investing organizations

To apply, you’ll need a brief description of your idea, your organization’s Tax ID number (EIN) and a link to a 1-3 minute video of you pitching your lifesaving idea. This does not need to be a professional video—it can be shot with your phone or camera. We want to hear you directly tell us about your idea and why it is needed, and also get a sense of how you’ll perform under pressure, pitching in front of a live audience. This is your opportunity to shine and raise money to save lives!

We’ll select 2 finalists with the best ideas to pitch to our innovation investors live and we’ll choose 6 to 12 additional ideas to compete for our Wild Card spot. The Wild Card winner will join the other two finalists.

U.S. based nonprofit or municipal animal welfare organizations with a primary mission of saving companion animals (including community cats) and for-profit entities with a primary purpose of saving animal lives are encouraged to apply. Pitches must come from an authorized representative of the organization or company. Any investment to a for-profit company will be restricted for use applied to the animal welfare lifesaving idea.

Organizations can submit up to 2 ideas but only one can be selected as a finalist.

Finalists and submitters from last year are encouraged to submit their ideas again with an improved pitch.
Deadline to apply is 5PM PT/8PM ET on Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

Innovation starts with initiative, so please do your best to complete the application without our assistance. We cannot guarantee responses to all inquiries.

The Wild Card Voting Round will take place following the selection of the two finalists.

Voters for Wild Card voting must participate via the gallery poll. Only one vote per entry will be recorded. Voters must verify email address to vote. Voting is limited to those within the United States. The gallery poll will be accessible via pcfdev.wpengine.com/vote. Offering incentives for voting, paying for votes or voting on behalf of another person is not permitted. Petco Love reserves the right to remove fraudulent votes. Organizations can be disqualified from the voting round for violating the above rules.

What is the Wildcard Voting Round?
The Wildcard Voting Round gives the public the opportunity to select the final presenter out of six wildcard contenders. The pitch with the most verified votes between noon CT on March 9 and noon CT on March 27 will get the opportunity to pitch their idea to the Innovation Investors.

How Do I Vote?
Visit pcfdev.wpengine.com/vote to learn more about the six finalists. After you choose your favorite, simply enter your email address and click “vote” and “send confirmation email”. Go to your email inbox and confirm your vote.

Voters may only cast votes on their own behalf and are not permitted to use multiple/different email addresses. Any voter who enters more than once or uses any device or artifice to circumvent the Official Rules may be disqualified and have their votes void. Petco Love reserves the right to remove fraudulent votes and disqualify organizations from the Innovation Showdown People’s Choice voting.

Who is eligible to vote?
Voting is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico with a valid email address.

Can I vote for more than one pitch?
Absolutely! You are more than welcome to vote for more than one idea. However, you will only be able to vote for each pitch once.

May I enter a vote on behalf of someone other than myself?
No, you may only vote once on behalf of yourself once using your own email address.

Am I able to vote with more than one email address?
No, voting with multiple email addresses is not be permitted.

I clicked “Send Confirmation Email” but never received a link to confirm my vote. Can you help?
In most cases, the link may have been sent to your junk or spam folders. If you are still unable to confirm your vote, email us at foundationevents@petcolove.org.