Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare launch 2026 program to scale sustainable pet food ingredients

Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare have launched the 2026 Next Generation Pet Food Program, a global initiative designed to identify and scale new ingredient technologies for more sustainable pet nutrition.

• The program focused on startups developing alternative proteins, fats, oils and novel low-carbon ingredients for pet food.
• Selected companies received expert guidance, potential commercial partnerships, US$15,000 and a showcase opportunity in Singapore.
• The 2026 edition placed stronger emphasis on Asia-Pacific, reflecting the region’s role in food innovation and pet nutrition.

Now in its third year, the program has expanded through collaboration with AAK, Bühler, Givaudan and Ingredion, bringing together expertise across food technology, pet care, ingredients and processing.

The initiative sought startups developing low-carbon materials that could be used in pet food, with a particular focus on alternative proteins, fats, oils and novel ingredients. The program formed part of the Mars Petcare Raws4Paws Accelerator, which invested in innovation to help identify future suppliers and address ingredient accessibility, security, sustainability and shifting consumer behavior across the pet industry.

“We are committed to exploring new technologies and scaling innovation that could reduce the environmental impact of pet food,” said Elisabetta Pierangelo, VP R&D Mars Pet Nutrition. “Through previous cohorts, we’ve uncovered promising new solutions and seen transformative technological developments. I’m eager to build on that momentum and witness the breakthroughs this year’s program will unlock.”

The initiative connected innovators from the human food sector with the pet food industry, giving selected companies access to expertise from global industry players as they worked to move technologies closer to market.

Over the past two years, the program has generated insights into emerging technologies, with several startups now testing concepts that could help shape more sustainable pet food.

Andrew D. Ive, Founder & Managing General Partner of Big Idea Ventures, said, “Our work with Mars Petcare and our partners has evolved into a focused engine for identifying and scaling the next generation of pet food ingredients. We are connecting high-quality startups with the corporations that can actually support these innovations to market, particularly across alternative proteins, fats, and novel ingredients. The priority now is not just discovery, but accelerating adoption and creating a more efficient path to commercial reality. With Asia playing an increasingly important role, this is about building a global system that consistently delivers better, more sustainable ingredients at scale.”

Selected companies benefited from expert guidance, potential commercial partnerships, US$15,000 and the opportunity to showcase their solutions at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore.

The 2026 program was open to global applicants, with a strong preference for scalable companies based in or focused on Asia-Pacific.