Pet Care Startups from Melbourne, FL, Kansas City, MO, Chicago, IL, VancouverCA, and PerthAU Provided Awards and Support from Purina
St. LOUIS, Jan. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Pet care startups from the US, Canadaand Australia have been named finalists for the eighth annual Pet Care Innovation Prize powered by Purina, each receiving $25,000 and support from the pet care leader as they work to grow their businesses in $136.8 billion* pet care industry. This year’s class represents innovation in a wide variety of pet care products and services, from pet enrichment toys, a toothbrush designed specifically for feline anatomy, protein alternatives and allergy-friendly pet treats and food, to a game-changing microchip that monitors pet health. from within, and a platform to help organizations provide foster care for pets.
Purina finalists for the 2024 PCIP prize
Nearly 150 companies from around the world applied for the 2024 Pet Care Innovation Prize. The 2024 Pet Care Innovation Prize Winners are:
SwiftPaws (https://swiftpaws.com)
Melbourne, Florida-based SwiftPaws makes playful enrichment products to exercise and entertain pets. Best known for their American-made lure coursing kits, the SwiftPaws team is dedicated to the mental and physical well-being of pets and the people who love them. SwiftPaws was featured on Shark Tank in 2022.
BestyBnB (https://bestybnb.com)
Kansas City, Missouri-based BestyBnB bridges the gap between human social services and animal welfare organizations by securing safe, temporary housing for clients’ pets when they are in challenging situations where they cannot take care of their pets. By creating and enhancing crisis care and pet safety programs for organizations serving people in crisis, BestyBnB helps ensure clients seek care and help know they are safe their pets.
Arch Pet Food (https://archpetfood.com)
Chicago Illinois-based The Arch Pet Food company offers alternative protein pet treats and treats that are food-allergen friendly, highly nutritious, and sustainable. Arch does this by using superfoods like microalgae, insect proteins, and invasive fish as key ingredients.
RYERCAT (https://ryercat.com)
Vancouver, Canada-based RYERCAT hopes to redefine feline oral health with a toothbrush and tooth line specifically designed for feline anatomy. Like many cat owners, the founders of RYERCAT found it difficult to brush their cats’ teeth, which led them to create a better dental solution to improve the brushing experience for cats and their pets. owner.
VetChip (https://www.vetchip.com.au)
Perth, Australia-based VetChip is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving animal health and welfare through pioneering technology that monitors, diagnoses and detects pet health issues. The VetChip is implanted to gather data and alert pet owners via an app if potential issues or signs of disease or injury are detected, allowing for faster diagnosis and treatment.
Each of the five startup winners will receive $25,000mentorship from the Pet Care Innovation team at Purina and Active Capital and will participate in an accelerator boot camp at Purina headquarters in St. Louis, MOfeaturing pet experts from Purina and the entire pet care industry.
“At Purina, our purpose and passion revolve around enriching the lives of pets and the people who love them. Working with startups that share our enthusiasm for pets and are committed to continuous innovation provides -allow us to come together to inspire and learn from each other,” said Blair Morgan, co-lead of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures group and Vice President of Strategy and Innovation for Purina. “This year’s group of winners showcases a diverse range of possibilities in pet care, and we look forward to working with each of these companies to help accelerate their success in an incredibly competitive and profitable industry.”
In a culminating pitch competition in March at the Global Pet Expo, an annual trade show in The united state presented by the American Pet Products Association and the Pet Industry Distributors Association, the five finalists will present their businesses to an audience of Purina executives, industry influencers and investors. One grand prize winner will be selected at this event to receive an additional $25,000 in cash from Purina.
The Pet Care Award is a collaborative effort of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures corporate venturing group and investment leaders Active Capital to support and connect early stage pet care companies currently in the market with an innovative business that addresses pet and pet owner needs in the areas of pet health and wellness, services, technology, and food, foodstuffs or waste.
9 Square Ventures leverages Purina’s knowledge, experience and financial resources to help emerging pet care startups scale their businesses and positively impact the lives of the most pets and owners. -own it as much as possible. The group has continued to invest millions of dollars in a diverse array of early-stage pet care startups since it was founded in 2014.
For more information about the Pet Care Innovation Prize powered by Purina, visit https://petcareinnovation.net
*American Pet Products Association
About Purina
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering innovative science-based nutrition. Purina makes some of the most trusted and popular pet care products, including Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Tidy Cats. Our more than 10,000 US associates are proud of our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats each year. More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition.
Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific research, our products and our support for pet-related organizations. Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million to organizations that bring together, and save, people and pets, as well as those that help our communities and environments thrive.
Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com o subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.
About Active Capital:
Active Capital is a leader in impact investing based in St. Louis, helping startups and investors come together to grow innovative products and initiatives. Active Capital manages the Pet Care Innovation Prize.
SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare
