Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare Launch 2025 Global Pet Food Innovation Program in Collaboration with AAK, Buhler, and Givaudan

• Building on the success of last years 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.

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, Bhler, and Givaudan.

Collaborative initiative between Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare to accelerate innovation in pet care

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 Bhler 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, Bhler, 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 Bhler 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 Bhler. 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.