SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pet technology brands Whistle, makers of the best-selling all-in-one pet tracker, and PetCoach, the leading pet advice website and app, have teamed up with The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), to present the second Pet Project, a live pitch event created for entrepreneurs with innovative ideas built for the $60 billion pet industry and veterinary practice. The 2018 Pet Project competition will focus on high-impact ideas to improve veterinary care. These entrepreneurs are invited to pitch their ideas to a panel of experts, who will then award a $25,000 cash prize to the winning concept. Each finalist will also receive mentorship, networking and critical feedback to help accelerate their idea into a thriving business.
The second installation of the Pet Project venture program invited entrepreneurs to pitch a new service or product intended to improve the veterinary practice and future of pet health. The top five startups will present to an audience of industry experts at the nation’s foremost gathering of pet care professionals and a panel of judges during the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida on February 4, 2018. All applicants will get the opportunity to network with leaders in the pet care industry.
The Pet Project 2018 finalists are:
- VetSpire - cloud-based veterinary medical records and practice management
- ScratchPay - simple, pet friendly payment plans
- Petnostics - at-home tests to identify early warning signs
- Fuzzy - in-home veterinary care
- Future Pet - SMS patient history collection for veterinary visits
Judges:
This year’s panel of expert judges includes Dr. Marty Becker; Jeannine Taaffe, VP of Digital Health for Mars Petcare; Brock Weatherup, EVP of Strategic Innovation and Digital Experience for Petco and founder of Pet Coach; and Tom Bohn, CEO of NAVC.
How to Attend Pet Project 2018:
Anyone registered to attend VMX 2018 is encouraged to come hear the Pet Project finalists pitch their projects and cast their vote for the best idea. To claim a free ticket to the event, visit www.petproject2018.org.
Pet Project is a collaboration of Pet Coach, Whistle, and is made possible through Mars Petcare and Petco. For more information or to apply, visit www.petproject2018.org or join the conversation on Twitter with #petproject2018.
About Whistle
WHISTLE® is the pet tech brand born out of a love for pets. Founded in 2012 by Ben Jacobs, Steven Eidelman and Kevin Lloyd, Whistle is on a mission to equip pet owners with simple tools that help them stay connected to their pets from anywhere. Today, Whistle leads the industry in innovation with Whistle 3 GPS pet tracker & activity monitor, the most reliable all-in-one pet device. For more information about Whistle visit www.whistle.com, www.facebook.com/whistlelabs or www.twitter.com/whistlelabs.
About The NAVC
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, with offices in Orlando, Florida, The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) is a non-profit organization providing world-class professional development to the global veterinary healthcare community. Its largest initiative, VMX, formerly known as The NAVC Conference, hosts more than 17,000 attendees each year. Other offerings include VetFolio, an online CE platform in conjunction with AAHA; The NAVC Institute; the Veterinary Innovation Council; an Industry Services Division and its official journals: Today’s Veterinary Business, Today’s Veterinary Practice, Today’s Veterinary Technician and Veterinary Advantage. Visit NAVC.com for more details.
About Petco and the Petco Foundation
With more than 50 years of service to pet parents, Petco is a leading pet specialty retailer that focuses on nurturing powerful relationships between people and pets. We do this by providing the products, services, advice and experiences that keep pets physically fit, mentally alert, socially engaged and emotionally happy. Everything we do is guided by our vision for Healthier Pets. Happier People. Better World. We operate more than 1,500 Petco and Unleashed by Petco locations across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico; prescription services and pet supplies from the leading veterinary-operated pet product supplier, Drs. Foster & Smith; digitally-delivered pet health advice through PetCoach; and petco.com. The Petco Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization, has invested more than $185 million since it was created in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the Foundation, we work with and support thousands of local animal welfare groups across the country and, through in-store adoption events, help find homes for more than 400,000 animals every year.
About Mars, Incorporated
Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world's best-loved brands: M&M's®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, WHISTLE®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN'S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire its more than 85,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.