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Unleashed 3rd Edition Now Open to pet care startups

Unleashed 3rd Edition Now Open to startups with impactful innovations in pet care
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Unleashed – a program powered by the Purina Accelerator Lab that helps grow disruptive pet care startups – is taking applications until December 31st from entrepreneurs and small businesses that are using technology to help address global challenges in sustainability, particularly those deploying regenerative agriculture, zero waste systems, and sustainable pet food innovations such as alternative proteins, and upcycled ingredients.

Up to six startups from Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa will be selected to benefit from the support of a multi-disciplinary Purina team in accelerating their growth through a structured project over 24 weeks, funded with up to CHF 50,000.

“Start-ups will be evaluated on the relevance of their idea, and the scalability and sustainability of their business model,” explained Sergej Pracevic, Business Executive Officer, Nestlé Purina in the MENA region.

Now in its third consecutive year, Unleashed’s six winners in 2021 included PawPots – a Lebanon-based subscription service provider of fresh, gently-cooked meals for dogs and cats, which shone among 300 applicants from 50 countries for prizes including around CHF 50,000 to upscale its business, and a mentorship program – helping it expand to the United Arab Emirates through strategy building and networking opportunities.

Unleashed sprung from the Nestlé R&D Accelerator in Lausanne, Switzerland, which was established to help rapidly translate innovative ideas and concepts into new products and services across business categories, by providing scientists, students and startups with access to Nestlé R&D expertise and infrastructure.

Startups interested in applying can visit www.unleashedbypurina.com. For more information on the program.

Important dates: 

1 November 2021: Applications open
31 December 2021: Applications close
April 2022: Winner’s Day
Apr-Oct 2022: Class of 2022 Unleashed acceleration program

About Nestlé in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

Nestlé’s heritage in the Middle East and North Africa goes back over 100 years with the sale of the first Infant Cereals in Egypt. Today, Nestlé operates 25 Food & Beverage factories across the 19 countries of the MENA region; and provides direct employment to more than 15,000 people who are all committed to Nestlé’s purpose of Enhancing Quality of Life and Contributing to a Healthier Future. Nestlé MENA also provides indirect employment across the region to several thousand more.

The Nestlé portfolio in the region currently exceeds 60 innovative product brands in a wide range of categories: Dairy, Infant Nutrition, Coffee and Creamers, Confectionery, Bottled Water, Breakfast Cereals, Culinary products, Health Science, and Pet Care, among others. Nestlé Nido, Nestlé Cerelac, Nestlé NAN, S-26, Progress, Nescafé, Nespresso, Bonjorno Café, Coffee-mate, KitKat, Maggi, Nestlé Fitness, Nestlé Pure Life, Optifast, and Purina Friskies are just some of the brands available in the Middle East and North Africa.

To know more, you can visit the following pages: 

Website: www.nestle-mena.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NestleMiddleeastNorthafrica
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NestleMe
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/nestlemena
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nestle-s-a-
Flickr:https://www.flickr.com/people/nestlemena/