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.

2021 Events

We hope to be able to host events in-person later this year. Until then our events will remain online.

2021 PCI Grand Prize Pitch Competition

The 2021 winner was announced virtually at Global Pet Expo in March – congratulations again to all of our finalists.

View the Grand Prize winning pitch!

Summer 2021 - City Series

Pending COVID travel limitations, the PCI will hit the road and bring industry experts, pet care investors, and entrepreneurs together to a city near you.

Stay tuned for more details!

Past Webinars2020 Events2019 Events2018 Events

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.”

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