ORLANDO, Fla., March 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Five
pet-focused startups took the stage at the pet industry's largest
trade show, Global Pet Expo, pitching their businesses to an
audience of investors, retailers and the pet care leaders at
Purina, and GuardianVets emerged as the grand prize winner of
the 2019 Pet Care Innovation Prize. The Chicago-based startup is a B2B telehealth
service and platform that allows veterinary hospitals to offer 24/7
continuous client care. GuardianVets is the exclusive triage
provider for the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and
serves more than 600,000 pet owners in over 30 states.
GuardianVets was selected by a panel of industry judges
including Bryan Jaffe of Cascadia
Capital, Nicole Mitchell, Director
of Membership at the American Pet Products Association (APPA),
Andrea Faccio, Chief Marketing
Officer at Purina, and Bill Broun
and David Narkiewicz from Purina's 9
Square Ventures Division. As the 2019 Pet Care Innovation Prize
grand prize winner, GuardianVets will receive a cash prize and the
opportunity to work with Purina on a project.
"I'm very appreciative and thankful to be the grand prize winner
of the Pet Care Innovation Prize and hope to use this opportunity
to continue to move GuardianVets forward and help strengthen the
relationship between pet owners and their veterinary practices,"
said John Dillon, founder of
GuardianVets. "The PCIP program is built on developing comradery
within the pet industry, and it's amazing to see a leader like
Purina support startups in such a personal and impactful
way."
While GuardianVets may have earned the title of grand prize
winner, the rest of the Pet Care Innovation Prize Class of
2019 won as well, receiving cash and
mentorship from Purina leading into the final pitch event. Each
startup offers a unique way for pet owners to interact with, care
for, feed, play with and understand their furry friends:
- Chicago-based Shameless Pets
uses upcycling to turn ingredients that may have otherwise been
lost or wasted into premium pet treats that support your pet's
health.
- Boulder-based Bond Pets is working with cellular agriculture
technologies to reinvent pet nutrition, making
nutritionally-superior dog and cat foods sourced from real animal
protein – without harming any animals in the process.
- Los Angeles-based Basepaws is
a pet genetics company that has developed the first consumer
genetics test for cats, which includes detailed information about
breed, traits, health, and genetic markers for potential hereditary
disease.
- New York-based PlayDate rounds
out the Pet Care Innovation Prize 2019 class and is building a
smart pet monitoring system, beginning with toys, to keep dogs and
cats happy and healthy throughout their lives.
"Congratulations to GuardianVets and all of the 2019 Pet Care
Innovation Prize winners who collectively exemplify the range of
innovation in the pet care category," said Bill Broun, Co-Lead of Purina's 9 Square
Ventures Division and Vice President of Personalization and
Business Development at Purina. "There is no doubt that this class
of entrepreneurs will make a positive impact on our industry and
the lives of pets and their owners."
The Pet Care Innovation Prize is a collaborative effort of
Purina's 9 Square Ventures division with investing leaders, Active
Capital, to support and connect with early stage pet care startups
addressing pet and pet owner needs in the areas of pet health and
wellness, services, technology, nutrition and emerging innovations.
In addition to the chance to compete for the grand prize at Global
Pet Expo, the five first round winners each received $10,000 in cash from Purina with no strings
attached along with a weeklong experience at a pet care business
accelerator boot camp in Purina's hometown of St. Louis where they met with industry experts
both at and outside of Purina.
Visit petcareinnovationprize.com for updates on the next
competition.
About Active Capital:
Active Capital is a St. Louis-based impact investing leader,
helping startups and investors come together to grow innovative
products and initiatives. Active Capital manages the Pet Care
Innovation Prize.
About Purina
Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes
responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond
between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of
pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé
S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.
*American Pet Products Association
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SOURCE Purina