VitusVet is relocating from the Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship (MCE) into the future location of the Howard County Innovation Center, inside the Columbia Gateway Innovation District. The company has resided in the MCE since May 2015 and expanded into a new space following a period of rapid growth.
VitusVet was founded by CEO Mark Olcott, a certified veterinarian who has practiced for 20 years. He was continually frustrated by the archaic technology used to document pet health records and history of treatment. He met his business partner, Kalpesh Raval, who helped develop the technology, during business school. VitusVet offers 24/7 access for pet owner documents, and provides full-service capabilities for veterinary practices to book appointments, make insurance claims and contact pet owners.
“The great thing about the MCE is the excellent mentorship they offer. It’s not the sort of place you go to get subsidized real estate; they really want you to succeed,” said Olcott. “Even if you start with a half-baked idea, they will bring you to the drawing board and help you evaluate your business plan and help you grow it.”
The additional space in The Innovation Center will also permit VitusVet to expand its workforce. Over the past two years the company has employed a team of 15 workers, and aims to add four to six new employees in the next few months. Olcott will be hiring new employees from the Howard County region.