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Anna Skaya
Founder @Basepaws (acquired by @Zoetis) Board Member @PetcoLove
Anna Skaya is a seasoned professional in the animal health and genetics industry serving as the CEO of basepaws, a prominent LA-based company. She holds a background in business and technology, having pursued her education at UCLA and also being a Google Full Tuition Scholarship Recipient in 2016 at Singularity University. Anna's expertise extends to various reputable organizations where she held key positions such as Board Member at Petco Love, Head of Basepaws at Zoetis, and Founder and CEO at Basepaws. Her journey also includes roles at Singularity University, breakupbuddy, VisualDNA, Groupon Russia, and Bazaarvoice, showcasing a diverse skill set across different sectors.
Highlights
My time at Basepaws has officially come to a close after 8 unforgettable years.
From Singularity University summer of 2016 where Basepaws was born, to late night cat hair prototypes in our house in Redondo Beach with Anya Ryan, the early days of Basepaws were the most uncertain and stressful of my life.
If it wasn't the support of Marat Kichikov, Garri Zmudze and Alejandro Ponce (and their 'crazy-idea-but-we-believe-in-you' angel checks) I would have given up. Taking early money from friends makes it harder to fail because failing in front of friends is embarrassing. So is asking your best friend to move across the world to join your 'team of one' -- thank you to Anya Ryan for trusting me.
2017 and 2018 were years filled with throwing a lot of spaghetti at the wall, waxing hair off cats, and not getting any funding. We faced constant rejection and questions why we are not 'doing dogs'. YC rejected us 4x times, for 4 wildly different reasons. Maveron walking away at the 11th hour was extra painful. US-based early-stage VCs, angels, incubators, accelerators - I know them all (ping me for intros, founders!) and have a 'no' from practically all of them.
It wasn't until 2018 when Damian Kao, Ph.D and Yuliana Mihaylova, Ph.D. joined that we found our scientific visionaries. Basepaws was a half-baked idea before them, and with Anya Ryan and Kristin Wuhrman, we now had our founding 'Power Ranger' team. Damian Kao, Ph.D, thank you for the trust, the hard work, and the friendship.
2019 was the year of Kevin O'Leary and Shark Tank ABC (so was 2020 and 2022; we've been on the show 3x) and also the year that Nestlé Purina North America invested and William Broun, CFA joined our board. Add Mat Falkowski & Warren Rickard, and my advisory team was one of our strongest assets. Can't thank each of you enough.
Zoetis acquired Basepaws in 2022. Our early-stage investors had 10-15x exits, we were doing our best work and we continue to innovate at top speed now at Zoetis.
I couldn't be more proud of all who hung in there, who worked hard despite all the curveballs, rollercoasters and one-step-forwards-two-steps-backs. Zoetis is a phenomenal company and Kristin Peck is a leader I will forever learn from, even from afar. My sincere gratitude to Wafaa Mamilli for leading with kind grace and a keen eye, and to Rimma Driscoll for believing in us. Thank you to all Zoetis colleagues for being our partners and many, for being friends.
Thank you for the incredible 8 years of meowgic, Basepaws. I can't wait to see what's next. I hope it's never boring.
