Pet Age Staff//July 19, 2017//
Pet Age Staff //July 19, 2017//
Pet tech brands PetCoach and Whistle announced the finalists for Pet Project 2017, the first national pitch event dedicated to innovations in the pet industry.
The inaugural venture program invites entrepreneurs to pitch a new service or product in a private forum for the chance to win a $25,000 “no strings attached” cash prize and get feedback from industry experts within Mars Petcare and Petco.
The 2017 finalists are:
Activ4pets (Miami) – Digital pet health record application
Barkily (San Diego) – Smart pet ID and life management software
Besto (Philadelphia) – Adoptable pet destination
Bridge Veterinary Services (Philadelphia) – Connected pet health service
Fetch Labs (San Francisco) – Pet life-management software
GOMI Labs (Seoul) – Clever robotic pet toy
Lacuna (Denver) – Rapid pet diagnostic solution
Pawprint (San Francisco) – Digital pet health record applications
Puptimize (San Diego) – Pet training marketplace
Vetted (Los Angeles) – At-home veterinary service
WoofAdvisor (London) – Pet-friendly travel guide and marketplace
Pet Project 2017 was initially open to entrepreneurs building early-stage pet care businesses, and online submissions for the program closed on July 1. The finalists have all been invited to Las Vegas to present their ideas in a private pitch to a judging panel of pet industry experts from Mars and Petco. Pet Project 2017 will take place on July 25, 2017, during SuperZoo. One winning idea will receive a cash prize of $25,000 to help accelerate its business; and the winner will be announced July 26, 2017, at an invitation-only breakfast reception.
Judges (4): Joining Ben Jacobs from Whistle and Brock Weatherup from Petcoach as expert judges are Banfield Pet Hospital SVP Jeannine Taaffe and Petco CIO John Zavada.
Pet Project is a collaboration of Pet Coach, Whistle and is made possible through Mars Petcare and Petco. For more information or to apply, visit, www.petproject2017.org or join the conversation on Twitter with #petproject2017.