Entries for the Purina BetterwithPets Prize, which celebrates the positive effect that animals have on human behaviour, have until January 28 to complete their applications.
The Purina BetterwithPets Prize identifies enterprises and individuals across the globe that harness the positive power of the pet-human bond through innovative solutions to issues such as emotional disconnection and trauma, social isolation and marginalization and health problems. The initiative aims to raise awareness on the powerful role that the pet-human bond can play both for individuals and communities.
This year there are two new application categories: the piloted/implemented stage and idea-stage. Both are focused on idea-stage innovations specifically aimed at young innovators aged 18 to 25..
Applicants will get the chance to win awards totalling more than £90,000 to support the development of their projects.
Finalists from the piloted/implemented innovations category will be eligible to participate in an accelerator programme as well as being in with the chance of winning up to £78,000. Finalists from idea-stage innovations will have the opportunity to participate in a co-creation lab and the chance of winning £15,000.
Ten finalists will be invited to attend the Purina BetterwithPets Forum in France on June 3-4, where the winners will be announced.
Calum Macrae, regional director of Purina UK&I, said: “This year, we’re aiming to reach social entrepreneurs and young creators who are innovating to harness the power of the pet-human bond for the well-being of pets, the people who love them and society as a whole. Through the Purina BetterwithPets Prize we celebrate this unique bond and look for new ways of enhancing pet welfare, furthering key human soft skills, supporting therapies that improve health and emotional wellbeing as well as promoting community inclusivity”.Last year, the Purina BetterwithPets Prize gathered more than 100 applications from social entrepreneurs and innovators.
UK finalist Medical Detection Dogs was highly commended last year and awarded £11,751.
For more information, visit https://network.changemakers.com/challenge/PurinaBetterwithPetsPrize
