Unleashed, a program facilitated by the Purina Accelerator Lab, is actively involved in the pet care landscape, focusing on supporting startups that employ technology to enhance the well-being of pets and their owners. This accelerator program has recently extended its reach to include applications from the entrepreneurial ecosystems of Brazil and Mexico.
The core mission of Unleashed, it says, is to shape the future of pet services by introducing innovative nutrition and health technologies that strengthen the bond between pets and their caregivers. Through this program, startups receive access to a wide network of pet care professionals, industry leaders and senior management, along with training opportunities.
Participating startups are provided with a dedicated team from Purina to guide them through their developmental journey. This hands-on assistance ensures that key performance milestones are achieved within a focused 20-week timeframe, according to the program. In addition, funding opportunities are available, subject on meeting mutually agreed performance targets over the 20-week period. Successful concepts addressing specific customer needs may also receive additional investment and collaborations.
Applications open to pet food entrepreneurs
The application period for the Unleashed program is from September 1st to October 15th, 2023. The onboarding process, conducted in person, encourages engagement and knowledge exchange. The program itself takes place from March to July 2024, with a graduation day celebration in June.
Unleashed invites startups with innovative ideas in either the business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B) arena. Evaluation criteria focus on the pertinence of the business idea in addressing critical customer issues, as well as the sustainability and scalability of the business model. Startups emphasizing personalized nutrition, cutting-edge ingredients, AI, data analytics, pet health and wellness, sustainability and pet services are of particular interest.
The Purina Accelerator Lab encourages sustainability-driven startups to apply, regardless of their location. The program says its selection process is conducted with meticulous attention, giving weight to factors such as team cohesion, a robust business plan, a minimum viable product (MVP), scalability potential and an established customer base.
Through a focus on innovation and collaboration, Unleashed aims to contribute to the betterment of pets and their owners, according to the program.
