• Sustainable pet nutrition start-up Blue Pet Co. is one of six companies joining Leap Venture Studio & Academy, the world’s largest pet care accelerator.

  • The accelerator provides Blue Pet Co. access to world-class mentors, resources, networking opportunities, and $200,000 in funding.

  • Blue Pet Co. offers a range of clean, marine-powered dog supplements enriched with seaweed extracts, designed to support dog health needs naturally and sustainably.

Irish pet nutrition company Blue Pet Co. is one of six start-ups selected to join Leap Venture Studio & Academy, the world’s first and largest pet care-specific accelerator. Blue Pet Co. was chosen after an extensive global research campaign to identify the best pet-care start-ups set to transform the industry through innovation and sustainability.

A partnership between Mars Petcare, one of the world’s leading pet-care companies, Michelson Found Animals and R/GA ventures, the 12-week programme connects each chosen seed-stage start-up with world-class resources, mentors, networking opportunities and $200,000 in funding.

Blue Pet Co.’s involvement will accelerate its mission to be a global leader in pet and planetary health and the world’s number one sustainable pet supplement and pet ingredient business. Already trading in 25 retailers in Ireland and 15 more globally, Blue Pet Co. has ambitions to expand into the US and Australian markets this year.

The Kerry-based blue biotech specialises in clean, marine-powered dog supplements enriched with seaweed extracts, designed to meet a dog’s health needs naturally and sustainably. Alongside its pet supplement offering, Blue Pet Co offers a range of unique nutritional ingredients produced via sustainable bioprocessing technologies, which have the potential to lower the water and carbon footprint of the pet food industry globally.

Blue Pet Co. CEO Gary Daly said: “Blue Pet Co is on a mission to re-establish the harmonious balance between pets, people and our planet. Not only are our products great for pet health, but our holistic business model also achieves over 70% of the UN’s sustainability goals; for example, reduced carbon emissions, increased biodiversity and clean waterways. We are delighted to be part of Leap Venture Studio and look forward to working with the most innovative companies in the industry to deliver positive change.”

Each cohort of the annual programme, based in Tennessee, consists of 6-8 companies that work with the Leap partners for 12 weeks. Alongside Blue Pet Co., the latest accelerator includes Bundle x Joy, Dr Cuddles, Vet Sense Common Sense, MI:RNA Oncotect and Tobipets.com. The cohort will culminate with a Demo Day on June 8th in Nashville, Tennessee.

The combined networks and resources of R/GA, Michelson Found Animals, and Mars Petcare make the Leap Venture Studio the most influential startup accelerator in the pet care industry.

Since its inception, the accelerator program has helped over 40 companies raise $170 million in follow-on capital, with $100 million coming in 2021 alone, and has helped lead two companies to successful exits.

“We are thrilled to launch the next round of the accelerator program and provide start-ups with the resources they need to scale,” said Brett Yates, CEO of Michelson Found Animals. “Our goal is to support and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and help them bring their innovative ideas to life to give pets an improved quality of life.”

“This year’s cohort is a great mix of industry segments. We have companies working on scaling diagnostics and at-home pet health care, nutrition brands putting the planet and women-founded businesses at the forefront of their business model, and a D2C platform bringing solutions to pet parents in Costa Rica,” said Rachel Sheppard, Director of Ventures at Mars Petcare and co-lead of the Leap Venture Studio & Academy