MassChallenge

EverChew keeps pets safe and entertained for hours on end.

Pezzy Pets produces high-protein, low-calorie pet treats made from wild-caught invasive Mexican devil fish. This unique approach transforms an environmental concern into a sustainable, protein-rich snack for pets.

Therapeutic Vision focuses on the development of pharmaceuticals primarily for the companion animal market and eventually their owners.

FermBiotics is a microbiome company focused on improving gut health through natural, fermented seaweed and plant ingredients for food, dietary supplements, and medical foods for humans and animals. It develops sustainable fermented inputs that combine prebiotics, probiotics, and bioactives to support gut barrier function by stabilizing microflora, reducing inflammation, and strengthening the intestinal lining. The company's products are designed as ingredients for food, dietary supplements, and medical nutrition, enabling clients to incorporate gut-friendly components across various applications.

Cat in a Flat is a cat-loving, cat-sitting community that connects cat owners with trusted and insured cat sitters in their neighbourhood. Its mission is to help cats stay in the comforts of their own home while the owner is away. No more stress, no more catteries, no more guilt. Cat in a Flat is a start-up in the sharing economy using geo location search, notification system, online booking calendar and mobile payment. Each sitter can set their own rate and has their own well designed web page as part of our system - like a digital business card. Cat owners can review, rate and share the best sitters and build long-lasting cat-loving relationships. Cat sitters undergo all the checks and are required to write a full, personal profile.

Next Pet helps municipalities to build a healthier, safer, and smarter pet community. It connects pets and pet owners by providing a web and mobile platform where they can help each other, save money, and time. GoPetie is revolutionizing the pet licensing and animal control functions within cities and towns with a next-generation software that utilizes the world's first mobile licensing platform integrates remote pet photo recognition and a lost pet recovery service. It was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Awayte offers pet owners a preplanned platform or services to keep their pets safe, cared for and loved after they are gone.

Aniluxx Biotechnology, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative topical therapeutics for companion animals affected by skin diseases. Founded in 2019 and based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the company aims to enhance the health and well-being of pets by creating treatments for conditions such as atopic dermatitis and osteoarthritis. Aniluxx Biotechnology’s approach leverages a pipeline of topically formulated therapeutics based on compounds that have demonstrated safety and efficacy in humans. These therapeutics are designed to be easy to apply and virtually unnoticeable, minimizing the harsh side effects often associated with systemic medicines. Through its commitment to improving animal care, Aniluxx Biotechnology seeks to provide pet owners with effective solutions for managing their pets' health issues.

Adopets, Inc. is a pet-tech company based in South Portland, Maine, that offers a comprehensive software platform designed to streamline the pet adoption process for shelters and potential adopters. Incorporated in 2017, Adopets connects users with adoptable pets, including dogs, cats, horses, and various small animals, facilitating a smoother application experience for prospective pet parents. The platform enhances the operational efficiency of shelters and rescue organizations, ensuring that every adoptable animal has the opportunity to find a loving home while promoting better care for these animals. By focusing on improving the experience of pet adoption, Adopets creates a vital link between shelters and the community, ultimately fostering successful pet placements.

Buppy Pets is a manufacturer of dog food. They also deliver their products. They produce their products using dried rosemary, dried oregano, and ground cinnamon.

Host a Pet is an online marketplace designed to connect pet owners with certified local hosts who offer a variety of pet boarding services. The platform facilitates alternatives to traditional kennels by providing options such as dog walking, training, transportation, and grooming. Each host is vetted to ensure they are responsible and provide a nurturing home environment, thereby ensuring the safety and well-being of pets. This model not only addresses the needs of pet owners seeking reliable care for their animals but also creates job opportunities for individuals looking to earn extra income by caring for pets.

Dig has developed a dating app that connects dog people based on what is important to them: their need for their future significant other to be compatible with their four-legged companion and the lifestyle of being a dog owner or lover. Dig is a novel app at the intersection of the booming pet tech and online dating industries. Dig has created a community of the most dedicated and emotional dog-lovers and dog owners. Dig leverages the demand for pet-forward relationships, experiences, and data by connecting the dog-loving community online as well as through localized events. In the US alone, there are 20 million single dog owners age 25 and over. Dig connects pet companies with this growing market with some of the lowest costs of user acquisition in the dating industry. Dig users range from 18-75+. The majority of Dig users are 25-35 year old single dog-owners and dog-lovers in US metro areas. Dig’s users are strongly attached pet parents and those who see themselves as future pet parents. Small/medium dog businesses are customers for the daily deal and event sponsorships, and larger pet companies and businesses that want to be known as dog-friendly are partners and customers for larger sponsorships and co-promotional campaigns, and monthly Dig deals advertisement placements. Companies pay Dig through vendors and sponsorships for Dig events, to be featured on the Dig custom-built in-app advertising platform "daily deals," and for co-promotional creative and content for the Dig Unleashed blog and newsletter. Dig app users will pay for in-app purchases and monthly subscription tiers. Dig offers a variety of free features to enhance the dating-with-dogs experience, and additional paid feature options are being developed. Global Dating Insights says Dig "has been a viral hit over the past 12 months, landing features in Forbes, Bloomberg, Cosmopolitan, Cheddar and more," and "CEO Leigh Isaacson is building a highly engaged community of pet lovers and creating one of the sector’s strongest niche offerings." See all Dig press at DigDates.com/press.

