The Pet Care Innovation Prize and Network offer amazing opportunities for pet care entrepreneurs. Both focus on obtaining financial connections, developing an active peer network, and providing business support for growing young companies.
If you are a high potential or high growth entrepreneur, get involved in one of our events to learn more about the Pet Care Innovation Prize and the Pet Care Innovation Network.
2026 Entrepreneur Events
August 26 - Chicago
Hosted at Basis Technologies, the Pet Care Innovation Prize welcomes you to a fun night of expert panelists talking about entrepreneurial growth, followed by refreshments and networking with industry leaders and fellow entrepreneurs.
** Open to Everyone **
September 9 - Los Angeles
We are returning to the amazing Wallis Annenberg PetSpace and we welcome you to join us for a panel discussion with the leaders behind the Pet Care Innovation Prize and Network. Then stick around for libations and networking with fellow entrepreneurs and industry leaders.
** Open to Everyone **
SUPERZOO 2025 Panels
Missed the show? Explore six of our standout conversations from SUPERZOO 2025 on AI’s impact, funding paths, founder lessons, product design, and a decade of petcare innovation.
Smarter Pets, Smarter Business: How AI is Redefining the Pet Industry
From behavior tracking to inventory optimization, AI is making waves across every corner of the pet industry. This session dives into the real power of machine learning—how it’s being applied today and what it means for tomorrow’s pet businesses. Whether you’re just exploring or ready to invest, you’ll leave with practical insights and inspiration to start using AI with purpose.
Funding the Future of Pet: Investor Insights Unleashed
Get an insider look at where the smart money is going in pet care. In this high-energy panel, top investors share the hottest growth sectors and the strategies driving their investment decisions. Whether you’re actively raising capital or just planning ahead, this is your chance to ask the tough questions and gain valuable insights to fuel your company’s next big move.
Pitched & Picked: What Shark Tank Taught These Pet Founders
It’s more than lights and cameras—Shark Tank is a game-changer for pet startups. Join three alumni as they recount their journey through the audition process, the pitch, and what happened after the cameras stopped rolling. Whether you’re ready to apply or just dreaming big, you’ll get practical insights and insider advice to help your company make a splash.
The Founder’s Funding Playbook: Accelerators, Prizes & Paths to Growth
From early-stage accelerators to high-stakes prize competitions, there’s more support than ever for founders in the pet space. This panel breaks down the funding landscape and showcases programs that offer more than just cash—they offer community, mentorship, and traction. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to scale, learn where to turn for your next big boost.
Beyond the Ball: Designing for Pet Enrichment and Engagement
From treat puzzles to tech-enabled toys, enrichment products are redefining what it means to care for our pets. In this panel, moderated by Alexandra Johnson of Nestlé Purina Petcare, hear from experts at the forefront of this trend as they explore why enrichment matters, what’s resonating with consumers, and how this category is fueling both wellness and sales. Walk away with actionable ideas to tap into this thriving market.
From Prize to Powerhouse: Tracking 10 Years of Petcare Innovation
The Petcare Innovation Prize has spotlighted some of the industry’s most groundbreaking startups—now it’s time to see where they’ve landed. Join past PCIP winners and PCIN members as they share their founder stories, reveal behind-the-scenes moments of growth and grit, and offer insights into navigating funding rounds, product pivots, and acquisitions. This panel is your front-row seat to a decade of entrepreneurial evolution.
Scottsdale Pet Care Founders Panel
A group of Pet Care company founders got together at the classic Hotel Valley Ho for networking and we recorded the guest panel of founders discussing Innovation over the past 10 years of the PCIP.
Past Webinars for Pet Care Startups
Whether you are an entrepreneur or just want to explore what it takes, check out our recording of past webinars and other educational events.
Legal Overview for Pet Care Entrepreneurs
Winners of the PCIP enjoy a lot of perks besides the cash, and many startups believe the coaching and mentoring is priceless. This workshop was part of the PCIP 2020 Winner’s Bootcamp held at the Nestle-Purina Headquarters.
