VetChip, an Australian company is the latest winner of the coveted Innovation Award presented by Purina Petcare
VetChip is a smart animal health monitor designed to enable animals to live healthier, happier and longer lives. It performs all the functions of a standard animal ‘identity microchip’ plus so much more.It monitors a pet’s heart rate, breathing, temperature and respiration and sends the info directly to the pet’s veterinarian thus providing the earliest opportunity for intervention and effective treatment for better health outcomes.
This year, 150 companies competed for the grand prize of $25 000 and the opportunity to be mentored by the best in the pet industry to become
The other 2024 Pet Care Innovation Prize Winners are:
Melbourne, Florida-based SwiftPaws (https://swiftpaws.com) 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 wellbeing of pets and the people who love them. SwiftPaws was featured on Shark Tank in 2022.
Kansas City, Missouri-based BestyBnB (https://bestybnb.com) 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 care for their pets. By creating and enhancing crisis care and safety net pet programs for organizations that serve people in crisis, BestyBnB helps ensure that clients will seek care and help knowing that their pets are safe.
Chicago, Illinois-based Arch Pet Food (https:/archpetfood.com) offers alternative protein pet treats and food that are food-allergen friendly, highly nutritious, and sustainable. Arch does this by utilizing superfoods like microalgae, insect proteins, and invasive fish as key ingredients.
Vancouver, Canada-based RYERCAT (https:/ryercat.com) hopes to redefine feline oral health with a toothbrush and dental line designed specifically for feline anatomy. Like many cat owners, the founders of RYERCAT struggled to brush their cats’ teeth, which led them to create a better dental solution to improve the brushing experience for cats and their owners.
“Each of the winners brought so much passion to the program. We were very impressed by VetChip and the entire 2024 class. The Pet Care Innovation Prize is a highlight for all of us at Purina, allowing us to help grow the entrepreneurial petcare network, and bring more solutions to the industry that improve the lives of pets and their owners,” said Bill Broun, co-lead of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures division and Vice President Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Venturing at Purina.
The Pet Care Innovation Prize was created to support and connect with early stage pet care startups that are currently in market with an innovative business addressing pet and pet owner needs in the areas of pet health and wellness, services, technology, and food, treats or litter. The Pet Care Innovation Prize is a collaborative effort of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures division and impact investors Active Capital. Previous Pet Care Innovation Prize winners have raised millions of dollars in equity and prizes from investors and accelerator programs across the U.S. Several startups have been successfully acquired and/or made appearances on Shark Tank, the business reality television series where contestants try to convince one of the sharks to invest money in their idea.
Purina’s corporate venturing group, 9 Square Ventures, has been focused on connecting with pet care startups since 2014. The team’s mission is to leverage Purina’s knowledge, experience, and financial resources to help emerging pet care startups build and scale their businesses and make a positive impact on the lives of as many pets and their owners as possible.
To find out more about the Pet Care Innovation program, visit PetCareInnovation.net.
