PetPax Co. Wins $25,000 Grand Prize at Annual Pitch Competition

Boston startup's innovative pet wellness products earn top honor at Purina's Pet Care Innovation Prize

Mar. 26, 2026 at 10:33pm

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PetPax Co., a Boston-based startup focused on pet wellness, was selected as the grand prize winner of the 2026 Pet Care Innovation Prize, earning a $25,000 award. The company's flagship product line, SupplaMelts, uses a proprietary fast-dissolving oral thin-film delivery method to provide veterinarian-approved supplementation that is easy to administer and gentle on dogs. PetPax Co. was chosen from a pool of over 200 applicants worldwide.

Why it matters

The Pet Care Innovation Prize, powered by Purina, aims to support early-stage startups developing meaningful solutions across pet health, nutrition, services and technology. PetPax Co.'s win validates their innovative approach to pet wellness and supplements, which they believe should be simple, effective and easy for pet parents to incorporate into their daily routines.

The details

PetPax Co. was founded by two dog dads with a focus on pet wellness. Their SupplaMelts product line includes targeted solutions like ZenMelts for calming and DentalMelts for oral health. The company's patent-pending delivery method is designed to improve absorption by bypassing the stomach acid while reducing stress for both pets and their humans. PetPax Co. had previously received $25,000 in non-dilutive funding and mentorship from Purina and Active Capital as part of the Pet Care Innovation Prize program.

  • PetPax Co. won the $25,000 grand prize at the 2026 Pet Care Innovation Prize pitch competition on March 26, 2026.
  • Earlier in 2026, four other startups each received $25,000, mentorship from Purina and Active Capital, and the opportunity to participate in an accelerator experience at Purina's St. Louis headquarters.

The players

PetPax Co.

A Boston-based startup working to redefine everyday pet wellness for modern pet parents, with a focus on innovative pet supplement delivery methods.

Anthony Gatti

CEO and Co-Founder of PetPax Co.

Purina

A global leader in pet nutrition and the creator of the Pet Care Innovation Prize program, which provides funding, mentorship and industry access to help early-stage pet care startups grow and succeed.

Patrick Mullen

Co-lead of Purina's 9Square Ventures group and Vice President of Strategic Planning at Purina.

Active Capital

A venture capital firm that partners with Purina on the Pet Care Innovation Prize program to support early-stage pet care startups.

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What they’re saying

“At PetPax Co., we believe pet wellness should be simple, effective, and actually doable in real life. As dog dads ourselves, SupplaMelts® were built to improve compliance and outcomes by rethinking how supplements are delivered, based on our own experiences as pet parents. We're incredibly honored to win the Grand Prize of 2026 Pet Care Innovation Prize, powered by Purina. As a leader in pet health and nutrition, their recognition is meaningful validation of both the problem we're solving and the platform we're building with SupplaMelts.”

— Anthony Gatti, CEO & Co-Founder, PetPax Co.

“The panel of judges who selected PetPax Co. as our 2026 Pet Care Innovation Prize grand prize winner sees tremendous potential in the business. We are proud to help support PetPax Co. on its growth journey and look forward to seeing how all of our finalists continue to innovate and shape the future of pet care.”

— Patrick Mullen, Co-lead of Purina's 9Square Ventures group and Vice President of Strategic Planning at Purina

What’s next

PetPax Co. plans to use the $25,000 grand prize to help scale its business and expand the distribution of its SupplaMelts pet wellness products.

The takeaway

The Pet Care Innovation Prize continues to uncover and support promising pet care startups like PetPax Co., which is developing innovative solutions to improve pet wellness and make it more accessible for modern pet parents. PetPax Co.'s win highlights the growing demand for simple, effective and convenient pet care products that prioritize the needs of both pets and their owners.