Listen in on this recording of the “Legal Issues” session where they’ll explore how large companies view working with startups, governance, business structure, intellectual property, NDAs, contracts and more.
Pet Care Industry Boot Camp
PCI Prize Winners participate in an amazing week-long Pet Care Industry Boot Camp. In 2017, PCI turned some of the content from that Boot Camp into a series of free pet care entrepreneurship webinars. Co-presented with Pet Age, they highlight some of the skills and insights needed to succeed as a food, treat, pet-tech, pet product, or pet service business.
Reality in the Pet Care Industry and What Entrepreneurs Can Do About It
John Gibbons at Pet Business Professor.
Entrepreneurship: Product/Market Fit in the Pet Care Industry
Carina Evans of Dog Rocks/Podium Pet Products and Kelly Ison of Einstein Pets.
From Bootstrap to Scale – The Strategy of Pet Care Company Growth
Jim von der Heydt of InnoVentures and Hilary Wade of Obe, the 2016 Pet Care Innovation Prize Grand Prize Winner.
Pet Food & Treat Startups: Scaling Production Creatively
Joe Golembeski, Manager, Product Supply Innovation at Nestlé Purina North America and William Madden, Founder of Right Brain Consulting and author of “Separating the Con Man From the Co Man: How to Source a Contract Manufacturer.”
2025 Events
August 27 - New York City
Hosted at the AKC’s Museum of the Dog (Manhattan), the Pet Care Innovation Prize welcomes you to a fun night of expert talks, libations, refreshments, and networking with industry leaders and fellow entrepreneurs as we celebrate 10 years of innovation.
** Open to Everyone **
September 8 - Phoenix/Scottsdale
Join us for a petcare entrepreneur event: A Decade of Petcare Innovation. It’s a mixer, local showcase, and panel of PCIP-winning founders at the Hotel Valley Ho.
** Open to Everyone **
2024 Events
September 5 - US Capital Region
Hosted at Nestle Headquarters, we welcome you to a fun evening of food, drinks, networking, and a pitch competition for regional entrepreneurs. The States of Virginia and Maryland are putting up $5,000 each, as well as Purina’s $5,000, to the pet care founders with the best pitches!
** Open to Everyone **
July 24 - San Francisco
Investors and industry leaders, please join us for a night of drinks, dinner, and networking with some of the industry’s most innovative entrepreneurs.
** Investors & PCIN Members **
July 25 - Los Angeles
Hosted at the amazing Wallis Annenberg Pet Space, the Pet Care Innovation Prize & the American Pet Products Association welcome you to a fun night of expert talks, libations, refreshments, and networking with industry leaders and fellow entrepreneurs.
** Open to Everyone **
August 15 - Las Vegas
At the SUPERZOO Emerging Brands Stage, come see panels of industry experts discuss: “Play Well, Animal Enrichment Developing as a Category” (10:30am), “Are Pet Influencers Still Even a Thing?” (11:30am), and “Sustainability for Startups & Incumbents Both“ (2:00pm). Then for the finale, see three top Emerging Brands battle it out for $10k in the Launch Pitch Competition (3:00pm)!
** Open to Everyone **
August 15 - Las Vegas
We welcome investors and network founders to a dinner on 8/16 at Libertine Social.
** Investors & PCIN Members **
2023 Events
June 28 - Austin
In collaboration with our partners at SKU, we welcome you to our first entrepreneur event at the cool Blue Norther Tasting Room. We’ll have a great panel discussion and plenty of the best Ranch Water in Austin!
** Open to Everyone **
July 19 - San Francisco
In partnership with the Wharton School of Business, join us for a fun panel discussion and mixer to make meaningful connections.
