AUSTIN, TEXAS — Leap Venture Studio & Academy, a pet care accelerator, announced its seventh cohort on Feb. 27. Pet nutrition companies Bundle x Joy and Blue Pet Co have been selected to participate in the accelerator program alongside four other companies.

Leap Venture’s accelerator program seeks to provide support to early-stage pet industry startups to accelerate their growth. Through the program, selected startups receive $20,000 in funding, as well as access to resources, industry mentors, networking opportunities and brand marketing services.

The accelerator is supported by Mars Petcare, Michelson Found Animals and R/GA Ventures.

“We are thrilled to launch the next round of the accelerator program and provide startups with the resources they need to scale,” said Brett Yates, chief executive officer of Michelson Found Animals. “Our goal is to support and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and help them bring their innovative ideas to life to give pets an improved quality of life.”

Leap Venture’s seventh cohort includes pet nutrition startups Bundle x Joy and Blue Pet Co, and pet care startups Dr. Cuddles, MI:RNA, Oncotect and Tobipets.com.

Bundle x Joy, a woman-led brand, offers purpose-driven nutrition products made with superfoods. The brand’s products include complete-and-balanced diets made with real meat, plant-based superfoods and probiotics; treats made with a superfood blend of sweet potatoes, chia seeds, blueberries and cranberries; supplements made with functional ingredients; and pet accessories. The brand recently made its first foray into brick-and-mortar retail.

Blue Pet Co offers a range of powdered marine-based supplements for pets to support specific health needs. The company’s supplement products are formulated with organic seaweed complexes and micronutrients.

“This year’s cohort is a great mix of industry segments,” said Rachel Sheppard, director of ventures at Mars Petcare and co-lead at Leap Venture. “We have companies working on scaling diagnostics and at-home pet health care, nutrition brands putting the planet and women founded businesses at the forefront of their business model, and a D2C platform bringing solutions to pet parents in Costa Rica.”

The seventh cohort will culminate with a Demo Day in Nashville on June 8.

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