Three Vets Turn Clinical Frustrations into Digital Solutions
Carolyn Gates - AkoVet
Palmerston North
Carolyn Gates spent years watching the same problems play out in veterinary clinics across New Zealand. Animal owners struggled to find specific, actionable advice online. Vets were burning out, burdened both by administrative tasks and treating conditions that could have been prevented with better guidance earlier on. Meanwhile, valuable clinical knowledge remained trapped in research papers, rarely making it to the people who needed it most.
Today, Gates and her two co-founders at AkoVet Limited are building digital tools to bridge that gap.
When “wouldn’t it be cool if…” becomes a business
Gates' journey to entrepreneurship wasn't planned. As a veterinarian working in research and education at Massey University, she kept hearing the same refrain from colleagues and clients: "Wouldn't it be cool if we had a tool that did this?"
The breakthrough came through a Sprout accelerator programme in spring 2023, where Gates and co-founders Kat Littlewood and Seton Butler pitched their idea for a dairy herd health planning tool. "That was an absolutely fantastic experience," Gates recalls. "We learned about market research, understanding fit, and crafting a business plan around our ideas."
But university constraints proved challenging. The high overhead costs of running the project through Massey would have absorbed a large share of any start-up funding or future revenue, while leaving the founders struggling to fit the development work around existing teaching and service commitments. "That was one of the many motivations for leaving academia," Gates explains. "We wanted the freedom to put our time and resources into work that makes a real difference for the people making decisions about animals in the real world, without getting tied up by university red tape.”
She left Massey in March 2025, finally free to pursue the venture full-time.
Tech that frees up vets to focus on what matters
AkoVet's core product centres on clinical decision support software — essentially digital wizards that guide users through complex care decisions. For animal owners, this might mean developing comprehensive wellness plans that cover nutrition, housing, health care, and that keep animals happy, active, and mentally stimulated. For vets, it could streamline everything from diagnostic protocols to prescription management.
The team is tackling a range of challenges faced by veterinarians in daily practice. Gates explains, "On most clinic days, I end up spending more time on paperwork than patient care - reviewing records, checking treatment protocols, preparing estimates, and playing phone tag with clients." Their platform aims to automate these routine tasks, allowing vets to "focus their energy on working directly with clients to build a care plan that fits their unique situation."
This approach extends beyond just medication management. The software will guide vets through diagnostic processes, simplify clinical record-keeping, and even help with client communication. "For example," Gates elaborates, "if a dog comes in with an ear infection, the tool can start a workflow for the physical exam, diagnostics, and evidence-based protocols for the available treatment options. Then it can help us follow up with the owner — like providing at-home instructions for cleaning the ears, medication reminders, and sending an email check-in a week later to see how things are going.”
For animal owners, the team is developing educational resources that go far beyond generic advice. Gates is particularly frustrated by vague online guidance like "pick a high-quality diet and make sure your dog gets the right amount of food." Their approach digs deeper: "How do you actually select a good diet? Once you've selected it, how much should you be feeding and how often should you be feeding? What kinds of treats and snacks are appropriate? How do you know if your dog is doing well on the diet?”.
From inspiration to iteration at Electrify Aotearoa
Attending Electrify Aotearoa proved to be a catalyst for refining their approach. Gates was particularly drawn to sessions on building a brand and storytelling. "We started rewriting our website that same day," she says. "So much of building a successful product is about telling the story — why you’re doing it, who it’s for, and how it actually makes their life better. It’s something you kind of already know in a vague, intuitive way, but it’s really helpful to have someone walk you through the concrete steps of how to actually make it happen."
The most impactful session featured Nicole Retter from PAM, who walked through her app development journey step-by-step. "Her talk gave a very clear roadmap for how a prototype can evolve and what the real journey looks like on the path to a commercially viable software product," Gates reflects. "It was a really good reminder to start small, move fast, and avoid getting pulled in too many directions with too many features too soon."
The Electrify Aotearoa experience also highlighted the value of connecting with other entrepreneurs at different stages.
What’s next for AkoVet?
Currently, AkoVet is building prototypes of wellness tools for pets and poultry while awaiting grant decisions that will determine its next development priorities. The team of three veterinarians brings complementary skills: Gates is leading the data analysis, algorithms, and early-stage prototyping; Seton Butler manages business and product development, drawing on his experience running veterinary clinics and a veterinary practice management software company; and Kat Littlewood focuses on public engagement, communications, and social media strategy – weaving in her expertise in animal welfare and social sciences.
The team is exploring multiple revenue streams, from subscription models for clinics and owners to potential partnerships with pharmaceutical companies whose products would be integrated into the platform.
The collaborative spirit Gates encountered in New Zealand's startup ecosystem has been encouraging. "Everyone's so willing to help each other," she notes. "It's not like 'this is my knowledge and I must hang onto everything I know.' It’s more like ‘I know something that could help someone else, how do I bring that out to the world’?"
To learn more about AkoVet, or connect with Carolyn via LinkedIn.
Thank you to the Ministry for Women for supporting Carolyn's Journey.
Nancy Vincent Parr - Onaji Cosmetics
Christchurch
After selling her house to fund Onaji Cosmetics, Nancy Vincent Parr is taking on the beauty industry with a bold mission: high‑performance makeup that’s plastic‑free, palm‑free, and packaged sustainably. Her journey from corporate roles to cosmetic innovation shows what happens when personal health meets entrepreneurial grit.
If you’re looking to embark on your own startup journey, check out these programmes to see if they are right for you:
Startup Aotearoa - free one-to-one coaching for early-stage founders.
Founder Catalyst - a nine-month founder capability building programme.