The UK’s first start-up incubator dedicated to livestock and companion animal health – vHive – has opened its doors at the University of Surrey’s Vet School.
The Veterinary Health Innovation Engine – vHive for short – will support a cohort of start-ups and small companies looking to bring their innovative animal health products and technologies to market faster and more efficiently.
The business incubator is the result of a strategic alliance between alliance the University of Surrey and Zoetis, the world’s leading animal health company, to pursue collaborative research in areas that are beyond or complementary to Zoetis’ in-house activities.
vHive’s vision is to become a world-leading centre for data-driven innovation and to catalyse the creation of new products and services to improve outcomes in livestock and pet care.
Based at the University of Surrey’s Vet school, a short walk from Surrey Research Park, along with office and lab space, it will provide start-ups and small businesses with access to vital opportunities to access funding and investment.
vHive will also spearhead collaboration between companies in the incubator and businesses across the Surrey Innovation District, including those at the Surrey Research Park, and beyond as well as members of the Animal Health Innovation Network.
It officially launched on Wednesday 17th April with an introductory showcase of the first cohort of startups, an expert panel discussion and networking opportunities.
The move underpins Surrey as a leader in animal health, making it one of the county’s key sectors which we are proud to support and champion.
Background to vHive
Established in 2015, vHive is an international player in animal health research and collaboration. In 2023, vHive 2.0 was given an updated mission to build on the achievements of the original partnership by investing in state-of-the-art technologies adapted from human health, such as AI, biomarkers, big data, and health informatics.
Visit the vHive website for more details.
