Former Pets at Home CEO invests in pet health startup

Former Pets at Home CEO Peter Pritchard, who served in the position between 2018 and 2022, has invested an undisclosed sum in end-to-end testing and health report startup BIOME9.  

He has also joined the London-based company as the Chairman of its Advisory Board. 

With Pritchard’s investment and addition to the Board, the company hopes to use his expertise in product development for its nutrition recommendation engine, retail strategy and international expansion plans.

“For many years, I have worked to improve the health and well-being of pets,” he says. 

“Understanding gut health is an exciting area of development which I believe will unlock better health outcomes for the nation’s pets, helping pet owners make better decisions for feeding and caring for their pets.” 

Other investors

Founded in 2023 by James Cox and Asher Nathan, BIOME9 launched an at-home gut microbiome testing service for dogs in January this year. 

Other investors in the company include Jonathan Warburton, Chairman of UK bakery firm Warburtons, and Richard Chapple, former CEO of THG Ingenuity and former Chief Marketing Officer of Gymshark.

Skin, joints and digestion

The company estimates that over one-third of dogs suffer from diseases and conditions that affect the skin, joints and digestive system, which can be traced back to microbiome imbalance. It added that over 50% of vet visits are for these issues, which are often associated with poor gut health. 

The pet health start-up has leveraged generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology to develop what it claims is the “UK’s first” gut health test and personalized supplement program for dogs in a bid to improve their long-term health and well-being. 

Using its test kit, which costs £149 (€174.19/$187.23), BIOME9’s AI technology takes “2 seconds to analyze over 1 million data points” from a dog’s sample. This allows pet parents to change their dog’s diet and care for its health accordingly.