Building on the success of last year’s program, the second round aims to find the next cohort of trailblazers who can deliver innovation in the sustainable pet food space.
Startups from around the world are invited to apply, with selected participants to showcase their solutions at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit.
The program continues to unite leading food and pet care experts to accelerate sustainable pet food innovation.
New York, NY , June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following the success of last year’s program, Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare will launch the second round of the Next Generation Pet Food Program, in collaboration with AAK, Bühler, and Givaudan.
This initiative aims to accelerate sustainable innovation in the pet food sector by supporting startups with novel ingredients, sustainable fats and proteins, and advanced processing technologies.
Mars is exploring alternative ingredients in its pet food products to create more sustainable, future-ready nutrition. As consumer preference evolves Mars is working to give pet parents the opportunity to make more environmentally conscious choices, while taking steps to reduce its own carbon footprint.
This year, Givaudan, a global leader in taste and wellbeing, joins AAK and Bühler as a collaborator, offering expertise in ingredient innovation and product development for humans and pets.
Andrew D. Ive, Founder and Managing General Partner of Big Idea Ventures, stated:
“Working with Mars last year was fantastic! We want to take the learnings and implement them on a big scale as we continue to search for and develop sustainable solutions for the pet food ecosystem. Last year, the teams from Mars Petcare, Bühler, and AAK offered invaluable insights to our startups. Now, by integrating Givaudan into the mix, we will further enhance the resources available to the startups we choose.”
Paul Gardner, Commercial VP, Mars Pet Nutrition added: “We must invest in innovation to help us source the best ingredients and build a future where the planet stays healthy, and where people and their pets are thriving. We’re excited to be launching the second round of this program harnessing the creativity of startups, alongside partners that share our vision”
“We were thrilled at the enthusiastic response we got from last’s program. It is a testament that innovative startups are the driving force behind the future of sustainable pet nutrition. The program offers a unique opportunity for visionary entrepreneurs to collaborate with leading industry experts, access state-of-the-art technology, and accelerate their impact on the global petfood market. I encourage all startups with bold ideas and a passion for transformation to apply and help us shape a healthier, more sustainable future for pets and planet alike,” said Dr. Ian Roberts, CTO at Bühler Group.
Niall Sands, President Commercial Innovation and Development, AAK, shared that the company is excited to support pet food innovators to bring nutrition and health-promoting functionality to our beloved pets. They look forward to exploring how innovation in this space is helping pet parents support and care for our 4-legged family members.
Fabio Campanile, Global Head of Science & Technology, Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing, noted, “Givaudan is excited to be part of this program as it presents a unique opportunity to collaborate with innovative startups and partners, paving the way for a more sustainable and enriching world for pets. We look forward to building on our current capabilities in the pet food space as well as exploring new technologies.”
Companies selected for the program will benefit from expert guidance, potential commercial partnerships, and the opportunity to showcase their solutions on a global stage at Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore from November 4–6, 2025.
Winners of the 2024 Global Pet Food Innovation Program include BiomeMega, Anomaly Bio, KIDEMIS, String Bio Private Limited, MiAlgae, who have been under the mentorship of Big Venture Idea, Mars, AAK and Bühler. The startups have gained insights from top pet food experts and collaborated with leading CPG, ingredient, and technology companies to further develop their concepts with the potential to develop future long-term collaborations.
The program is open to startups from around the world, with a strong preference for scalable solutions that can demonstrate real-world impact and sustainability. While APAC-based startups are preferred, companies from all geographies are encouraged to apply.
For more information, visit bigideaventures.com/petfoodprogram. Interested startups are encouraged to apply here as early as possible and will be able to do so until July 16.
