Innovative Pet Lab closes $1.1M pre-seed round to advance pet wellness

Innovative Pet Lab, a science-forward company offering at-home health tests for pets, today announced the close of a $1.1 million Pre-Seed funding round. The round was led by Denmark-based Nordic Group, a  global collective of healthcare brands known for pioneering the future of personalized medicine. Additional participation came from Leap Venture Studio, the world’s first pet care startup accelerator, founded in partnership with Mars Petcare and Michelson Found Animals.

The involvement of Nordic Group, an investor primarily focused on human healthcare, signals not only the growing recognition of the deep connections between human and animal health, but also the emergence of personalized wellness as the next frontier in pet care. The investment also reflects the depth of scientific and testing expertise within Innovative Pet Lab’s founding team.

“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.”

In a market flooded with reactive pet care products, Innovative Pet Lab is setting a higher standard. Its at-home health tests are designed to empower pet parents and veterinarians with early, actionable insights – helping to not only extend a pet’s lifespan but also enhance their overall quality of life.

The company’s flagship product, the Comprehensive Gut Check, is a science-backed screening tool for dogs and cats. It analyzes key biomarkers related to gut health, providing  clear, personalized recommendations to support digestion, immunity, and overall wellness.

More recently, the company released the Stress Test, its most accessible offering to date, which  revolutionizes how cortisol is measured in pets by focusing on long-term cortisol levels, rather than short-term spikes. This provides a more accurate picture of how ongoing stress may be affecting a pet’s health, giving pet parents the ability to take proactive steps to improve behavior, mood, and overall well-being.

Innovative Pet Lab’s mission extends beyond individual health metrics; it’s about enhancing the overall quality of life for pets and, by extension, enriching the time they share with their human companions. By providing tools that offer deeper insights into a pet’s well-being, the company aims to foster stronger, more informed relationships between pets and their people.

“Too often, pet healthcare begins only after visible symptoms appear,” said Jamie Smith, CEO and Co-founder of Innovative Pet Lab. “From my experience in the human health space, I saw firsthand the power of early diagnostics and personalized tools and recognized that pets deserve the same. This investment allows us to continue developing science-based solutions that help pet parents act earlier. This ultimately improves the quality and longevity of their pets’ lives.”

With this new capital, Innovative Pet Lab will accelerate its next phase of growth—expanding retail and distribution partnerships, investing in its digital infrastructure, and increasing investment in brand visibility. The company will also launch targeted advertising efforts to support its existing and expanding wholesale customer base, while continuing to educate pet parents about the value of proactive health testing. Additional plans include growing strategic partnerships across the pet care industry, expanding its clinical trial division to support ongoing product development, and entering new international markets with the support of Nordic Group’s global expertise and reach.