Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare relaunch global innovation program to accelerate sustainable pet food

Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare have announced the launch of the 2025 edition of the Next Generation Pet Food Program, a global initiative designed to fast-track sustainable innovation in the pet food sector. Building on the success of last year’s pilot, the second round introduces an expanded coalition of partners and a renewed focus on scalable, impactful technologies.

This year, global taste and wellbeing company Givaudan joins existing collaborators AAK and Bühler, offering additional expertise in ingredient functionality and product development for pets. The program aims to identify and support a new cohort of startups working on next-generation solutions for sustainable ingredients, proteins, fats, and manufacturing processes in pet nutrition.

“Working with Mars last year was fantastic,” commented Andrew D. Ive, Founder & Managing General Partner at Big Idea Ventures. “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, Bühler, 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.”

The Next Generation Pet Food Program invites applications from startups globally, with a particular preference for Asia-Pacific-based companies. Successful applicants will benefit from technical and commercial guidance from industry leaders and have the opportunity to present their innovations at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore from 4-6 November 2025.

Paul Gardner, Commercial VP at Mars Pet Nutrition, emphasized the importance of long-term investment in innovation. “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,” he said.

Mars is exploring alternative ingredients for its pet food products as part of its broader sustainability strategy. With consumer preferences shifting toward environmentally conscious choices, the company is working to reduce its carbon footprint and offer pet parents more sustainable options.

Joining the 2025 program for the first time, Givaudan brings significant experience in food innovation for both human and animal nutrition. Fabio Campanile, Global Head of Science & Technology, Taste & Wellbeing at Givaudan, said: “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.”

The program is designed to support early-stage companies through a mix of mentorship, technical resources, and potential commercial partnerships. It is one of the few initiatives in the pet food space that brings together such a broad network of industry expertise under one platform.

Dr Ian Roberts, Chief Technology Officer at Bühler Group, described the initiative as a “unique opportunity” for entrepreneurs. “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 pet food market,” he said. “We were thrilled at the enthusiastic response we got from last year’s program. It is a testament that innovative startups are the driving force behind the future of sustainable pet nutrition.”

That enthusiasm was echoed by Niall Sands, President Commercial Innovation and Development at AAK. “We are excited to support pet food innovators to bring nutrition and health-promoting functionality to our beloved pets. We look forward to exploring how innovation in this space is helping pet parents support and care for our four-legged family members,” he said.

Startups selected in 2024 included BiomeMega, Anomaly Bio, KIDEMIS, String Bio, and MiAlgae. These companies received hands-on mentorship from Big Idea Ventures and program partners, as well as access to key players in the consumer packaged goods, ingredient, and technology sectors.

This year’s applicants will be evaluated based on their potential to make measurable improvements in sustainability, particularly around the use of alternative proteins, emissions reductions, supply chain efficiency, and pet health. The program will continue to prioritize technologies that can be integrated into existing manufacturing workflows and commercialized at scale.

The deadline for applications is 16 July 2025. More information, including application details, is available here.