Five disease categories analyzed, including patellar luxation and periodontal disease

Sales rise from 130 million won to 1.15 billion won

Ministry of Agriculture designates firm as 90th A-Ventures company

[Getty Images Bank]
[Getty Images Bank]

Photograph a pet's leg, eyes or mouth with a smartphone, and AI analyzes the image to detect potential diseases and gauge their severity. The service covers five disease categories, including patellar luxation, periodontal disease and cataracts. The South Korean startup behind the technology has grown sales roughly ninefold in two years as it expands its business.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Thursday that it has designated Sipil Liter Co., a developer of AI-based pet health management services, as the 90th company in its monthly A-Ventures program.

Sipil Liter is a pet-tech startup that uses AI to analyze the health of companion animals. The company developed and operates Lifet, a home-care service that analyzes pet diseases and supports health management through smartphone photos.

Lifet works by having pet owners photograph their animal's legs, mouth and eyes with a smartphone; AI then analyzes the images to identify whether a disease is present and how far it has progressed. The service is designed to help owners monitor their pets' health in daily life and decide whether a visit to a veterinary clinic is warranted.

The five disease categories currently supported are patellar luxation, periodontal disease, obesity, cataracts and skin conditions. The software for patellar luxation and periodontal disease analysis has received veterinary medical device product approval.

Photos of Sipil Liter Co.'s representative and products [provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]
Photos of Sipil Liter Co.'s representative and products [provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]

Sipil Liter has been expanding its business by supplying its AI analysis technology to major domestic conglomerates. The company has also launched a pet insurance product developed in partnership with a private insurer that uses AI analysis results to calculate premiums.

Sales have grown alongside the business expansion. Revenue of 130 million won in 2023 rose to about 1.15 billion won ($869,000) last year, a roughly ninefold increase. Total investment raised to date stands at 2.25 billion won.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs selected Sipil Liter this year as a recipient of its agricultural and food venture development support project, providing assistance with technology advancement and commercialization.

On top of the existing five disease categories, Sipil Liter is also developing technology to analyze cognitive impairment in pets. The company is pursuing partnerships with local firms as it works toward entering the Japanese market.

"Our goal is to help pet owners easily check their animals' health in everyday life and visit a veterinary clinic at the right time," said Kim Gwang-hyeon, chief executive of Sipil Liter. "We will continue to use AI technology to build pet healthcare services that benefit both companion animals and their owners."


adastra@heraldcorp.com