TechQuartier Launches Europe’s First PetTech Accelerator to Revolutionize the Human-Animal Bond with AI

Barkfurt (formerly known as Frankfurt), April 1, 2025: In a move that’s both visionary and slightly covered in fur, TechQuartier today announced the launch of Europe’s first PetTech Accelerator — a groundbreaking 5-week program designed to support startups building AI-driven solutions that deepen the emotional (and sometimes nutritional) connection between pets and humans.

Hosted in the heart of Barkfurt — a city formerly known to humans as Frankfurt — the accelerator will bring together innovators, thought-leaders, and corporates to explore the future of hamster-wheel-powered tech.

“We’ve seen FinTech, GreenTech and AgriFood — but we believe the next frontier is fur-tech,” said Alice Rettig, dog lover and Managing Director at TechQuartier. “This is about unlocking pet-ential.”

Proudly Partnered With the Pioneers of PetTech:

• Petflix – streaming award-winning squirrel-chasing documentaries

• Deutsche Mew-tual – paw-sonalized investment solutions for cats

• Chewnicorn – Europe’s first billion-dollar chew toy startup

• PawPal – secure peer-to-peer snack transfers

• Fluffthansa – international flights with zero crate fees

• SAPaws – enterprise solutions for multi-pet households

• Deutsche Bork – financial barkers you can trust

• HundeRewe – Germany’s #1 pet grocery chain for gourmet treats

  
  

Program Features:

• PawerGrid – hamster wheel energy to power your smart home

• Bark2Text – because your dog has thoughts

• CatGPT – trained on nothing but disdain and mystery

• FishFluence – mental health insights for silently judging goldfish

• Weekly “Snuggle & Strategy” sessions for founder bonding and fur-think™

The 5-week accelerator will culminate in a “Demo Paw”, where startups will pitch to an audience of investors, journalists, and therapy animals with clipboards.

>> Applications open now!

Did you know?

🇪🇺 46% of EU households own a pet
🇩🇪 Germany is home to one of the largest populations of registered pet ferrets in Europe — with full names, passports, and sometimes their own Instagram accounts.
🇫🇷 France has more pet cats than people named Jean – and possibly more cats than people who actually like dogs. Miau.
🇫🇮 In Finland, it's not uncommon for pets to join their humans in the sauna — just short enough to be safe, long enough to say "this pup knows hygge."
🇵🇱 In Poland, over 1 million households are estimated to own small mammals like hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

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About TechQuartier
TechQuartier is Europe’s leading innovation hub for startups, corporates, and now — creatures with paws, claws, and tiny aviator goggles. From Frankfurt to Barkfurt, we’re building the future one fetch at a time.