From Personal Loss To Pet Care Innovation: How Kaivanna Shah Is Revolutionizing India’s Pet Healthcare With Zumigo

Kaivanna Shah is the Founder and CEO of Zumigo, India’s pioneering tech-enabled pet healthcare platform that’s transforming how pet parents access veterinary care across the country. With a background in consulting from prestigious firms like EY-Parthenon and Boston Consulting Group, Shah brings strategic thinking and problem-solving expertise to an industry ripe for disruption. Her venture addresses a critical gap in India’s rapidly growing pet care market, which is projected to reach USD 1.2 billion by 2028, by delivering comprehensive veterinary services, diagnostics, and pet care directly to pet owners’ doorsteps.

In an exclusive interview with Entrepreneur Loop, Shah opens up about the deeply personal tragedy that sparked her entrepreneurial journey—the loss of her nine-month-old puppy, Blue, due to inadequate healthcare access. Her story demonstrates how personal pain points can become powerful catalysts for meaningful innovation, especially in underserved markets where traditional solutions fall short of meeting evolving consumer needs.

Q1. Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your journey that led to founding Zumigo? What’s your background, and how did your personal experience shape this venture?

Zumigo was born out of a deeply personal experience – I lost my pet, Blue, when he was just nine months old. I was shaken by the absence of his companionship and the lack of timely access veterinary care during his final moments. It wasn’t just the grief of losing Blue – it was also the helplessness and frustration of realising how fragmented pet healthcare services are in India. In Blue’s memory, I wanted to create something that helps pet parents get quicker access to experienced veterinarians and brings comfort and convenience to pets as they recover. That’s how Zumigo was born – to provide doorstep veterinary care services for all preventive, non-emergency, and non-surgical needs.

About myself – I completed my undergraduate studies in the US and have had the opportunity to work with renowned consulting firms such as EY-Parthenon and Boston Consulting Group. I have always been curious and believed in effective problem-solving. So when I witnessed the gaps in the pet healthcare industry, I wanted to do something that makes life easier for both pets and their pet pet parents.

Q2. What exactly is Zumigo, and how does your “quick commerce for pet healthcare” model work? Walk us through a typical customer journey.

Think of Zumigo as your pet’s virtual co-parent. If your pet falls ill today, Zumigo makes accessing veterinary care simple and convenient. Start by registering your pet on the app, then choose between teleconsultation or a home visit. Next, select the symptoms you’ve observed in your pet and upload supporting images. For instance, if your pet has a visible skin infection, you can attach the photo of the affected area to help the vet assess the issue more accurately. Next, you can decide whether you want to consult with a general practitioner or a specialist veterinarian and thereafter select a suitable time slot. Your chosen veterinarian connects with you at your chosen time. After the consultation, the vet shares their diagnosis and prescription, which are automatically stored in your pet’s digital medical file.

The entire process is quick, seamless and convenient. At Zumigo, we prioritise comfort and convenience for pets and their parents. Zumigo is not essentially quick commerce for pet care services, as the key here isn’t necessarily speed; at Zumigo, the focus is on preventive, non-emergency, and non-surgical care. Additionally, we also provide doorstep diagnostics, radiology, and grooming services to make the whole experience easier and holistic for pet parents.

Q3. India’s pet care industry is projected to reach USD 1.2 billion by 2028. What specific gap did you identify in the pet healthcare segment that existing players weren’t addressing?

The majority of the market is focused on retailing and distributing pet toys, accessories, and food supplies. There is now an emerging focus on wellness to a certain extent. Through my interaction with pet parents, I kept hearing concerns and pain points associated with convenience, accessibility, and more, highlighting how seeking veterinary care is a challenging experience for pet parents. Cumbersome commutes, navigating traffic, crowded clinics, limited veterinarian availability, and inadequate diagnostic infrastructure are some frequent issues.

In India, there are over 31 million pets, mostly dogs,  but only about 65,000 veterinarians, revealing a startling disparity. Zumigo not only makes it easier for pet parents to access veterinary and pet care services but also enables veterinarians and pet care services businesses to connect with more pet parents effectively and efficiently.

Q4. What makes Zumigo “India’s first tech-enabled pet healthcare platform”? What technology stack and innovations are you leveraging?

Zumigo is a one-stop app for veterinary care and pet care services, offering comprehensive solutions including at-home veterinary visits, professional grooming, diagnostic lab tests, and veterinary teleconsultations. Beyond offering convenient access to vets, we take care of the little but important details, from reminders for follow-ups to vaccination and deworming schedules. With Zumigo, you not only meet the right vet by learning about their background and expertise prior to scheduling an appointment, but also have an option to either opt for a doorstep veterinary consultation for hands-on care or choose a teleconsult for convenience. No commutes, no waiting queues, no anxiety — just smarter, quicker, and more personal care for your pet.

Q5. What were the biggest challenges you faced while building Zumigo?

Navigating a siloed and fragmented pet healthcare and pet care services ecosystem has proven to be an interesting experience so far. As a platform, we believe in assisting pet parents by providing various options for available services to enable them to make informed decisions when scheduling appointments. We have been patient and innovative in overcoming various operational challenges of establishing doorstep care and building a sustainable model for veterinarians and pet service businesses. We have been inspired by pet parents, veterinarians and pet businesses who have supported us in our endeavour to make pet care simpler and more convenient.

Q6. How do you plan to scale across different cities in India?

We have begun our journey in Ahmedabad with doorstep pet care services while teleconsultation services are available to pet parents across India. For us, every new city isn’t just an expansion, it is an opportunity to bring reliable, compassionate, and stress-free care to pets and their parents.

As we grow, we want to be thoughtful about choosing regions that truly matter to our community, ensuring wherever Zumigo goes, it carries the same promise of comfort, care and trust.

Q7. How has the post-pandemic pet ownership boom influenced your business?

India’s pet industry is burgeoning, with the pandemic substantially boosting pet ownership across the country. India’s pet population rose from 26 million in 2019 to over 31 million by 2024. This tremendous growth is driven primarily by the humanisation of pets, where they are increasingly treated as family members, leading people to invest more in their care, comfort, and well-being. Additionally, the rise of nuclear households combined with increasing incomes has fueled the demand for pet companionship and adoption. With greater digital access and preference for premium care, pet parents are willing to spend significantly on their pets’ health and happiness. They seek personalized premium solutions tailored to their pets’ unique needs, with comfort and convenience taking a priority in how these services are delivered.

Q8. What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs building solutions from personal pain points?

Personal pain points can be a genuine source of inspiration. While your experience may be deeply personal, it is essential to thoroughly understand the broader scale of the problem and let that authentic insight guide your innovation. Patience and persistence are vital, as building impact-driven solutions often require time and continuous learning. Concentrate on delivering real value to your stakeholders by attentively listening to their needs and continuously iterating your product or service accordingly. It is important to adapt and innovate continuously as markets and technologies evolve.

Kaivanna Shah’s journey with Zumigo exemplifies how authentic personal experiences can drive meaningful entrepreneurship that creates lasting impact. By transforming her grief into a mission to solve systemic healthcare challenges for India’s 31 million pets, she’s not only built a scalable business model but also created a platform that prioritizes compassion and convenience. Her advice to fellow entrepreneurs—to thoroughly understand the broader scope of problems while staying true to authentic insights—serves as a powerful reminder that the most successful ventures often emerge from our deepest personal experiences and genuine desire to prevent others from facing similar struggles.