High-quality data is increasingly central to drug discovery, yet much of it remains fragmented, difficult to interpret, and hard to translate into clear R&D decisions. Ruchi Sharma, CEO of Stemnovate, shares how the company has navigated data complexity across human and animal health to build reproducible, species-relevant models that support more informed drug discovery decisions.
Ruchi Sharma
CEO and Founder
Stemnovate
Securing the right exit is critical to ensuring innovation achieves full market potential. Louise Grubb, Managing Director of TriviumVet, shares how the company balanced growth milestones, resisted low valuations, and leveraged regulatory success to secure the right partner at the right time to achieve sustainable scale post-acquisition.
Milestone - Acquisition
Companion
Feline
Canine
Cardiovascular
Renal
Pain
Gastro
Acquisition
Exit
Louise Grubb
CEO & Co-Founder
TriviumVet
Nutrition is emerging as a powerful tool for preventing disease and strengthening immunity in livestock. Changemakers leading this shift explore the opportunities and hurdles that will shape evidence generation, farmer adoption, and the scaling of preventative nutrition across global production systems.
- Evidence generation – building the data to prove measurable impact on health and productivity
- Scaling adoption – integrating precision nutrition into commercial production systems
Livestock
Biopharma
Nutrition
Moderator
Aaron Schacht
CEO
BiomEdit
Panellists
Hannah McIver
CEO & President
Microsintesis
Patrick Meeus
Managing Director – Innovation
Nutreco
Monoclonal antibodies are redefining therapeutic possibilities in animal health, offering precise, targeted alternatives to traditional treatments. With next-generation innovation expanding into new disease areas and species, changemakers at the forefront examine the opportunities and hurdles that will shape development, approval, and adoption.
- Regulatory pathways – navigating approval processes for novel biologics
- Clinical adoption – driving veterinary education and confidence in new therapies
Companion
Biopharma
Moderator
Denise Bevers
CEO
VETmAb BIO
Panellists
Steve Nanchen
Senior Director, External Innovation
Elanco
Mel Munro
Global Strategy and Development Lead
Knoell
Theo Kanellos
Vice President, Strategic Alliances
Ceva
Theo Kanellos is a veterinarian with postgraduate studies in business and life sciences to a PhD level. During his career he worked as a clinician, an academic, a governmental official and for the last fifteen years as part of the management within the Pharmaceutical Industry where he has held several strategic roles. He has managed research laboratories, business development transactions, scientific and multi-functional alliances teams and programmes in several organisations that have led to the spinoff of biotechnology companies, the award of significant scientific grants, the founding of major strategic partnerships and the registration and licensing of successful commercial products and services. In his current role as the Director of Commercial Alliances in Zoetis he establishes entrepreneurial partnerships with companies, VCs, universities, and governmental institutions, internationally. He holds a visiting professorship at the School of Health and Medicine at the University of Surrey and is a board member of the Pirbright Institute in UK, the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) in Africa and head of the action groups of the One Health Platform. He is the author of more than 30 peered reviewed papers and has given numerous presentations in several national and international conferences. His articles have also featured in many trade and public media.
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most urgent challenges in animal and human health, demanding new approaches beyond traditional antibiotics. Changemakers developing preventative strategies and non-antibiotic alternatives explore the opportunities and hurdles that will define how these tools expand the veterinary toolkit, reduce dependence, and safeguard vital medicines.
- Market positioning – differentiating alternatives from traditional antibiotics
- Adoption drivers – proving cost-effectiveness and securing veterinary and farmer buy-in
Livestock
Companion
Nutrition
Biopharma
Diagnostics
Technology
Moderator
Carel du Marchie Sarvaas
Executive Director
HealthforAnimals
Panellists
Tom Weaver
Co-Founder & Chairman
PetMedix & ArkVax
Martha Scott Poindexter
CEO
Animal Health Institute
Point-of-care diagnostics are transforming everyday veterinary practice, enabling earlier detection and faster decision-making. Changemakers explore the latest advances in point-of-care tools, their role in improving outcomes, and the challenges of validation, adoption, and integration into workflows.
- Validation – generating clinical evidence to support regulatory approval and vet adoption
- Integration – embedding diagnostics into workflows for scale and commercial uptake
Livestock
Companion
Diagnostics
Technology
Moderator
Joseph Harvey
Head of Animal Health
S&P Global
Panellists
Richard Mellanby
Global Head of Medical Innovation and Strategy
IDEXX
Dr. Michelle Larsen
Head of Diagnostic Medical Platforms, Clinical Studies & Education, Global Diagnostics
Zoetis
Veterinary associations recommend regular parasite control and diagnostics to prevent transmission. However, parasiticides face growing scrutiny over environmental and health concerns. With resistance increasing, changemakers are developing innovative solutions, ranging from new treatments to advanced diagnostics and targeted delivery, ensuring long-term protection for animals and humans.
- Market differentiation – demonstrating value of novel products in a crowded market
- Adoption hurdles – balancing efficacy, cost, and stewardship to drive uptake
Livestock
Companion
Biopharma
Diagnostics
Moderator
Panellists
Pieter-Jan Serreyn
Technical Director
AnimalHealthEurope
Andreas Kastenbauer
Partner
MIG Capital
Dawn Howard
CEO
NOAH