Leap Venture Studio Announces 10th Cohort For Pet Care Accelerator Program

(PRESS RELEASE) NASHVILLE, TN — Leap Venture Studio & Academy, the world’s first and largest pet care startup accelerator, announced the launch of its tenth accelerator program. The program offers pet care founders a highly customized, hybrid experience tailored to early-stage startups, in addition to $200,000 in funding for portfolio seats. The newest cohort kicked off in Nashville on August 24, and will close out in London the week of November 9th.

In selecting Cohort 10, the Leap team was focused on startups working to advance pet longevity and wellness, shaping a healthier future for pets and their people. The six startups joining the portfolio include:

• Wynwood, offering fresh whole-food nutrition for dogs, prescribed and recommended by veterinarians.
• Grub Club, reimagining nutrition for sensitive dogs through novel proteins and ingredients, providing a sustainable, vet-backed alternative to conventional sensitive diets.
• Luna the Dental Vets, a UK vet-tech business on a mission to save pets from the misery of bad teeth, with dental-only vet clinics offering expert care at affordable prices.
• LymeAlert, bringing lab-quality Lyme disease testing anywhere with a kit that tests the tick itself and gives results within 15 minutes.
• NanosVet, redesigning pet medicine with nanofiber technology to make treatment easier, faster, and less stressful for pets and their owners.
• SoluPet, the maker of “Neuronal Defense, the first pet supplement with a science-backed formula shown to support cognition and brain health in aging dogs.

Additionally, myBalto Foundation has been selected for this cohort’s Impact Seat, a position reserved for a company that is best measured by its positive impact on the pet care ecosystem. The myBalto Foundation creates personalized Angel Funds for veterinary hospitals to help facilitate fundraising and support pets in need within their community, and will participate in select programming alongside the portfolio companies.

The accelerator program will provide access to resources, mentors, entrepreneurs-in-residence, networking opportunities, operational support, and brand and marketing services. Founders will also have access to a network of industry experts and investors from Mars Petcare, TAW Ventures, and Michelson Found Animals.

Commenting on the newest cohort, Rachel Sheppard, Director of Ventures at Mars Petcare, said, “Cohort 10 drew over 300 applications from more than 40 countries – the highest number we’ve ever seen! The selected companies stood out by tackling meaningful, real-world challenges for pets and the people who care for them. We’re excited to support them throughout the Leap Venture Studio program and in their journey ahead.”

Jane Lauder, Founder and Managing Director of TAW Ventures, added, “What stood out across this cohort was how many founders are thinking about the full health span of a pet’s life, not just a single need. That kind of long-term thinking is key to building brands pet parents will trust for the long term. I’m looking forward to working alongside them.”

Phillip Kim, Executive Director at Michelson Philanthropies, remarked, “Cohort after cohort we’ve watched applications grow, and this year’s numbers reflect just how much founders want this kind of support. We’re proud that this program was built to support exactly the kind of compassionate innovation these startups bring to pet care and are eager to jump in soon.”

Since its founding in 2018, Leap Venture Studio has invested in a portfolio of 57 companies (including two impact seat companies) across 17 markets, which have raised over $200M in follow-on funding.

About Mars Petcare

Mars Petcare is part of Mars, Incorporated, the leading pet care business behind brands pets and pet owners love including ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, CESAR® and international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD, BLUEPEARL, VCA and ANICURA that span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and the global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offering breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. Learn more: www.mars.com.

About TAW Ventures

TAW Ventures, founded by Jane Lauder, strategically invests in innovative brands led by passionate founders who are redefining pet health, wellness, and longevity – ultimately enhancing the health span of pets and enriching the lives of the people who cherish them. TAW Ventures believes purpose-driven capital is the key to unlocking scalable and sustainable impact. The firm’s focus is on companies that are raising industry standards and delivering the very best for companion animals across every stage of life. Each investment is thoughtfully tailored to the unique needs of the founder and brand, with the goal of fueling sustainable growth and long-term success.

About Michelson Found Animals

Michelson Found Animals (MFA) was founded in 2005 with a mission of saving pets and enriching lives. With more than $100 million committed to animal welfare in Los Angeles and across the country, MFA operates a range of initiatives, including community partnerships that deliver resources to those in need, research that promotes pet-inclusive housing policies, and more. In the 20 years since its launch, MFA has helped more than 8 million pets and their families. Learn more at foundanimals.org.