PetPax Co., a U.S.-based pet wellness startup, was named the grand prize winner of the 2026 Purina Pet Care Innovation Prize following a live pitch competition at Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida, U.S.
The company, founded by two dog owners, produces SupplaMelts, a line of fast-dissolving oral thin-film supplements for dogs. Its patent-pending delivery method is designed to improve absorption by bypassing stomach acid. Products include ZenMelts for calming and DentalMelts for oral health.
PetPax previously received $25,000 in non-dilutive funding and mentorship through the Pet Care Innovation Prize program, selected from more than 200 applicants worldwide. The grand prize win adds another $25,000.
"At PetPax Co., we believe pet wellness should be simple, effective, and actually doable in real life," said Anthony Gatti, CEO and co-founder. "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," Gatti continued. "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.
"It comes at a really exciting moment for PetPax Co. as we see strong momentum across the business, with accelerating growth, an active pre-seed raise and expanding distribution," he added. "Purina's continued support helps us scale that impact and bring low-lift, high-impact wellness to more dogs and their humans."
Earlier this year, four additional 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 2026 winners include:
- ChefPaw (Los Angeles, California, U.S.): ChefPaw makes a pet food appliance that cooks, weighs and mixes fresh ingredients for homemade pet meals. The device works with the ChefPaw nutrition app, which guides users through recipe creation, portioning and step-by-step cooking.
- CoVetAI Inc. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): CoVet is an AI-powered platform built for veterinary professionals that automates SOAP notes, transcribes consultations and streamlines client communication. The company says the platform saves veterinary professionals and students more than two hours per day.
- Innovative Pet Lab, Inc. (Norcross, Georgia, U.S.): Innovative Pet Lab is a women-owned pet health company that offers at-home biomarker testing for pets. The company translates test results into actionable health insights for pet owners.
- Pawsitive Inc. (Austin, Texas, U.S.): PawsitiveTouch makes a smart wearable and software platform designed to monitor and address stress and behavioral challenges in dogs. The company says its TouchOne device moves beyond passive monitoring to intervene in real time.
"The panel of judges who selected PetPax Co. as our 2026 Pet Care Innovation Prize grand prize winner sees tremendous potential in the business," said Patrick Mullen, co-lead of Purina's 9Square Ventures group and vice president of strategic planning at Purina. "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."
Now in its 10th year, the Pet Care Innovation Prize was created by Purina's 9Square Ventures group in partnership with Active Capital to support early-stage startups in pet health, nutrition, services and technology. The program provides funding, mentorship and industry access to founders.
For more information, visit PetCareInnovation.net.