JustSpot.me is a company that specializes in developing a smart location device aimed at tracking and locating house pets. Their innovative device is lightweight, small, and waterproof, featuring a customizable minimalist design available in trendy colors. Unlike traditional trackers that rely on Bluetooth or cellular networks, which have limited range and require frequent charging, JustSpot.me's device operates over any distance and boasts an impressive battery life of up to four years. This charge-free, affordable solution allows pet owners to securely monitor their pets without the constant worry of battery depletion or connectivity issues.

Laelaps specializes in the development of high-quality GPS tracking collars designed for hunting and outdoor dogs. The company’s innovative system combines GPS, VHF radio, and Bluetooth technologies to provide real-time location tracking for dogs. This solution allows dog owners to receive location updates via text messages, ensuring they can stay connected with their pets during outdoor activities. Laelaps collars are noted for their outstanding durability, being waterproof and weather-tested, and feature a long-lasting battery life with exceptional range coverage. This technology enables pet owners to easily monitor their dogs' positions through a smartphone interface, enhancing the safety and tracking capabilities for outdoor enthusiasts.

Founded in 2013, Torigen Pharmaceuticals specializes in developing innovative cancer care solutions for pets. Based in Farmington, Connecticut, the company focuses on advancing scientific research to bring novel approaches to companion animal cancers.

PetsEmpower is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting domestic abuse survivors in Rhode Island and Massachusetts by providing temporary fostering services for their pets. The organization aims to alleviate the stress and uncertainty that individuals face during crises, allowing them to escape violent situations while ensuring their pets are cared for. By facilitating short-term foster arrangements, PetsEmpower helps maintain the vital bond between survivors and their furry companions, offering a compassionate alternative that prioritizes both human and animal welfare. This support enables individuals to navigate their challenges with the reassurance that their pets will be safe until they can be reunited.

QSM Diagnostics develops point-of-care diagnostics for identifying bacterial infections, with a focus on veterinary applications. The company specializes in electrochemical sensors and disposable sensor-based devices that rapidly detect target bacteria at infection sites, such as ear infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in dogs. Founded in 2014 as a Northeastern University spin-out, QSM Diagnostics brings together extensive experience in sensor development and medical device commercialization to provide practical diagnostic solutions for animal care.

Dognostica is an innovative screening company that offers low cost, highly accurate, non-invasive tests for different types of diseases, initially the most common cancers. The system harnesses dogs' proven ability to detect cancer, enhanced by proprietary measurements. The founders have developed a novel patent-protected, process which offers higher reproducibility and productivity whilst ensuring high welfare standards for the dogs. Building on the founders' expertise, who have more than 40 years combined experiences, in handling dogs, working with world-leading security units dealing with explosives and drugs, the team has developed ways to address the hurdles which have prevented others from turning dogs' noses into reliable disease screening tools.

Litter One is a manufacturer of an innovative cat litter maintenance system that offers a 100% biodegradable and all-inclusive disposable cat litter kit. Each kit is designed for convenience and includes a litter box, pine pellet litter, a scoop, and waste bags, all delivered directly to the customer's door. When a cat uses the litter, the pellets convert to sawdust, which then falls through a patented false floor for easy disposal. After 4 to 6 weeks, pet owners can simply close the kit and throw it away, seamlessly transitioning to the new kit that has already been shipped. This system provides an environmentally friendly solution for cat waste management while ensuring a hassle-free experience for pet owners.

PetSimpl is a technology company focused on enhancing pet safety and security. It develops Pip, a lightweight wearable device designed to help pet owners locate their lost cats or dogs in real-time, thereby improving upon traditional microchips which require scanning for identification. The company aims to reduce the anxiety associated with lost pets by providing round-the-clock tracking capabilities, making it easier for pets to be reunited with their families promptly.