Applications are now officially open for the seventh edition of Unleashed, the acceleration program of Purina, a leading European company in pet care. Developed by the Purina Accelerator Lab, Unleashed aims to support and grow scaling-up pet-tech startups that use innovative technologies, including artificial intelligence, to concretely respond to the daily challenges of pet owners.

With over 130 years of pet care innovation, Purina continues to lead the evolution of the category and advance scientific research through the Purina Institute. For the 2026 edition, Unleashed is looking for established start-ups from around the world ready to take the next step in their growth journey.

The selected start-ups – up to a maximum of ten – will take part in a 20-week, fully customized program that includes mentoring, coaching and direct comparison sessions with the Purina Unleashed Champions, including, for example, the Italian Aitem, protagonist of the 2025 edition. Specifically, Aitem is an Italian start-up that has developed Laika, a virtual assistant based on artificial intelligence designed to support veterinarians in their daily practice. Laika helps improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in the management of clinical cases, representing a concrete example of innovation applied to animal health. Its presence in the program highlights the growing contribution of the Italian ecosystem in the global pet-tech landscape.

“We are happy to kick off the seventh edition of Unleashed, which over the years has established itself as a point of reference for innovation in the petcare sector. Each edition allows us to discover extraordinary solutions, the result of the vision of start-ups that share our commitment to pet well-being. The success of the last edition of entities like Aitem demonstrates how technology can offer increasingly concrete and relevant answers. We can't wait to meet the protagonists of the next edition” said Rafael Lopez , Regional Managing Director Italy and Southern Europe of Purina.

Since its inception, Unleashed has received over 1,400 applications from 50 countries and has supported more than 40 start-ups worldwide. Many of the participants have continued their collaboration with Purina beyond the end of the program, creating long-term business partnerships.

“Our industry is rapidly evolving, driven by a strong desire to improve the lives of pets and their owners. At Purina, we believe that startups are the catalysts for this transformation – especially as technologies like artificial intelligence open up new opportunities. Each edition of Unleashed brings new energy and perspective, and the impact grows with each passing year. With applications now open for the 2026 program, we are excited to welcome a new generation of innovators into our community to help shape the future of pet care together,” said Kim Bill , Head of the Purina Accelerator Lab. Applications will be open until July 11, 2025. Winners will be announced in February 2026.