Purina prize earns KC startup a $25K treat in its bid to help foster pets of abuse survivors without safe homes

ST. LOUIS — As a finalist for Purina’s 2024 Pet Care Innovation Prize, Kansas City-built BestyBnB is expected to receive $25,000 and support from the pet care leader as the startup’s co-founders work to grow their business in a $136.8 billion industry.

A $25,000 grand prize is on the line this spring.

“At Purina, our purpose and passion revolve around enriching the lives of pets and the people who love them,” said Blair Morgan, co-lead of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures group and vice president of strategy and innovation for Purina. “Collaborating with startups that share our enthusiasm for pets and are dedicated to continuous innovation enables us to mutually inspire and learn from each other.”

Click here to learn more about the Pet Care Innovation Prize.

Andy Bond and Matt Krentz, BestyBnB

BestyBnB — a Pure Pitch Rally alum founded by Andy Bond and Matt Krentz in 2019 — bridges the gap between human social services and animal welfare organizations by securing safe, temporary housing for clients’ pets when they are in challenging situations where they cannot care for their pets, according to the company.

By creating and enhancing crisis care and safety net pet programs for organizations that serve people in crisis, BestyBnB helps ensure that clients will seek care and help knowing that their pets are safe, the company explained.

It’s win in the innovation competition places it among 2024 winners from across the spectrum of pet care products and services — from pet enrichment toys, a toothbrush designed specifically for a cat’s anatomy, alternative protein and allergy-friendly pet treats and food, to a game-changing microchip that monitors pet health from the inside.

“This year’s  group of winners exemplifies the diverse range of possibilities in pet care,” said Purina’s Morgan. “We look forward to working with each of these companies to help accelerate their success in an incredibly competitive and rewarding industry.”

Nearly 150 companies from around the world applied for the 2024 Pet Care Innovation Prize. Other $25,000 winners included SwiftPaws (Melbourne, Florida); Arch Pet Food (Chicago); RYERCAT (Vancouver, Canada); and VetChip (Perth, Australia).

Each of the five startup winners will receive the cash prize and mentorship from the Pet Care Innovation team at Purina and St. Louis-based impact investing leader Active Capital. They also will participate in an accelerator boot camp at Purina’s headquarters in St. Louis, featuring pet experts from Purina and across the pet care industry.

Matt Krentz and Andy Bond, BestyBnB; Pure Pitch Rally 2019; photo by Mikaela Wendel

During a culminating pitch competition in March at Global Pet Expo — an annual trade show in the United States presented by the American Pet Products Association and the Pet Industry Distributors Association — the five finalists will present their businesses to an audience of Purina executives, industry influencers and investors.

The grand prize winner then will be chosen to receive an additional $25,000 in cash from Purina.

The Pet Care Innovation Prize is a collaborative effort of Purina’s 9 Square Ventures corporate venturing group and investing leaders Active Capital to support and connect with early stage pet care startups that are currently in market with an innovative business addressing pet and pet owner needs in the areas of pet health and wellness, services, technology, and food, treats or litter.

9 Square Ventures leverages Purina’s knowledge, experience, and financial resources to help emerging pet care startups scale their businesses and make a positive impact on the lives of as many pets and their owners as possible. The group has been investing millions of dollars in a diverse set of early-stage pet care startups since it was founded in 2014.