Key Takeaways
- • Cyprus-based Kinisis Ventures joined a $1.8 million pre-seed round in Janus Labs AI, a US startup developing contactless neural AI to monitor the health and wellbeing of dogs and cats.
- • The round was led by New York Angels, with participation from Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of Greater New York and SkyRiver Ventures, bringing Janus's total capital raised to $2.6 million.
- • Janus claims a patented system that measures brain activity without physical contact, combined with physiological data to build individual animal health profiles.
- • The company reports nine US patents, five published human studies and advanced clinical validation across multiple dog breeds, according to its announcement.
- • Kinisis co-founder Andreas Panayi described the company as pursuing a substantially different approach in a pet-tech market crowded with activity trackers.
Summary
Kinisis Ventures, a Cyprus-based venture capital firm, has joined a $1.8 million pre-seed funding round in Janus Labs AI, a US startup developing contactless neural artificial intelligence technology for pet health monitoring, according to the Cyprus Mail. The round was led by New York Angels, with participation from Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of Greater New York and SkyRiver Ventures. The latest funding brings Janus's total capital raised to $2.6 million, which the company says will be used to advance its technology for monitoring the health of dogs and cats.
Janus is developing a patented system that measures brain activity without physical contact, combining neural information with physiological data to build individual profiles of animals. Its AI interprets each pet's patterns to monitor physical and mental wellbeing, identify potential early changes in health and recommend personalised care and enrichment activities. The company positions this against existing pet-monitoring products, which generally rely on GPS tracking, vital signs, activity monitoring or periodic diagnostic testing. Janus's longer-term ambition is to help bridge the communication gap between humans and animals, with potential applications also extending to infant health monitoring.
Janus co-founder and chief executive Shaun Westbrook said the company is "not interested in building another pet tracker." Tom Hirschfeld, representing New York Angels and Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of Greater New York, cited his earlier investments, including pet longevity specialist Loyal Animal Health. SkyRiver Ventures general partner Hyuk-Jeen Suh, founder and former head of Samsung Ventures' East Coast office, said he sees "strong potential" in the proprietary technology. Kinisis co-founder Andreas Panayi said the firm had been monitoring the smart sensor market, combining hardware, AI software and advanced data analytics, and that Janus represents a strong example of applying these technologies to an underserved sector.
Janus says it has secured nine US patents, conducted five published human studies and completed advanced clinical validation across multiple dog breeds. The company completed the 2026 SOSV NY/IndieBio accelerator, won Best Product at The Ventures Startup Awards during NY Tech Week 2026, and was selected among the top 10 startups at the SF Tech Week Consumer AI Pitch Fest.
Janus is developing a patented system that measures brain activity without physical contact, combining neural information with physiological data to build individual profiles of animals. Its AI interprets each pet's patterns to monitor physical and mental wellbeing, identify potential early changes in health and recommend personalised care and enrichment activities. The company positions this against existing pet-monitoring products, which generally rely on GPS tracking, vital signs, activity monitoring or periodic diagnostic testing. Janus's longer-term ambition is to help bridge the communication gap between humans and animals, with potential applications also extending to infant health monitoring.
Janus co-founder and chief executive Shaun Westbrook said the company is "not interested in building another pet tracker." Tom Hirschfeld, representing New York Angels and Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of Greater New York, cited his earlier investments, including pet longevity specialist Loyal Animal Health. SkyRiver Ventures general partner Hyuk-Jeen Suh, founder and former head of Samsung Ventures' East Coast office, said he sees "strong potential" in the proprietary technology. Kinisis co-founder Andreas Panayi said the firm had been monitoring the smart sensor market, combining hardware, AI software and advanced data analytics, and that Janus represents a strong example of applying these technologies to an underserved sector.
Janus says it has secured nine US patents, conducted five published human studies and completed advanced clinical validation across multiple dog breeds. The company completed the 2026 SOSV NY/IndieBio accelerator, won Best Product at The Ventures Startup Awards during NY Tech Week 2026, and was selected among the top 10 startups at the SF Tech Week Consumer AI Pitch Fest.
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