CoVet, VANE, Turning Rock Partners, NFL Alumni Health, and more.

Anna Skaya is a partner at AniVC and the former founder and CEO of Basepaws, a pioneering pet genetics company that used DNA technology for early disease detection. Basepaws gained national recognition through multiple features on Shark Tank and was acquired by Zoetis in 2022. Today, Anna serves on the board of Petco Love, a national nonprofit that has invested nearly $410M to improve the lives of pets and their people. With deep expertise in brand building, product development, and business growth, she advises startups on strategic partnerships, customer engagement, operational scaling, and navigating successful acquisitions.

Dr. Artem Trotsyuk is an operating partner at a biotech investment firm LongeVC, and a partner at AniVC. He is a bioengineer and computer scientist by training. His experience focuses on early-stage investments (pre-seed, seed, up to Series A), supporting entrepreneurs to turn their ideas and visions into successful companies. He serves as an AI Fellow at Stanford, where he teaches on bio-entrepreneurship programs. His research interests lie in bioengineering, gene editing, wearables, CRISPR therapy, regenerative medicine, and ethical use of data in drug development. He also serves as Chief Technologist at Swaza, a startup engineering oxygen therapeutics.

Aurora Griffin is a partner at AniVC and a managing partner and head of investor relations at a biotech venture capital firm, LongeVC. She previously served as Vice President at Bernstein Private Wealth and held roles in private equity and real estate capital acquisition, including Torana Group and Griffin Living. She is a former U.S. State Department official and business school professor, as well as a published author. Aurora holds an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, an MPhil from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and a degree in Classics from Harvard (top 5% of graduating class). Outside of work, she’s a proud mom to a rescue dog, Arwen.

Andrew Bleiman, AniVC’s advisor, leads Tractive’s North American business, driving growth for its GPS tracking and health monitoring platform for pets. He previously led Furbo Dog Camera’s expansion across North America and supported global technology and conservation efforts at Vulcan. Earlier in his career, he helped launch Trunk Club as its first head of marketing. He is also the author of the bestselling ZooBorns book series, with over two million copies sold. Andrew serves on the board of the Seattle Aquarium, advises nFlux AI, and is a fellow at the World Affairs Council. He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Warren Rickard, AniVC’s advisor, is a founder and operator with over 15 years of experience in the pet and animal health industry. He founded Anivive Lifesciences, a biotech company using advanced technology to accelerate veterinary drug discovery. He also served as president of Addiction Pet Foods and led strategy at Basepaws, overseeing its acquisition by Zoetis. Later, he became Zoetis’ global strategy lead. Warren sits on the board of Petco Love, a nonprofit that has donated $300M to animals in need, and advises multiple pet health ventures across Asia and the U.S. Currently, he also serves as head of strategy at Dalan Animal Health.

Dr. Michael Lairmore, AniVC’s advisor, is the former dean and distinguished UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine professor. He led strategic growth across six academic departments, the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, and multiple research centers. His efforts expanded clinical trials, global health programs, diversity initiatives, and student services. Under his leadership, the school achieved top rankings globally and raised over $300 million. Dr. Lairmore is a board-certified expert in pathology, virology, and immunology, and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, a fellow of AAAS, and the American Academy of Microbiology.

Dr. Natalie Marks, AniVC’s advisor, is the CEO of The Veterinary Angel Network for Entrepreneurs (VANE), an investing network focused on innovative ventures in veterinary services and the animal health industry. With over 25 years of experience, she has served as associate veterinarian, medical director, and co-owner of Chicago’s largest and premier small animal practice. She is also an award-winning veterinarian, active mentor, media personality, entrepreneur, angel investor, and founder of an educational consultancy, Marks DVM Consulting. Her accolades include Nobivac Veterinarian of the Year and America’s Favorite Veterinarian.

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