Leap Venture Studio, the pet care accelerator run jointly by Mars Petcare, TAW Ventures and Michelson Found Animals, closes applications for its eleventh cohort on October 18 at 11:59 PM PT.
The program is clear about what it wants this year: science-backed startups that help pets live healthier, longer lives. Cats, senior pets, dental health and allergies are at the top of its list.
The timing matters here as well. British vets have just been put under binding new pricing rules, and in Germany a vet visit for a cat now costs almost three times what it did before 2022. With owners in two of Europe’s biggest pet markets paying more for their animals’ care, startups focused on prevention have a strong case to make.
What’s on offer
Leap has never been busier, with its last cohort drawing more than 300 applications from over 40 countries. The program is consequently moving back to a Spring start, with Cohort 11 beginning on March 30, 2027.
The 12-week program is hybrid, with startups getting mentors, entrepreneurs-in-residence, operational help and brand and marketing support. They also get access to experts and investors at Mars Petcare, TAW Ventures and Michelson Found Animals.
Leap has backed 63 companies across 10 cohorts in 17 markets so far.
There’s also an Impact Seat, which is reserved for one company judged mainly on the good it does for the pet care world. Non-profits can apply as well as for-profits, and past holders include myBalto Foundation, BestyBnB, and Petcademy. The Impact Seat has its own application, but it closes on the same date.
Founders with questions can join the last virtual information session tomorrow, October 7, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm PT.
“We’re especially looking for startups using science-backed approaches to extend pet healthspan and improve quality of life,” said Rachel Sheppard, Director of Ventures at Mars Petcare.
Britain: more pets, tougher rules for vets
The UK has 36.5 million pets living in around 18 million homes, according to trade body UK Pet Food. That means at least 62% of households own one. Dogs have driven most of the growth, rising to 15.5 million from 12.5 million five years ago, while cats number about 13.1 million.
Vet bills have been a sore point for years, and the regulator has now stepped in. On September 22, the Competition and Markets Authority made its veterinary services Order, which makes its reforms legally binding. Now, large vet groups must start publishing lists and providing written estimates and itemised bills from December 22, 2026. Smaller practices have until March 2027.
Once owners can compare prices more easily, they’re likely to take a closer look at anything that keeps their pet away from the vet.
British research also supports Leap’s interest in cats and teeth. A Royal Veterinary College study of more than 18,000 UK cats found that gum disease was the single most common diagnosis, affecting 15.2% of them. It also became more likely as cats aged.
Investors are already backing UK cat brands. Fresh cat food company KatKin raised $50 million USD in December 2025, for one.
Germany: where cats rule and vet bills sting
Germany is a cat country, through and through. It has 15.7 million cats compared with 10 million dogs, and in 43% of homes with cats there’s more than one. The country’s pet sector brought in almost €7 billion just last year, and cat food was the strongest seller in prepared pet food, according to industry groups IVH and ZZF.
Cat owners have also felt the biggest jump in costs. A vet fee reform in late 2022 raised charges by 20% to 25% on average, and cats were hit hardest because their fees were brought up to the same level as dogs’. A basic check-up for a cat went from €8.98 to €23.62.
Since then, the number of pet insurance policies in Germany has more than doubled. Swedish insurer Lassie, which operates in Germany and focuses on preventive care, raised $75 million in February to expand further across Europe.
“A smart world for pets looks like one that doesn’t require families to choose between the care their animal needs and what they can actually afford. We’re committing to scaling that kind of impact and look forward to meeting the founders bringing it to life,” said Phillip Kim, executive director at Michelson Philanthropies.
The wider European picture
Across the region, 140 million households share their homes with Europe’s 306 million pets, according to the European Pet Food Industry Federation.
And those owners are also asking more questions; Euromonitor’s latest pet care trends report, published last week, finds they increasingly want health claims backed by evidence. That works in favour of startups that can show clinical proof.
Some European companies are already taking that approach. The Cat Health Company, founded by Romanian entrepreneurs, raised $1.2 million to develop drugs that could delay arthritis and cognitive decline in older cats.
Meanwhile in the U.S., Loyal’s senior dog lifespan drug has cleared two of the three major sections of its FDA conditional approval application.
If you’re working on feline health, ageing pets or more affordable care in Europe, Leap is accepting applications for Cohort 11 until October 18.
Featured image: Getty Images via Unsplash+