** Open to Everyone **
August 16 & 17 - Las Vegas
We welcome investors and network founders to a dinner on 8/16 at Libertine Social. We will also be hosting a private reception on 8/17 following the inaugural Launch Pitch Competition.
** Investors & PCIN Founders **
September 14 - St. Louis
Investors and industry leaders, please join us for the annual PCIN Summit, held at Purina Headquarters. Speaking and panelist opportunities are available.
** Investors & PCIN Members **
September 21 - Philadelphia
We’re thrilled to make our first stop in Philly! We invite pet entrepreneurs and investors to join us and enjoy food, drink and a great panel of industry experts.
** Open to Everyone **
October 9-11 – Kansas City
We’re proud to be a sponsor of the 2023 Veterinary Innovation Summit happening on October 9th through 11th in Kansas City, MO.
2022 Events
2022 Event Series
Sept 15 – Colorado Pet Care Startup Meetup
The PCIP is heading to Denver on September 15th for a special event to meet the best startups and entrepreneurs in the pet and veterinary industries. Click below to register for the event and get in touch if you’d like to be involved!
Sept 22nd – The PCIP is heading to Canada
The Purina Pet Care Innovation Prize is coming to Toronto to meet the best startups and entrepreneurs in the pet and veterinary industries in Canada on September 22nd, 2022. This will be the PCIP’s first time hosting an event in Canada and it promises to be a special event for all interested in the pet industry.
Sept 27-28 – Veterinary Innovation Summit
We’re proud to be a sponsor of the 2023 Veterinary Innovation Summit happening on September 27th and 28th in Portland, Oregon. The VIS is currently accepting applications for their startup pitch competition.
2021 Events
Summer 2021 City Series
July 29 – Pet Tech LA
Basepaws and PCIN are bringing together the best pet startups and entrepreneurs in Southern California on July 29th for Pet Tech LA: An open-air event at Plug and Play in downtown LA showcasing some of the hottest pet startups in SoCal.
August 26th – Pets, Vets, & Innovation KC
Join Bar K, the Pet Care Innovation Prize, and the Veterinary Innovation Council for our first event in Kansas City. Meet with industry executives, animal health investors, and Kansas City’s pet care entrepreneurs and enthusiasts at one of the world’s coolest dog-friendly venues, Bar K!
Veterinary Innovation Summit Fireside Chat Series
Join some of the most creative minds in the veterinary industry for a series of conversations before the Veterinary Innovation Summit kicks off in-person in late August. For the first time ever, the VIS is opening their doors to both startup companies and emerging entrepreneurs in the veterinary space. Our fireside chat series are an open invite to anyone in the industry whether you’re attending VIS this year or not.
2020 Events
This summer join us for our 3-part series, and be included in our effort to map all the amazing startups in pet care – wherever they are.
July 15 – Collaborative Pet Care
It takes a village to care for our pets, and the easier it is to be involved, the better for pets, people and pet businesses.
Watch Event Recording
July 29 – Not Just Nutrition
Pet nutrition is evolving with expectations around functional results, sustainability, ethics, transparency, and customization driving innovation opportunities.
August 12, 3pm CDT – Digital Transformation of Pet Life
Today’s pet parent engages with e-commerce, orders online and picks up curbside, uses digital devices, books services online, and more to care for their pets.
2019 Events
PCIP on the Road
May-August 2019
The PCIP was in San Francisco, Baltimore, Seattle, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and at SUPERZOO in Las Vegas meeting pet care startups and bringing investors and industry insiders. View the recap.
2018 Events
Hundreds of pet care entrepreneurs, supporters and people in the space got together with the Pet Care Innovation Prize in 2018 at live events like:
Pet Care Startup Opportunities: SUPERZOO Las Vegas
View recap of the event.
Pet Care Startup Growth: New York City
View recap and full video of the event.
Pet Care Startup Growth: Chicago
View recap and full video of the event.
Pet Care Startup Growth: San Francisco
View recap and full video of the event.