Purina accelerator programme unveils class of 2025

Unleashed by Purina, a pet innovation and acceleration programme, has unveiled the seven start-ups that will form its class of 2025. The 20-week accelerator programme, now in its sixth year, supports pet-tech startups looking to disrupt the market with innovative solutions to transform pet-care. The cohort includes a trusted AI-driven veterinary diagnostics software, biometric identification for pets, a community platform connecting pet owners with local products and services, and a hub for booking verified pet-sitters. The programme has global reach with representatives from Italy, Brazil, South Korea, Thailand, Poland, Switzerland, and Singapore. The participants have access to up to CHF 50,000 (£45,000) per start-up and expert coaching through Purina’s commercial insights team. The start-ups participating in the programme include: Aitem, Italy: Developers of Laika, the AI-driven veterinary assistant for diagnostic guidance. The company is actively involved in several initiatives, including the NVIDIA Inception Program, where the American multinational tech corporation supports AI startups. Hubii, Brazil: Supporting digital sales growth through conversational commerce with hyper local retail stores. Hubii specializes in boosting digital sales through conversational commerce. By using chat-based interactions, the company uses AI-powered tools to guide customers, process orders and answer queries. Petnow, South Korea: App-based pet biometric identification supporting accurate missing pet reports and pet registration. Its mobile application allows pet owners to register their dogs and cats using biometric features, such as nose prints for dogs and facial recognition for cats, which can be captured with a smartphone camera to facilitate accurate reporting of missing pets. The Petnow app became available in Australia and New Zealand in July 2024. Petpaw, Thailand: The Bangkok-headquartered pet technology company was founded in 2019 and has developed a platform for pet owners, which includes a pet marketplace to connect buyers with verified breeders, an online store for pet supplies, a directory for booking pet services and Paw+, a telemedicine feature for virtual vet consultations. Petsy, Poland: Personalised care from local petsitters you can trust. In September 2024, the company secured over €1.1m (£910k) in its first funding round, backed by more than 30 business angels. This will support its domestic growth, platform enhancements, and expansion into the Czech Republic. SmartPetCare, Switzerland: Developers of iKitty, a smart wet cat food dispenser. iKitty aims to improve feline health by providing cats with fresh, hydrating meals to address common feeding challenges, such as food spoilage and dehydration, making it easier for pet parents to establish a consistent, convenient feeding routine. Umami Bioworks, Singapore: Bioplatform for machine learning-led development and plug-and-play manufacturing of cultivated seafood products. In March 2024, the company acquired Shiok Meats, a fellow Singapore-based firm specializing in cultivated crustacean products, to accelerate the commercialization of alternative seafood. In November last year, Umami Bioworks partnered with Steakholder Foods to develop and scale 3D-printed cultivated fish fillets that replicate the texture of fish. Kim Bill, head of the Purina Accelerator Lab, said: “As in every sector, AI is becoming a key focus as businesses explore the technology’s opportunities and applications for them. It was a key theme across the applications and the start-ups leveraging AI in our 2025 cohort represent the very best in providing creative ways to utilise the technology and advance the pet-care sector. “We saw a huge breadth of exciting and novel ideas which push boundaries in the pet-care sector. With each successive year we have added more businesses from new countries into the Unleashed community to create a truly global network of disruptive start-ups. I look forward to including this year's participants among the successful companies we have supported so far.”

Purina accelerator programme unveils class of 2025

The participants have access to up to CHF 50,000 (£45,000) per start-up and expert coaching through Purina’s commercial insights team

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