This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Ashley Oppermann, founder and CEO of a startup called EVA, or Electronic Veterinary Assistant.
This veterinary practice management software uses conversational AI to record the physical exam and history into electronic medical records, giving veterinarians a new tool for invoicing, scheduling and other tasks.
“The key feature is this conversational AI, so it helps with ascribing and saving veterinarians that time throughout the day,” she said, adding she hopes this will help alleviate burnout in the field.
Oppermann is a veterinary medicine student at UW-Madison, where she got the idea for launching a company during a business management meeting.
“What can I do, how can I contribute?” she said of her thought process at the time. “I went back that summer and started working at the vet clinic … I just noticed the veterinarians were writing notes from their patient appointments over the lunch hour, or they were coming in over the weekend or staying after hours. I was like, there has to be a better way.”
She’s been working on growing the early-stage business since 2022, and is currently seeking investment funds as she develops an initial version of the software product. Future plans include launching a “minimum viable product” within 10 weeks and hiring more staff in sales and technical development.
Meanwhile, Oppermann says she wants to do some beta testing with select vet clinics, which are currently on a waitlist. The full software suite is expected to be finished within a year, around the time when she plans to graduate.
“And then see where it goes from there, if it becomes my full-time situation or if I hire somebody on to take on more of the sales and fundraising-type role and I continue with my goals in the veterinary medicine field,” she said.
Oppermann also shares her thoughts on the gBETA Kenosha program, which has been helping her as she grows the business and makes industry connections.
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
Listen to an earlier podcast on gBETA Kenosha.
