Mars Petcare, Big Idea Ventures launch 2026 accelerator for sustainable pet food ingredients

USA – Mars Petcare and Big Idea Ventures have launched the 2026 edition of the Next Generation Pet Food Program, targeting startups developing sustainable ingredients and alternative proteins for the global pet food industry.

The initiative, now in its third year, is being run in collaboration with AAK, Bühler, Givaudan and Ingredion.

The program is seeking startups developing low-carbon ingredients for pet food applications, with a focus on alternative proteins, fats, oils and novel functional ingredients.

According to the organisers, the initiative is designed to accelerate the commercialisation of more sustainable pet food raw materials while helping address concerns around ingredient supply, accessibility and long-term sustainability.

The programme will place greater emphasis on Asia in 2026, reflecting the region’s growing importance in alternative protein innovation and pet nutrition markets.

Selected startups will receive mentorship from industry experts, access to potential commercial partnerships, US$15,000 in support funding and an opportunity to showcase their technologies at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore.

Elisabetta Pierangelo, Vice President of Research and Development at Mars Pet Nutrition, said the company continues to invest in technologies that can reduce the environmental footprint of pet food production.

“We are committed to exploring new technologies and scaling innovation that could reduce the environmental impact of pet food,” she said.

Alternative proteins gain momentum in pet nutrition

The accelerator comes as pet food manufacturers globally increase investment in alternative ingredients amid rising pressure to reduce Scope 3 emissions, improve supply chain resilience and respond to changing consumer preferences.

The feed and pet food industries have increasingly explored fermentation-derived proteins, insect proteins, algae-based oils, and cultivated ingredients as alternatives to conventional animal-derived raw materials.

Several major companies have expanded partnerships and pilot programmes in the sector over the past year.

Recently, Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Bond Pet Foods received a regulatory milestone from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a precision fermentation-derived lamb protein ingredient developed for dog food applications.

Meanwhile, companies including ADM, dsm-firmenich and Enifer continue expanding investment in novel proteins, microalgae ingredients and sustainable feed solutions for pet nutrition.

Andrew D. Ive, Founder and Managing General Partner at Big Idea Ventures, said the focus is increasingly shifting from technology discovery toward scaling commercially viable solutions.

“With Asia playing an increasingly important role, this is about building a global system that consistently delivers better, more sustainable ingredients at scale,” he said.

The 2026 program is open to startups globally, although organisers said preference will be given to scalable solutions based in or targeting the Asia-Pacific region.

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