The Kansas City Animal Health Summit once again delivered on its reputation as the premier stage for innovation, collaboration, and thought leadership in animal health. This year’s event showcased the strength of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor and underscored the region’s role as a global hub for advancing animal care.
From emerging startups to established leaders, the Summit fostered an environment where creativity, partnerships, and bold new ideas took center stage. Special recognition goes to Kimberly Young and Emily McVey of the Corridor team, whose leadership and vision orchestrated an exceptional program that elevated both the attending companies and the industry at large.
Recognizing Emerging Companies
One of the most anticipated elements of the Summit is the emerging company presentations, where entrepreneurs unveil groundbreaking solutions that address unmet needs across the animal health spectrum. This year, several companies stood out for their creativity, execution, and potential for impact:
- Lauren Anders Brown, PadsPass® – Delivered a remarkable debut, introducing a secure, microchip-linked global pet passport system that simplifies international travel and compliance for pet parents and veterinary practices.
- Jaime Paris Meseguer, PRONOVA – Captured the audience with an impressive pitch that highlighted novel approaches in companion animal nutrition and health. PRONOVA offers cutting-edge technology for proactive pet care. Their Kora Strip biosensors provide real-time actionable health insights for your dog, helping you detect and prevent health issues before they become critical – Because we all wish our dogs could talk.
- Sean Akadiri, MBA, AgBoost – Shared his company’s growth journey, demonstrating how advanced genetic data analytics is helping cattle producers make better breeding decisions, with potential applications extending into companion animals.
Picture: BLT, AgBoost, Pronova, PadsPass standing
These startups represent the next wave of animal health innovation—one that blends science, technology, and a deep understanding of the human–animal bond.
A Corridor That Builds Bridges
Beyond the pitches, the Summit reinforced the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor’s pivotal role in bringing together investors, innovators, and industry leaders. The Corridor team continues to set the standard for how regional collaboration can support global-scale innovation, creating pathways for startups to access capital, partnerships, and commercialization opportunities.
Picture: 20 years stats
The Summit also served as a gathering point for industry veterans and rising stars alike, with attendees noting the mix of visionary presentations, high-value networking, and genuine community spirit.
Of course, attending the Summit also provided the opportunity to enjoy the energy and flavor of the KC area – helping everyone stay fueled and focused for all the sessions and networking events. A special call out to Jack Stack’s barbecue!
Picture: Ribs
Looking Ahead
As these emerging companies move forward, they do so backed by the connections and momentum generated at KC Animal Health Summit 2025. With the Corridor leadership driving the ecosystem and startups pushing boundaries, the future of animal health looks bright.
The event highlighted a simple truth: innovation thrives when visionaries and collaborators come together in the right environment. Kansas City once again proved it is exactly that kind of place.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to connect, learn, and innovate at the 2026 KC Animal Health Summit.