Big Idea Ventures and Mars unveil 2025 startup accelerator cohort
The programme will conclude at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore from 4 to 6 November 2025, where the three companies will present to an international audience of industry leaders and investors
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Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare have announced three startups selected for the 2025 Next Generation Pet Food Program, an accelerator aimed at supporting sustainable innovation in pet nutrition.
Run in partnership with AAK, Bühler and Givaudan, the programme focuses on advancing biotech-based ingredients, essential nutrients and circular feed systems designed to reduce environmental impact.
This year’s cohort was chosen from 165 applications across 39 countries, with nearly half originating from Asia. Selection criteria included scalability, sustainability benefits and commercial potential.
The three companies chosen are Alt-Pro Advantage from Canada, Seaqure Labs from Sweden and Terramatter from India.
Alt-ProAdvantage uses illuminated fermentation of microalgae to produce essential nutrients such as taurine and arachidonic acid for pet food.
Seaqure Labs develops fungi-based aquafeed ingredients using industrial byproducts, while Terramatter employs fermentation to create functional proteins from industrial sidestreams and emissions.
Andrew D Ive, founder and general managing partner at Big Idea Ventures, said the startups were helping to drive scientific and sustainable transformation in pet nutrition. He said: “At Big Idea Ventures, we help founders turn big ideas into global breakthroughs by working with Mars Petcare and our partners around the world.”
Elisabetta Pierangelo, global vice president for research and development at Mars Pet Nutrition, added: “Reimagining the future of pet food demands bold innovation. Each of the startups brings cutting-edge solutions that can reduce environmental impact and address concerns about ingredient accessibility and security.”
Participants will receive mentorship, research support and partnership opportunities with Mars Petcare, Big Idea Ventures, AAK, Bühler and Givaudan to refine their technologies and move toward commercialisation.
The programme will conclude at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore from 4 to 6 November 2025, where the three companies will present to an international audience of industry leaders and investors.
