Early-stage fund will back pet longevity, health, nutrition/consumables and services like DOG PPL’s bicoastal canine social club
Today Ani.VC, an early-stage venture fund for pets, launched with its inaugural investment into DOG PPL, a canine social club expanding from its base in Los Angeles. The independent fund is focused on the $540+ billion pet and animal health market, including veterinary health, therapeutics and technologies, nutrition and consumables, and pet longevity. It will deploy $35 million over the next three years into companies across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
The first investment of the fund is into DOG PPL, an explosively popular dog park-meets-social-club that will soon open in New York to complement its Los Angeles location. DOG PPL prioritizes dog and human health, vetting their canine members’ shot and vaccination status as well as temperament. Upon acceptance, the dogs (and their humans) can enjoy an off-leash experience inclusive of a lounge, Wi-Fi, kitchen/bar, and trained “Rufferees” who help keep all members safe.
“Our pets are part of the family. And since humans already have access to modern telemedicine and testing, wellbeing-oriented social clubs, and longevity-focused care, among many other advancements, their animal family members should too,” said Garri Zmudze, co-founder of Ani.VC. “Alongside DOG PPL, the investments Ani.VC will make across the pet industry will meet this singular goal to elevate the lives of pets and pet parents. We look forward to pursuing the worthwhile cause of improving human and animal health.”
“The DOG PPL team is thrilled to call Ani.VC our partner. Our core focus at DOG PPL is fostering enrichment and community between dogs and their owners, making Ani.VC an ideal partner for this mission. It was essential for us to align with a team that recognizes not only the immeasurable value our animals bring into our lives, but also our duty to give them the best life experiences possible,” said Liam Underwood and Alexander Esguerra, co-founders of DOG PPL. “We have a crystal-clear vision for what’s ahead. As we prepare to open our next few clubs in the U.S., after launching our wildly successful flagship location in Los Angeles, we plan to further understand the social needs of our members to continue to elevate our operations and member experiences. Our plan is to continue to be the preeminent brand in this new sector by creating the safest and most enjoyable canine social club experience in the world. We are social animals at heart and DOG PPL is built for people like us.”
Why Animal and Pet Health
Pet spending in the US alone is predicted to grow to $195.6 billion by 2030. It represents one of the largest consumer spending categories, with more than 66% of households in the U.S. owning pets (source).
Key market segments include:
Animal longevity: Bringing the elements of human longevity (earlier and more precise diagnostics, new drugs/therapeutics for hard-to-treat diseases and aging) to pet care.
Pet health, therapeutics, and veterinary services: Treating and monitoring pet health through digital appointment services and AI-driven disease detection.
Consumables: Providing more nutrition options to pet owners, including plant-based foods and condition-specific supplements.
Digital services and e-commerce: Powering a more connected pet ecosystem with marketplaces for pet sitters, groomers, rescue organizations, and more.
Animal health: Supporting non-domesticated animal health, including vaccines to protect honeybees and other pollinators, as well as expanded diagnostic tests.
The fund is headquartered in Miami, Florida and New York City and was founded in 2024 by veteran longevity and biotech investor, Garri Zmudze, and Warren Rickard, former Head of Strategy at Basepaws (a cat-focused genetics company that successfully exited to Zoetis). It is advised by leading animal aging researcher Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, Active Capital co-founder Jay DeLong (which also leads Nestlé-Purina’s PetCare Innovation Prize), and veterinarian Caroline Heller who also serves as Rumin8’s Head of Animal Health Strategy & Business Development. Julie Liu joins as a partner.
About Ani.VC
Led by established pet tech founders, researchers, and veterinarians, Ani.VC is an independent pet-focused venture capital fund building a better world for pets and the humans caring for them. We back startups in the incubation to the Series A stage. Our mission is to support innovative and passionate entrepreneurs dedicated to improving the lives of pets and their owners through groundbreaking products and services. Learn more here.
About DOG PPL
DOG PPL is Los Angeles’ premier canine social club, dedicated to creating a vibrant community where dogs and their owners can come together to socialize, play and relax. Located in Santa Monica, DOG PPL offers a range of exclusive amenities including a members-only dog park, café, events, bar and lounge. For more information, visit www.dogppl.co.
