PetPax Co. wins the Purina Pet Care...

Five innovative pet care start-ups from across North America came together to present their businesses to leading figures in the pet industry and investors, and to compete for the $25,000 grand prize at the 2026 Pet Care Innovation Prize. PetPax Co., a start-up working to redefine the daily wellbeing of pets for modern pet owners, was announced as the winner following the live pitch competition at Global Pet Expo.

Boston-based PetPax Co. was founded by two dog owners with a focus on pet wellbeing. The company’s flagship product line, SupplaMelts, utilises a proprietary, rapidly dissolving oral thin-film delivery system to provide vet-recommended supplements that are easy to administer and gentle on dogs. With targeted solutions such as ZenMelts for calming and DentalMelts for oral health, PetPax Co.’s patent-pending delivery method is designed to improve absorption by bypassing stomach acid whilst reducing stress for both pets and their owners.

Earlier this year, four additional winners of the ‘2026 Pet Care Innovation Prize’ each received $25,000, mentoring from Purina and Active Capital, and the opportunity to participate in an accelerator programme at Purina’s headquarters in St. Louis. The 2026 winners include:

- ChefPaw (Los Angeles, California): ChefPaw is revolutionising pet food with personalised nutrition that saves pet owners time and money by optimising every aspect of home-cooked feeding. The Chef Paw Pet Food Maker cooks, weighs and mixes fresh ingredients, working hand-in-hand with the Chef Paw nutrition app.

- CoVetAI (Toronto, Ontario): Developed by vets for vets, CoVet is an AI-powered clinical co-pilot designed to reduce administrative burdens and prevent burnout.

- Innovative Pet Lab (Norcross, Georgia): Simple at-home tests: By transforming extensive biomarker data into clear, actionable insights, the company is challenging long-held assumptions about pet health and making veterinary medicine more accessible through non-invasive tests designed for modern pet families.

- Pawsitive (Austin, Texas): Pawsitive Touch combines technology and neuroscience in the field of wellness to address stress and behavioural issues in dogs – with its patented, wearable smart device Touch One and SaaS platform.

The Pet Care Innovation Prize, now in its tenth year, was launched by Purina’s 9SquareVentures group in collaboration with Active Capital to support early-stage start-ups developing meaningful solutions in the areas of animal health, nutrition, services and technology.

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