Media contacts:
Bühler:
Dalen Jacomino Panto, Media Relations Manager
Bühler AG, 9240 Uzwil, Switzerland
Phone: +41 71 955 37 57
Mobile: +41 79 900 53 88
E-mail: dalen.jacomino_panto@buhlergroup.com
Katja Hartmann, Media Relations Manager
Bühler AG, 9240 Uzwil, Schweiz
Mobile: +41 79 483 68 07
E-mail: katja.hartmann@buhlergroup.com
Givaudan:
Jeff Peppet, Content and Communications Director, T&W
jeff.peppet@givaudan.com
+1 513 293 3740
AAK:
Carl Ahlgren
Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communication
IR, Communications and Brand
Malmo, Sweden
+46706810734
carl.ahlgren@aak.com
Mars:
Alex Lloyd, Global R&D Communications Senior Manager
Email: alex.lloyd@effem.com
Big Idea Ventures:
259 Nassau St Ste 2, #1292 Princeton, NJ 08542
Shruti Salkar
Email: news@bigideaventures.com
About the Partners
Big Idea Ventures
Big Idea Ventures is the leading investor in food and agri technology globally. As one of the most active investors in the food-tech, agri-tech, and materials science sectors, we focus on identifying and investing in the most innovative and sustainable technology companies around the world. We collaborate with universities for tech transfer and by combining capital, knowledge, and partnerships, we drive economic growth and help to create food ecosystems. Our collaborations with leading corporations and governments aim to support entrepreneurs, scientists, and engineers in solving some of the world’s biggest challenges. Big Idea Ventures has teams in New York, Paris and Asia and has invested in more than 120 companies across 30 countries.
www.bigideaventures.com
Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $50bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’S®, SNICKERS® and BEN’S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles — Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.
www.mars.com
AAK
Everything AAK does is about Making Better Happen™. We specialize in plant-based oils and fats, the value-adding ingredients in many products people love to consume. We make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable. At the heart of AAK’s offer is Customer Co-Development, combining our desire to understand what Making Better Happen™ means for each customer, with the unique flexibility of our production assets, and deep knowledge of products and industries, including Chocolate & Confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant-based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice, and Personal Care. Our 4,100 employees support our close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 16 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers, and with the support of more than 20 production facilities. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has been Making Better Happen™ for more than 150 years.
www.aak.com
Bühler
Bühler is driven by its purpose of creating innovations for a better world, balancing the needs of economy, humanity, and nature in all its decision-making processes. Billions of people come into contact with Bühler technologies as they cover their basic needs for food and mobility every day. Two billion people each day enjoy foods produced on Bühler equipment; and one billion people travel in vehicles manufactured using parts produced with Bühler solutions. Countless people wear eyeglasses, use smartphones, and read newspapers and magazines – all of which depend on Bühler process technologies and solutions. Having this global relevance, Bühler is in a unique position to turn today’s global challenges into sustainable business. As a technology partner for the food, feed, and mobility industries, Bühler has committed to having solutions ready to multiply by 2025 that reduce energy, waste, and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers. It also proactively collaborates with suppliers to reduce climate impacts throughout the value chain. In its own operations, Bühler has developed a pathway to achieve a 60% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scopes 1 & 2, against a 2019 baseline). Bühler spends up to 5% of turnover on research and development annually to improve both the commercial and sustainability performance of its solutions, products, and services. In 2023, some 12,500 employees generated a turnover of CHF 3.0 billion. As a Swiss family-owned company with a history spanning 164 years, Bühler is active in 140 countries around the world and operates a global network of 105 service stations, 30 manufacturing sites, and Application & Training Centers in 25 locations.
www.buhlergroup.com
Givaudan
Givaudan is a global leader in Fragrance & Beauty and Taste & Wellbeing. We celebrate the beauty of human experience by creating happier, healthier lives with love for nature. Together with our customers, we deliver food experiences, craft inspired fragrances, and develop beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good. From your favourite drink to your daily meal, from prestige perfumes to laundry care, our products help people live happier and healthier lives, and we create them in a way that respects natural resources and the environment.
www.givaudan.com
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