Pet Care Innovation Takes a “Leap” Forward: Introducing the Fifth Cohort of the Leap Venture Studio

Posted on February 13, 2022 by Design in Design Innovation | 0 Comments

The Leap Venture Studio is proud to announce the six pet care startups that are joining its fifth cohort. The Leap Venture Studio is the first pet care-specific startup accelerator and represents the commitment of Mars Petcare and Michelson Found Animals to improving the lives of pets and their people. This year, after receiving hundreds applications from 20+ countries, Leap Venture Studio leaders identified 6 innovative companies to join the program.

Each one of these companies is making a significant impact on the pet care ecosystem either through sustainable nutrition, improved jobs for the veterinary industry, new platforms to keep pets safe and healthy, or greater access to veterinary care.

Here are the innovative startups joining the Leap Venture Studio portfolio:

As pet parenthood continues to grow around the world, many pet care sectors have experienced significant changes. Specifically, everything from veterinary medicine to animal welfare has become more digitized to better serve pets and their people. The Leap Venture Studio is excited to support companies that are innovating in new spaces and continuing to create a smarter world for pets and their people.

Throughout the 12-week program, each company will work with a curated team of R/GA Ventures strategists, technologists, designers, and consultants and receive mentorship from executives at Mars Petcare and Michelson Found Animals. The goal of the program is for each company to enhance their business plans, reach fundraising milestones, and prepare for product launch or expansion. Additionally, each company received an investment of up to $200,000 for being accepted into the Studio.

“In our fifth year of programs centered around innovation in pet care, we are more excited than ever about the immense growth in this industry and the impact on animal welfare, health, and sustainability,” shared Brett Yates, CEO of Michelson Found Animals.

The Leap Venture Studio has seen huge success from our portfolio of 27 companies. To date, two of companies have exited (PetHospice and Lacuna Diagnostics) and in 2021 alone, our portfolio raised more than $100M in follow-on capital.

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