09.00 – Registration & networking

09.45 – Welcome address – Nigel Baker, CEO, Pet Industry Federation

Morning Sessions

Attracting Customers First: Key Strategies for Pet Business Growth

Building a strong customer base and securing the right funding are key to long-term growth in your pet business. Whether you’re seeking investment or exploring alternative sources of funding, this panel will dive into how “bootstrapping,” focusing on brand building, customer acquisition and revenue generation, can lay the groundwork for success. Learn how to prove market demand, attract funding when the time is right, and position your pet business for sustainable growth.

Panellists include:
Rachel Duffy, Commercial Director, NDFD (Naked Dog)

Claire Hunter, Owner, Founder & MD Claire’s Comfy Canines

David Brown, Co-Founder, By Teddy

Funding Your Pet Business: Exploring Accessible Finance Options

Explore practical funding options for pet businesses, including grants, loans, equity funding and debt finance . Our expert panel will share strategies for securing the right financial support, which will help you make informed decisions on where to seek funding that best suits your business needs.

Panellists include:

Amrit Sami, Investor, Mercia Ventures

Jolian Howell, Co-Founder, Animal Health Angels

Scott Kirby, Founder, Go Raised

Debbie Lewis, Accelerator Community Manager, NatWest Group

Lewis Stringer, Senior Manager, British Business Bank 

Mike Price, Founder and MD of MPA Group

Turbocharging Your Business Growth

Martin Spiller – Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Cranfield University

Want to grow your pet business? Join Martin Spiller,  as he shares easy-to-follow strategies to help you expand and succeed in the pet industry. Get practical tips on how to take your business to the next level and stand out in a competitive market.

Lunch and networking

Worldpay Experience Zone

During lunch breaks on both days, Worldpay will be offering delegates the chance to test and try out their latest payment solutions. Visit the Worldpay Experience Zone to explore the solutions designed to streamline your payment processes and enhance your business operations.

Afternoon Sessions

Innovation Pitches

A showcase of cutting-edge ideas shaping the future of the pet industry. On both days, six selected finalists will present their latest innovations in 10-minute pitches, covering product, tech, or service. After each presentation, the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and vote for their favourite innovation. This is your chance to see what’s new, meet the founders pushing the boundaries of pet care, and get an exclusive first look at the next big thing in the pet industry.

Finalists presenting on Thursday:

1. Indoorcat Ltd – Ready Grown Cat Grass
2. Inventor Cat – Dental Wand
3. Pet Trust UK – Centralised Pet Database
4. Petcare Technologies Ltd – Pawpal Booking App for Pet Professionals
5. Petscribers – Petscribers prescription platform
6. The Clorox Company – Ever Clean Senior Cat

Refreshments and networking

Delegate Workshops.  Choose one session to attend.

Meeting Room 1 – Pivoting and Diversifying your business model workshop.

Hosted by Debbie Lewis, NatWest Group

Meeting Room 2 – Maximising your growth potential: Key legal considerations for launching and scaling your pet business. An overview of:

• protecting and enforcing rights in your brand;
• commercial contracting best practice;
• staying on the right side of consumer and marketing laws;
• ensuring product/services regulatory compliance; and
• expanding your business through franchising

Hosted by Bird & Bird International Law Firm

How pet brands are using sampling to grow in a more reliable way

Matthew Huntly is the co-founder and CEO of Sampl, a digital product sampling platform used by over 250 marketing and media teams. Before starting Sampl, Matthew spent more than a decade in digital marketing and media. He set up Sampl to improve how brands reach the right people and understand what happens after someone tries their product. 

Confessions of a Pet Entrepreneur: Lessons on Scaling a Business

In this engaging session, Liz Stout, Creative Director at Nobull, will be interviewing Gemma Stocks, Founder of Herbal Dog Co, about her journey as a pet entrepreneur. They’ll chat about the challenges Gemma has faced, pivotal moments in her business growth, and the hard-earned lessons she’s learned while scaling her business. Don’t miss this candid conversation filled with valuable insights for anyone looking to grow a pet business.

18.00 – Close

19.30 – Networking BBQ