ST. LOUIS — On Jan. 15, Nestlé Purina PetCare announced the finalists of its 2025 Pet Care Innovation Prize, including pet nutrition startups Ten Lives and Yak9 Chews. Each finalist will receive $25,000 in funding and mentorship from Purina to help scale their businesses.
This year’s finalists were selected from nearly 150 applicants from throughout the globe.
Based in San Francisco, Ten Lives specializes in alternative protein pet foods. Using precision fermentation, the company converts sugar into protein to create proteins that are similar to those naturally found in rabbit, fish and lamb, all without the use of animals. Ten Lives recently launched its first product — cat treats made with clean rabbit protein.
Based in Austin, Texas, Yak9 Chews is a premium pet brand specializing in all-natural, long-lasting cheese chews for dogs. The company’s chews are formulated with ethically sourced ingredients.
In addition to Ten Lives and Yak9 Chews, other finalists include VEA, a platform designed to predict pet disease; Maven, a pet health sensor; and ShopDot Pet, a platform that sells pet essentials.
“At Purina, our commitment to enriching the lives of pets and their people is strengthened through collaboration with innovative startups, such as the incredible cohort of this year’s Pet Care Innovation Prize finalists,” said Patrick Mullen, co-lead of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures group and vice president of strategic planning at Purina. “These passionate pet care entrepreneurs are tackling challenges in a variety of areas that all have the opportunity to help pets and those who are passionate about them thrive. We are excited to partner with these companies to foster their growth and success in the continuously growing and competitive pet care landscape.”
In addition to the funding and mentorship, the finalists will participate in an accelerator boot camp at Purina’s headquarters in St. Louis, which will include sessions with Purina’s experts and other experts in the pet industry.
Following the accelerator camp, the finalists will compete for a grand prize of $25,000 at a pitch competition this March during Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Fla.
Purina’s Pet Care Innovation Prize is a collaboration between Purina’s 9 Square Ventures and investment firm Active Capital. The program aims to support early-stage startups offering innovative businesses that address pet health and wellness through nutrition, services, technology and care products.
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