First-Of-Its-Kind Coalition Launches To Drive Pet Care Innovation

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NEW YORK, April 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars Petcare, the global leader in pet health and nutrition, announced the launch of Kinship, a first-of-its-kind coalition dedicated to creating the future of pet care. Kinship will build new businesses in partnership with a diverse array of pet start-ups and industry collaborators and will provide unique access to data, science and industry expertise to realize the transformational promise in the areas of healthcare, nutrition and science.

"We're excited about our new global division, Kinship, becoming a unique collaboration platform for entrepreneurs and innovators to create new products and services that deliver on our Purpose: A Better World for Pets," said Poul Weihrauch, President, Mars Petcare. "There are extraordinary opportunities in data, science and connected technology. Match them with the expansive reach, resources and core capabilities of a global industry leader like Mars, and together we can create a powerful force for transforming pet care." 

Kinship will focus on transformational opportunities, including:

• Healthcare: As the demand for new and innovative care and treatment options for pets continues to grow, Kinship and its partners will look for new ways for science and technology to provide pet owners with care options that may more accessible, effective and personalized to fit the unique needs of their pets.
• Nutrition: Given the unique relationship between diet and health and the emerging opportunities for individualized nutrition solutions, Kinship will work together with partners to find new ways to support pet health through nutrition. 
• Science: For years, pet health conditions have gone undetected when better data and diagnostics solutions may have predicted or possibly prevented them. By applying new discoveries across many scientific fields ranging from microbiome biology to machine learning, the Kinship coalition of partners will work with experts to uncover ways to help change pet care through science.

"Our ambition for Kinship is to bring together the brightest minds and boldest businesses of the $100 billion pet care industry," says Leonid Sudakov, President of Kinship. "We want Kinship to become a unique platform for collaboration, where founders, innovators and industry partners will connect to share their ambitions, access best talent and expertise, and engage on unlocking the most exciting opportunities for the future of pet care.'

Kinship will leverage its unique collaboration platform to build businesses like Whistle Labs, on a mission to celebrate life with pets and make pet ownership easier and smarter; Wisdom Health, the world's leader in pet genetics; as well as engage partners on transformational initiatives like Pet Insight Project, the largest ever study of pet health. Those looking to partner with Kinship can explore different opportunities:

• Financial backing: Kinship will offer various investment approaches, including Pet Project, a live pitch event built for entrepreneurs seeking to launch into pet care industry, Leap Venture Studio, the first start-up accelerator focused on transforming pet care, and Companion Fund, a $100M venture fund that provides growth capital and support to entrepreneurs addressing the needs of pets, pet owners and pet professionals.
• Data and insights: Kinship Data & Analytics will partner to support the development of new science, uncover patterns of pet health and behavior, identify and analyze key areas of need and demand of pets and pet owners, leading to the development new products and services that better meet these needs.
• Industry-leading expertise and mentorship: Kinship partners will have access to the industry-leading experts across Kinship and Mars Petcare, in science, innovation, research and development, data, product management and other areas of expertise to help bring their visions to life.

For more information on Kinship or to explore a partnership, visit us at our online platform or on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn ,  Instagram or Slack.

About Kinship Partners, LLC
Advances in science, technology, health and nutrition offer an opportunity to transform the $100B+ pet care industry. With industry-leading data and analytics capabilities, a $100M venture fund and pioneering startup accelerator program, unique set of technology businesses like Whistle and Wisdom Health, Kinship is building the first-of-its-kind coalition of partners to transform the future of pet care. Kinship is a business division of Mars Petcare, the global leader in pet health, nutrition and services, dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.  Follow @kinshipco to learn more.

About Mars Petcare
Part of Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love, the 85,000 Associates in Mars Petcare are dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. With 75 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of the world's pets – including brands PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, ROYAL CANIN^®, NUTRO™, GREENIES™, SHEBA^®, CESAR^®, IAMS™ and EUKANUBA™ as well as The WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition which has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also a leading veterinary health provider through a network of over 2,000 pet hospitals including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, PET PARTNERS™, VCA™, Linnaeus and AniCura. We're also active in innovation and technology for pets, with WISDOM PANEL™ genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs, the WHISTLE™ GPS dog tracker, and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator and COMPANION FUND™ programs that drive innovation and disruption in the pet care industry. As a family business and guided by our principles, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in – and we choose to fight for: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.

SOURCE Mars Petcare