ChefPaw, PetPax among winners of Purina Pet Care Innovation Prize

ST. LOUIS — Nestlé Purina Pet Care announced the winners for its 10th annual Pet Care Innovation Prize (PCIP). Among the five winners are pet nutrition startups ChefPaw, which aims to revolutionize pet food by streamlining homemade feeding, and PetPax Co., a provider of easy-to-administer supplements. The startups were selected from nearly 200 applicants throughout the globe.

Based in Los Angeles, ChefPaw offers a Pet Food Maker that weighs and mixes fresh ingredients and then cooks it into a complete-and-balanced formula. The maker works with the ChefPaw nutrition app, which serves as a guide for pet food recipe creation, portioning and includes step-by-step cooking instructions. This allows pet owners to create their own food for their pets. 

Based in Boston, PetPax seeks to redefine everyday pet wellness by making supplementation easier on both pet owners and their pets. The company’s flagship line SupplaMelts uses a proprietary, fast-dissolving oral film delivery system to provide supplements to dogs. According to the company, the system is designed to bypass stomach acid, improving supplement absorption and reducing administration stress for pets and their owners. Supplements include ZenMelts for calming and DentalMelts for oral health. 

Other winners of the prize include:

• Innovative Pet Lab, Inc., which offers at-home testing to pet owners and provides health insights
• CoVetAI Inc., a clinical co-pilot powered by artificial intelligence to reduce veterinary administrative workload
• Pawsitive Inc., which offers a smart pet wearable and software as a service platform to understand and regulate dogs’ emotions and behavior

“The Pet Care Innovation Prize continues to spotlight entrepreneurs who are solving real problems for pets, pet owners and the professionals who support them,” said Patrick Mullen, co-lead of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures group and vice president of strategic planning at Purina. “As the pet care industry evolves, these founders are bringing forward fresh thinking, new technologies and practical solutions that can make a meaningful difference. We’re proud to support these innovative businesses as they take their next steps.”

Each startup will receive $25,000 in funding, as well as mentorship and access of Purina’s expertise, supporting their businesses and growth. Additionally, each will participate in a hands-on accelerator experience at Purina’s headquarters in St. Louis with opportunities to engage with pet care experts, business leaders and industry mentors. The program is designed to help the company founders refine strategies, advance operations and accelerate growth. 

To cap off the program, the startups will then compete for a $25,000 grand prize in a live pitch event held during Global Pet Expo in March. 

Find more articles about pet food industry startups.