WASHINGTON, DC, May 14, 2026 — Patricia Porter, CEO and Founder of Veterinarian Exam Assistant (VEA), has been selected for the Mindshare 2026 cohort, joining 55 founders and innovation leaders across the Greater Washington, DC region.
The recognition comes as veterinarians face rising burnout driven by documentation demands, fragmented clinical tools, and missed diagnostic opportunities - challenges that impact both patient care and practice performance.
VEA addresses this gap by applying its patented AI technology to integrate clinical knowledge, nutrition guidance, and partner content directly into existing Practice Information Management Systems (PIMS), helping veterinarians access relevant insights in real time without disrupting their workflow.
Through partnerships with Covetrus, IDEXX Laboratories, Antech, LifeLearn (Sofie AI, VetCalculators, AllyDVM), Purina Institute, and GekkoVet the platform brings trusted resources into the exam room - reducing cognitive burden, supporting more informed decision-making, and helping practices capture diagnostic revenue.
Porter's selection places her among founders and operators building high-growth companies across the region. The Mindshare program offers a year of structured peer exchange, mentorship, and access to relationships that help companies scale and grow.
“Mindshare brings together the kind of operators who've already navigated the transitions we're working through at VEA, and that compresses years of learning into months,” said Patricia Porter, CEO and Founder of VEA. “Veterinary medicine deserves infrastructure that respects the clinician's time and rebuilds the connective tissue between the exam room, the PIMS, and the broader knowledge base. The peers and mentors in this cohort accelerate that mission directly.”
“This year's cohort reflects the depth of talent and ambition across Greater Washington's innovation community. Mindshare gives founders and executives a trusted forum to learn from one another, gain practical guidance from experienced leaders, and build the relationships that help companies grow and endure,” said Steve Balistreri, President of Mindshare and Partner at Cooley LLP.
About the Veterinarian Exam Assistant (VEA)
VEA is the intelligence layer for veterinary medicine, purpose-built to power the PIMS of veterinary practices with AI-driven clinical, diagnostic, and nutritional knowledge at the point of care. The platform integrates with leading practice management systems and partners with IDEXX Laboratories, Antech, LifeLearn, Purina Institute, and GekkoVet to deliver trusted content inside the clinician's existing workflow. VEA reduces the cognitive burden on veterinarians, helps practices capture diagnostic revenue, and closes the care gap that scribe-only tools leave open. Headquartered in the Greater Washington, DC area, VEA serves veterinary teams committed to better patient outcomes and stronger practice economics.
About Mindshare
Founded in 1997, Mindshare is the premier network dedicated to supporting visionary founders and CEOs from groundbreaking technology and product companies in the Greater Washington metropolitan area. Each year, Mindshare selects a cohort of founders and innovation leaders for a curated program of speakers, networking, leadership development, and peer exchange. The 2026 program, led by President Steve Balistreri (Cooley, LLP) and Co-Founder April Young, brings together 55 leaders selected from over 125 nominations.
Media Contact
Patricia Porter CEO and Founder, Veterinarian Exam Assistant patricia@veaforvets.com veaforvets.com