Lebanon’s PawPots Winner of Nestlé Purina PetCare’s UNLEASHED 2021 Accelerator Lab Program
PawPots – a Lebanon-based subscription service provider of fresh, gently-cooked meals for dogs and cats – is one of six winners of Purina’s UNLEASHED 2021 Accelerator Lab Program, shining among 300 applicants from 50 countries for a prize of around $55,000 to upscale its business. It will also receive mentorship and supervision from Purina’s Accelerator team.
The start-up, which is soon expanding into the United Arab Emirates, was recognised for driving some of the most innovative ideas in pet care along with five other applicants from around Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa: France’s Animoscope; the UK’s BioKind; Finland’s Pawesomer; the UK’s PuppyFat; and France’s Scorpet.
“PawPots’ guiding mission is to raise the safety and quality standards of animal food by using real, human-grade ingredients in our products, with meals tailor-made to each pet’s unique characteristics,” explained cofounder Jad Karam.
“The full range of applicants to the UNLEASHED Program this year truly showcases how much the pet care industry is accelerating, especially in the sphere of sustainability, technology and data- driven solutions,” said Sergej Pracević, Business Executive Officer, Nestlé Purina in the MENA region. “We are proud to be facilitating the work of these start-ups and look forward to seeing the impact these companies have on pet owners in the region and beyond.”
The UNLEASHED program works to select the most impactful start-ups from across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa which are actively engaged in creating and implementing innovative solutions, products and services for pets and the people who love them.
“We have created a product and service that we know pets and pet parents love. Through the mentorship, network, and connections of Purina, we can now take PawPots to the next level and accelerate towards our goal of conquering the UAE market,” added Karam. “The exposure that we will get through the UNLEASHED program will enable us to build a brand that is recognised as key to a healthy lifestyle for pets; and provide a solid foundation for our next round of fundraising.”