Attracts over 80 global startups and over 20 investors
Unleashed by Purina, a global pet-tech startup accelerator powered by the Purina Accelerator Lab, hosted their first-ever meetup attracting pet-tech startups from Asia, Oceania, and Africa (AOA) in Singapore, a milestone event for the region's burgeoning pet care industry. The event attracted over 80 global startups and 20 investors to attend in-person.
Singapore-based pet-tech focused firm ZumVet, 2024 alumni from the Purina Accelerator programme, is the co-organiser of the event. The meetup focused on fostering innovation, collaboration, and investment in the pet-tech ecosystem.
This one-of-a-kind gathering featured:
- Over 80 startup applicants from the AOA region showcasing cutting-edge pet-tech solutions
- Networking opportunities with industry peers, investors, and experts
- Pitch competition: Ten finalists presented their innovations to a panel of judges
The top two startups were awarded trophies and gained exposure namely, TABPS Pets Private Limited based in India and RABO, Inc. based in Japan
AOA Pet Care Market: A Growing Opportunity
The pet care market across the AOA region is thriving. According to Pitchbook, there are over 1,900 pet startups in the region, with Asia Pacific alone forecasted to reach $29 billion in market value by the end of 2024. This growth is fuelled by rising pet ownership and a shift toward pet parenthood, where pets are increasingly viewed as family members.
Emerging trends driving innovation in the region include:
- AI-powered solutions for smarter pet care
- Computer vision applications for health diagnostics and pet monitoring
- Sustainability-focused products addressing environmental concerns
The co-organiser, Singapore-based petcare firm ZumVET, 2024 alumni from the Unleashed by Purina Accelerator Lab, developed an AI tool during the accelerator programme, to help vets and pet owners understand the nutritional needs of pets for health.
“Having access to a global community, be it investors, advisors, industry experts and even other pet-tech firms, gave us the opportunity to learn from and share with some of the best in the industry and build on new technologies like AI into our product offerings. We are excited to bring an event of this scale to Singapore, our home base" explains Athena Lee, Founder at ZumVet.
Driving Innovation in Pet-Tech
Through this event, Nestlé Purina PetCare AOA aims to spotlight the AOA region's immense potential and create a supportive ecosystem for startups. With Asia Pacific's pet care market ranking third globally, the region is at the forefront of innovative solutions, ranging from online retail platforms for pet food to at-home pet healthcare services.
“Nestle has grown steadily to be one of the largest Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) investors in Singapore. Aside from being home to Nestle Purina’s AOA Regional Headquarters, Singapore is proud to host the inaugural Pet-Tech Startup Meetup for AOA. Connecting to the rich range of partners in Singapore’s vibrant startup ecosystem will help Nestle Purina develop innovative solutions for the region and beyond” Chan Ih-Ming, Executive Vice President at EDB.
