Purina awards pet care innovation projects

One of the winners is Minnesota-based Bright Planet Pet, making 100% plant-based dog treats that taste and smell like real meat. Made from sustainable and all-natural ingredients, Bright Planet treats create up to 90% fewer carbon emissions and use 68% less water than comparable meat-based treats.

FluentPet from San Diego, California, has been awarded for creating a system that combines recordable sound buttons and connecting HexTiles that enables dogs, cats, and other animals to express themselves and be understood by humans. It uses cognitive science and academic research to make teaching, learning and communicating easier for pets and their people.

Also in California, Paway has been distinguished for its social network that allows pet parents to create a social profile to meet locals, keep track of their dog’s health & find dog-friendly places.

Massachusetts-based QSM Diagnostics has also won the prize for its critical role in changing how bacterial infections are diagnosed and treated. The company’s patented technology allows veterinarians to diagnose and monitor bacterial infections in dogs and cats using disposable sensors for point of care infection detection and monitoring.

Finally, uPetsia won the prize for solving the problem of bad dog breath by modifying natural canine oral bacteria to produce mint aromas. This company from Arizona created a system to incorporate these bacteria into treats and food and fed to dogs, giving them mint breath for several hours, unlike traditional treats or toothpaste with mint flavor added, which only last for minutes.

More than 120 companies from 75 cities globally applied for the 2022 Pet Care Innovation Prize. Each of the five startup winners will receive $10,000, mentorship from the Pet Care Innovation team and will participate in a virtual accelerator boot camp featuring pet experts from across Purina and the pet care industry.