What Veterinary Innovative Partners does

Veterinary Innovative Partners (VIP) is a privately held network of nearly 70 veterinarian-owned-and-operated veterinary hospitals across 12 U.S. states (California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia). Founded in 2017 by four veterinarians — Dr. Jay H. Margolis, Dr. Don Costlow, Dr. Adam Ainspan, and Dr. Brett Shorenstein — VIP operates a multi-site roll-up model that acquires existing veterinary practices and allows them to retain their legacy brand names while providing centralized back-office support, technology, and shared services. In June 2024, VIP acquired Valley Veterinary Care, a 24-clinic group across Texas, California, and Colorado, expanding the network from approximately 40 to nearly 70 hospitals. VIP serves three primary customer segments: pet owners seeking general, emergency, and specialty veterinary care; practicing veterinarians recruited via differentiated compensation (ChoicePay, no non-competes, student debt assistance) and the Viva mentorship program; and veterinary practice owners seeking exit and succession options.

The company's underlying technology stack combines a multi-site operational platform with centralized corporate support functions headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. In April 2025, VIP deployed VetRec, an industry-leading veterinary AI assistant, across nearly 70 clinics to automate exam recording, clinical documentation, and discharge note generation through audio capture and natural language processing. Supporting programs include the Vet Tech Development Program (in partnership with Penn Foster for AVMA-accredited technician licensure), an Externship Program for veterinary students, and the Viva personalized mentorship program for new veterinarians. In June 2025, VIP launched VIPets Animal Clinics, a new sub-brand with initial locations in Franklin and Knoxville, Tennessee, marking the company's first de novo branded expansion beyond acquired legacy practices.

VIP's revenue model is service-based, generating income from veterinary care services including preventive care, wellness exams, emergency services, diagnostics, surgery, dental care, and vaccinations, billed transactionally through individual hospitals operating under their legacy names. The company is privately held, with no disclosed private equity or venture capital ownership, and growth has been funded through acquisition and operational expansion. VIP's professionalized C-suite, appointed between late 2023 and late 2025 (CEO Chris Bishop, CFO Matt Earnest, COO Derek Walsh, CMO Dr. Emily Hubbard, CIO Rusty Strange), reflects an organization positioned for continued multi-site scaling rather than venture-style hyper-growth.

Name

Veterinary Innovative Partners

Legal name

Veterinary Innovative Partners

Website

https://vip-vet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Veterinary Innovative Partners is a privately held network of nearly 70 veterinarian-owned-and-operated veterinary hospitals across 12 U.S. states, serving pet owners, practicing veterinarians, and practice owners seeking exit through acquired legacy brands and centralized support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfax Station

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Care Services: Revenue generated from veterinary hospitals providing medical care services including prevention, wellness, emergency care, diagnostics, surgery, dental, and vaccinations to pet owners. Practices operate under their legacy names while benefiting from VIP's centralized support infrastructure.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Veterinary Innovative Partners operates a network of nearly 70 veterinarian-owned-and-operated veterinary hospitals across 12 U.S. states, delivering preventive care, wellness exams, emergency services, diagnostics, surgery, dental care, and vaccinations to pet owners. Hospitals operate under their legacy practice names while receiving centralized corporate support, AI-enabled clinical documentation tools, and access to professional development programs such as the Viva Mentorship Program, Vet Tech Development Program, and Externship Program.

Product overview

Veterinary Innovative Partners (VIP) operates a network of nearly 70 veterinarian-owned-and-operated veterinary hospitals across 12 states, providing care under various legacy brand names. The core offering is the hospital network, complemented by the new VIPets Animal Clinics sub-brand launching in Tennessee. VIP supports veterinary professionals through programs including the Viva Mentorship Program, Vet Tech Development Program (in partnership with Penn Foster), and an Externship Program for students. The company also offers practice ownership transition services for veterinarians selling their practices. In April 2025, VIP integrated VetRec, an AI assistant, across its clinic network to automate medical record-keeping, exam recording, and documentation generation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VIPets Animal Clinics: Comprehensive, community-centered veterinary care clinics operating under the VIPets brand, offering prevention, wellness, emergency care, diagnostics, surgery, dental, and vaccinations.

Products and services

• Veterinary Hospital Network Network of nearly 70 veterinarian-owned-and-operated general and emergency veterinary hospitals across 12 states, offering preventive care, wellness exams, emergency services, diagnostics, surgery, dental care, and vaccinations. Practices operate under their legacy names with hospital-level autonomy while receiving centralized corporate support.
• VIPets Animal Clinics Community-centered veterinary care clinics operating under the VIPets sub-brand, offering prevention, wellness, emergency care, diagnostics, surgery, dental, and vaccinations. First locations opened in Franklin and Knoxville, Tennessee in June 2025.
• Viva Mentorship Program Personalized mentorship program for new veterinarians within the VIP network, providing tailored guidance aligned with career aspirations and goals, dynamic procedure insights, team engagement support, and professional development.
• Vet Tech Development Program (VTDP) Program supporting veterinary technicians in obtaining licensure through partnership with Penn Foster, an AVMA-accredited self-paced online program. VIP covers tuition costs, provides externship support, and offers mentorship, selecting up to 8 applicants per semester.
• VIP Externship Program Externship program offering veterinary students hands-on experience in VIP network hospitals, providing clinical exposure, collaboration opportunities with veterinary teams, case management experience, and professional networking.
• Practice Ownership Transition Services Services for veterinarians selling their practices, offering individually tailored exit strategies, management relief, legacy and culture preservation, financial security, and improved salary and benefits for sellers and their teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• Network grew from 40 to nearly 70 hospitals following Valley Veterinary Care acquisition
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• VetReccoreTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2025VetRec is an industry-leading veterinary AI assistant that VIP partnered with to enhance clinic operations. The tool streamlines medical record-keeping, records exams and client communications, enables quick production of discharge notes and visit summaries, and analyzes patient data. The partnership supports VIP's life-first priority by reducing administrative burden on veterinary teams. Implementation began with 10 clinics spanning emergency, urgent care, and general practice.
• Valley Veterinary CarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Valley Veterinary Care, a veterinary care group with 24 clinics across Texas, California, and Colorado, was acquired by VIP. Following the acquisition, all Valley Veterinary Care general and emergency practices continue to operate under their legacy names while receiving VIP's centralized support. CEO Wesley Godwin transitioned to an advisory role with VIP leadership.
• Penn FostercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPenn Foster is an AVMA-accredited, self-paced, online program partner for VIP's Vet Tech Development Program (VTDP). Through this partnership, VIP team members can pursue veterinary technician licensing with VIP covering all costs. Penn Foster provides curriculum, mentorship, and externship coordination for program participants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/veterinary_innovative_partners
• Facebookfacebook.com/veterinary.innovative.partners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/veterinary-innovative-partners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Veterinary Innovative Partners