Six pet-care start-up firms are set to benefit from an accelerated programme of support from Purina as part of the multinational giant’s Unleashed 2026 initiative.
New companies from South Korea, Hong Kong, Sweden, Germany, Poland and Brazil have been chosen for the 20-week programme, which will give them access to a bursary of up to 50,000 Swiss Francs, as well as other resources and mentorship from Purina’s commercial insights team.
Successful candidates include Lassie, a preventative insurance scheme from Sweden, German firm Petleo, which uses digital tools to bridge the gap between vets and pet owners, as well as AI-powered diagnostic and preventative platforms from South Korea and Hong Kong.
The six winners were chosen by a panel of judges out of applications received from 47 countries since the 2026 scheme was launched last summer. Unleashed has accelerated 40 start-ups since the programme began in 2019, with the new cohort bringing the total to 46.
Sheri Smithey, Purina global head of research & development, said: “Our 2026 cohort reflects the growing role of AI and emerging technologies in the pet care sector. We’re now seeing AI evolve from a promising capability into a transformative force – one that is driving earlier detection of health issues, assisting clinical decision making for veterinarians, and giving pet owners more information and confidence in caring for their pets.
“The breakthroughs from this year’s start-ups are supporting the industry to move to data-driven solutions – a priority we’re proud to champion at Purina.”
