Pet-tech start-ups have until 11 September 2026 to apply for the next edition of Unleashed by Purina, as the deadline approaches for the global accelerator programme.
Now entering its eighth edition, Unleashed is looking for growing businesses developing practical new solutions that could help pet owners and veterinary professionals provide smarter, more personalised, and preventive care.
Selected start-ups will take part in a 20-week accelerator programme, working with a dedicated team of Purina experts from across pet care, technology, AI and innovation. As well as tailored mentorship, each selected business will receive funding of up to CHF 50,000.
This year, Purina is particularly interested in businesses working in areas including AI-powered health monitoring, digital care platforms, diagnostics, nutrition, insurance and tools supporting veterinary professionals.
Purina is also looking at how AI could help identify emerging behavioural trends, support more personalised interactions through digital assistants and expert advisory tools, and improve the development and activation of new pet care solutions.
Over the past seven years, Unleashed has received more than 2,400 applications from over 50 countries and supported 46 start-ups working across a wide range of pet-care challenges.
Previous winners have developed and scaled solutions spanning AI-enabled health monitoring, mobile-first pet adoption, consumer and veterinary diagnostics, preventive pet insurance and personalised nutrition support.
Hong-Kong based scale-up Petalife partnered with Purina through Unleashed, helping to develop its AI-powered preventive pet health platform, helping pet owners and clinics detect early health risks through everyday signals.
Eugene Siu, CEO and Co-Founder at Petalife said: “The Unleashed Accelerator has been a truly transformative experience for Petalife. Beyond the exceptional mentorship, the opportunity to collaborate closely with Purina's global experts challenged us to think differently, sharpen our commercial strategy, and better understand how to build a scalable solution that creates real value for both pet owners and the wider pet care ecosystem.”
Jeanne Chatelle, Europe Head of the Purina Accelerator Lab, said: “Some of the most exciting ideas in pet care are coming from entrepreneurs who see an everyday challenge and find a smarter way to solve it. Unleashed works with start-ups that already have a solution in place, helping them accelerate their growth through access to Purina’s expertise, global network, and opportunities to scale.
“With the application deadline approaching, we’re looking for innovative, tech-savvy people, hungry to learn and eager to grow their businesses with us. If that’s you, we’d encourage any and all start-ups with to apply. We’re looking forward to seeing the thinking that will shape our next cohort.”
Final call for applications
Applications for the next Unleashed cohort close at midnight on 11 September 2026, with selected start-ups due to be announced in early 2027. Onboarding for the programme will then begin in February 2027.
For more information about the programme and to apply visit: https://www.unleashedbypurina.com/
