Source: Pet Age
Five innovative pet care startups have been named finalists in the ninth annual Pet Care Innovation Prize, powered by Purina. Selected from nearly 150 global applicants, these startups will each receive $25,000 in prize money and mentorship support from Purina to help scale their businesses in the $324.19 billion pet care industry. The winners include VEA, an AI-driven platform from Virginia designed to enhance Veterinary workflows and patient care; Maven, a New York-based health sensor that continuously monitors pets for early detection of clinical issues; Ten Lives, a California startup producing clean, microbe-based animal proteins for cats; ShopDot Pet, a Montana platform enabling pet care providers to sell essentials without inventory costs; and Yak9 Chews, a Texas-based maker of ethical, all-natural cheese chews for dogs.
In addition to the initial funding, the finalists will participate in a Purina-led accelerator boot camp and compete for a $25,000 grand prize at the Global Pet Expo in March. This initiative, supported by Purina’s 9 Square Ventures group in partnership with Active Capital, highlights Purina’s commitment to facilitating innovation in pet care by supporting startups shaping the industry’s future.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.petage.com/2025-pet-care-innovation-prize-purina-awards-125k-to-five-us-based-pet-startups/