Holding paws through treatment – London’s Hello Vet secures €17 million to grow its owner-inclusive clinics

Hello Vet, a British veterinary practice that invites pet owners into treatment and recovery rooms, has raised €17 million (£15 million) in Series A funding to expand its approach across the UK.

Hello Vet’s Seed and Series A rounds have been supported by investors Addition and Future Positive, alongside 15 leading and specialist vets – raising total investment to €24 million (£21 million), following a €6.8 million (£6 million) Seed round in 2023.

Commenting on the raise, James Lighton, co-founder and CEO, says: “We know that most veterinary professionals come into this industry because they love working with animals. But too many good people are leaving this vocation. We want to become Britain’s best place to work, to ensure working in a vet clinic feels like the dream job it should be.”

In 2025, several European startups in the veterinary, petcare and wider animal-health sector have secured new investment, providing a useful backdrop for Hello Vet’s Series A.

The UK-based Lupa raised €17 million in a Series A round to scale its AI-native veterinary software platform and launch a dedicated Veterinary AI Lab. In Switzerland, ASTRA Therapeutics secured €8.3 million in Seed funding to advance precision parasiticides for both companion animals and livestock. Meanwhile, France’s Dalma closed a €20 million Series B to grow its pet insurance and wellness offering across Europe.

Collectively, these rounds represent more than €45 million flowing into Europe’s animal-health and petcare ecosystem in 2025.

Hello Vet’s raise places the company among the year’s larger service-oriented investments and stands out as the only UK-based funding announcement within this segment.

“When we treat our teams better, pets and their people benefit too. It’s a win-win,” adds Lighton.

Hello Vet was founded in 2022 by two healthcare entrepreneurs, James Lighton and Alessandro Guazzi, and veterinary surgeon Dr Oli Viner. Starting with their first site in London Fields in July 2024, the trio set out to open vet clinics that treat both people and pets better.

Hello Vet allows clients into its procedure rooms to hold their pets’ paws as anaesthesia is administered and to be present when their pets wake up. This reportedly reduces stress for both pets and people and has been shown to improve outcomes and speed recovery, while building trust as clients observe firsthand the expertise and quality of care delivered.

The company also improves access to professional care by providing a complimentary WhatsApp triage service. This allows any registered pet owner to speak with a qualified practitioner immediately, without visiting a Hello Vet clinic, allegedly saving owners more than €85k (£75k) in fees in the last year alone.

The company explains that across the UK, vets face some of the highest burnout and attrition rates of any profession. One in three is considering leaving the profession within five years, and around 10% leave each year.

Robbie Horwitz, partner at Addition, says: “Hello Vet’s focus on better support for veterinary professionals is redefining what pet care can look like in the UK. We’re proud to back Hello Vet as they set a new standard for how vets, pets and owners experience care.”

With more than 7,500 registered patients, the funding will support the company’s UK expansion, with plans to launch clinics across the UK, and hire a team of 200 vets and vet nurses over the next two years.

Alongside its people-first model, Hello Vet is investing in proprietary technology and AI applications designed to reduce administrative time by up to 90%. By removing routine paperwork and operational tasks, the company looks to free up its clinical teams to focus on delivering care to pets.

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