The Fresh Ideas Stage Draws Pet Industry Start-Ups, Innovators at Interzoo 2024

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Press release: WZF

Pet industry start-ups and innovators can profit from special conditions within the Start-up Area at Interzoo 2024. The Fresh Ideas Stage will be the vibrant center of the Start-up Hall 3 combining product presentations, panels and the Fresh Ideas Contest.

Interzoo, taking place in Nuremberg from May 7 to 10, 2024, is the most important sales and communication platform for the international pet industry. Young companies and innovative ideas are a key driver for the industry and are therefore a special focus of the industry’s leading international trade fair.

“New approaches to solutions in the areas of technology, sustainability, design and nutrition also play an important role in the pet industry. Accordingly, we are pleased to support start-ups and innovators in their participation in the most international trade fair for the pet industry with both attractive offers for exhibition stands and additional presentation opportunities at the Fresh Ideas Stage,” said Dr Rowena Arzt, head of exhibitions at Interzoo organizer WZF.

The Fresh Ideas Stage at Interzoo 2024 will give new business ideas in the pet sector a special presence: On all four days of the exhibition, companies can present trend-setting industry topics and products in short on-stage presentations. Based on last year’s success, the Fresh Ideas Contest will also take place on the Friday of the exhibition, where innovative product ideas and services will compete for an award.

The Fresh Ideas Contest 

The first-placed start-ups of the premiere competition at last year’s Interzoo are already preparing their participation in Interzoo 2024. Contest winner Prombyx, specialised in the recycling of by-products of silk production, will take part with an individual stand in Start-up Hall 3.

“The positive feedback during Interzoo has motivated and encouraged us. We are already looking forward to presenting our developments at the stand we won,” said managing director Fabiola Neitzel.

The second-placed start-up The Sustainable People, awarded for innovations around biodegradable dog waste bags, is enlarging its stand space by 25 percent.

“This means more space to present our innovations in the field of recycling,” said Sören Meissner, marketing manager of The Sustainable People. Both companies will be exhibiting at Interzoo 2024 in Hall 3 in close proximity to the Fresh Ideas Stage.

“Hall 3 will be the center of the start-up activities at Interzoo 2024: In addition to the German and international start-up community stand and many young companies as individual exhibitors, the Fresh Ideas Stage forms a centerpiece of the start-up activities and a highlight of Interzoo,” said Dr. Arzt.

German-based start-ups 

Through the “Young Innovators” funding program of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action, 25 company founders and young entrepreneurs from Germany can benefit from financial and organizational support at the upcoming Interzoo if they exhibit on the “Young Innovators” community stand. Since 2018, Interzoo has been one of the exhibitions selected by this support program, which has already shown sustainable success in the pet industry and assists companies in their international market development.

“The support program was crucial for us as a small, new company to enable us to participate in Interzoo 2022 and thus establish some interesting business relationships,” said Patrick Weifels, managing director of PETvision GmbH, which produces multifunctional cat furniture. Companies that have already received this funding for the first time at Interzoo 2022 can also apply again for Interzoo 2024. “The funded participation in the fair was an excellent showcase for us,” explains Gema Aparicio, one of the founders of Eat Small. After two participations in the funded community stand with 12 square meters each, the pet food start-up will present its new insect-based products for the first time on its own 95-square-meter stand space at Interzoo 2024 – a true Interzoo success story.

International start-ups 

In order to also support newcomers with company headquarters outside Germany, Interzoo offers an attractive service package as part of the International Start-up Area. This includes a specially designed presentation area on the prominently positioned community stand in Hall 3 as well as selected marketing services that also enable smaller companies to increase their communicative reach. At the last Interzoo, 31 companies from 15 countries benefited from this offer.

“Information and exchange about innovative products, new contacts and new business relationships, plus the very special start-up feeling at the community stands and on the Fresh Ideas Stage: Interzoo 2024 is the perfect platform to enter the global pet industry,” explained Dr. Arzt.

(Photo courtesy WZF)