Mark Johnson
Sales and Marketing Director of Vetstream, tells his story

Background | A turning-point | Follow-up | The Future

We met Martin Morgan and Andrew Round of Harmsworth Publishing in Cambridge a few days later. They had just finished writing a strategic review, stating their interest in investing in subscription-based electronic publishing ventures in the professional market! The irony was that Vetstream had beaten its way to the door of many different types of cooperate investors all over the UK, only to find the perfect match right on its doorstep. And all as a result of a casual meeting in the corridor after the GEIF presentation.

Three months later the deal was done. Harmsworth Publishing offered Vetstream not only the funding we needed but the added value of their entrepreneurial experience and breadth of contacts, both in the rest of the Daily Mail Group and outside. In return Harmsworth took a 30% stake and two board seats.The race was on to turn our ideas into reality.

Thirteen months later we launched CD~CANIS at the World Small Animal Veterinary Congress held in Birmingham. CD~CANIS now has over one million words enhanced with pictures, illustrations, radiographs, ultrasounds ECGs, heart sounds and even videos of diagnostic and surgical procedures. Vets pay a quarterly subscription to receive an updated disc every three months, which gives them desktop access to the most powerful and up to date clinical information.

Two and half years later Vetstream has two more services, CD~FELIS and CD~EQUUS for feline and equine veterinary care, and 30% of vets in UK companion animal practice now have access to our services. In addition we have subscribers in 48 different countries and distributorships set up in Australasia, Scandinavia, Benelux and Portugal.

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