Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare present next-generation pet food

Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare have announced the three start-ups selected for their 2025 Next Generation Pet Food Programme, an initiative designed to fast-track sustainable innovation in pet nutrition. The programme is run in partnership with AAK, Bühler, and Givaudan, and focuses on biotech-based ingredients, essential nutrients, and circular feed technologies.

Now in its latest edition, the initiative attracted 165 applications from 39 countries, with almost half submitted from Asia – a sign of the region’s growing momentum in sustainable food and pet care innovation. Following a multi-stage evaluation process, the organisers have chosen three companies whose technologies stood out for their innovation, scalability, and potential sustainability impact.

ALT-PRO Advantage (Canada) – Developing a microalgae platform that uses illuminated fermentation to produce and optimise essential nutrients such as taurine and arachidonic acid for pet food and broader feed applications. 

Seaqure Labs (Sweden) – Using mycelium to upcycle industrial side streams into fungi-based, circular aquafeed ingredients that provide high-quality nutrition while reducing environmental impact. 

Terramatter (India) – Turning industrial emissions and by-products into functional ingredients through fermentation, offering a sustainable solution for ingredient production. 

Together, the companies highlight how biotechnology and circular innovation are helping to redefine the sources of essential nutrients and proteins in the pet food supply chain.

Andrew D. Ive, Founder and General Managing Partner at Big Idea Ventures, said the selected founders represent the future of pet nutrition.

‛Pet nutrition is evolving through science and sustainability; these startups are driving that transformation’, Ive said. ‛At Big Idea Ventures, we help founders turn big ideas into global breakthroughs by working with Mars Petcare and our partners around the world. Together, we will work to develop innovative ingredients that have a more positive impact on pets, people, and the environment’.

Elisabetta Pierangelo, Global Vice President R&D at Mars Pet Nutrition, added that innovation in this space is critical for the industry’s future.

’Reimagining the future of pet food demands bold innovation,’ she said. ’Each of the startups bring cutting-edge solutions to the pet food industry, delivering solutions that can reduce environmental impact and address concerns about ingredient accessibility and security. I’m eager to witness the breakthroughs these forward-thinking partnerships will deliver’.

The start-ups will receive access to mentorship, R&D facilities, and strategic collaboration opportunities with Mars Petcare, Big Idea Ventures, and programme partners AAK, Bühler, and Givaudan.

Their work will culminate in November 2025 at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore, where the cohort will present their innovations to an international audience of industry leaders, investors, and decision-makers.

For further details on the programme, visit bigideaventures.com/petfoodprogram.