High-Tech Gründerfonds invests in health-oriented dog food from Leipzig

futalis offers an individualized dog food that is produced according to all relevant nutritional aspects of each individual dog ensuring an optimal nourishment for particularly demanding and disease-prone canines. Based on nine scientifically proven criteria the nutritional needs of each dog are determined in order to create an optimally balanced dog food. With the seed financing of the High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), futalis offers its health-oriented dog food starting in April 2012.

The health of animals depends largely on their diet. Based on an algorithm that was developed by veterinarians futalis takes into account all nutritionally relevant criteria by producing an individual food ration for each dog. “Through feed rations that are customized in accordance to all requirements of each dog and by using only well-chosen raw materials, we can promote the health, vitality and well-being of dogs and give them a balanced nutrition,” says the veterinarian, nutritionist and founder Stefanie Schmidt.

futalis developed out of a research project of veterinarians from the Institute of Animal Nutrition at the University of Leipzig. Based on these research results futalis offers a dog food that is individually crafted to meet all health-related needs of each dog. For this purpose the team calculates the exact nutritional need of each dog, develops a corresponding recipe and only then crafts an optimally attuned dog food through a TÜV-accredited process.

The development of the food concept which was patronized by the director of the Institute of Animal Nutrition Prof. Manfred Coenen took more than one year and targeted the optimal nutritional nourishment of especially demanding or ill dogs. To ensure this, futalis packs its food in daily rations. These contain the exact amount of the customized food that is needed to provide each dog with all the necessary nutrients.

Hence, futalis complements the product portfolio of large dog food brands that already adapt their food to some properties of dogs. “We were well aware of the competitive situation of futalis from the start,” said Marco Winzer, executive portfolio manager of the HTGF. “The decisive argument for the funding and the success of the idea is the veterinary medical substantiation of the concept. This dog food is not compiled according to the ‘gusto’ of the owner à la ‘my muesli mix for dogs’, but takes into account nutritional issues such as growth disorders, obesity, kidney stones, pigment disorders, allergies, digestive disorders, etc., and thus contributes significantly to the health of the dog”.

About futalis
futalis offers each dog owner a customized dog food that is individually crafted to meet all nutritionally relevant requirements of their dogs. Based on nine scientifically proven criteria (breed, age, weight, activity level, breeding behavior, illness, allergies and predispositions) futalis calculates the nutritional needs of each dog, derives an individual recipe and crafts an optimal food that precisely meet these needs.

Such a customized dog food helps to avoid diet-related problems such as obesity, growth disorders, kidney stones, pigment disorders, allergies and digestive disorders. This increases health, well-being and vitality of the dog and enhances his quality of life. The company name futalis, which is a combination of the words food and vitality, is also derived from this thought of health and vitality. Additionally, futalis donates 5 cents for every daily ration to charitable projects, thereby helping to improve the quality of life of people and animals with special challenges.

Founded by the veterinarian Stefanie Schmidt and the two graduates of the Leipzig Graduate School of Management (HHL), Janes Potthoff and Christian Hetke in November 2011, futalis works closely with the Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics at the University of Leipzig, and breeders of the German Kennel Club (VDH) to consistently guarantee the highest level of product quality.
More information at www.futalis.de

Contact:
futalis GmbH
Katharinenstraße 17
D-04109 Leipzig
Christian Hetke
Tel: 0341/3929879-4
Fax: 0341/3929879-9
presse@futalis.de
www.futalis.de/presse

About High-Tech Gruenderfonds
High-Tech Gruenderfonds invests in young, high potential high-tech start-ups. The seed financing provided is designed to enable start-ups to take an idea through prototyping and to market launch. Typically, High-Tech Gruenderfonds invests EUR 500,000 in the seed stage, with the potential for up to a total of EUR 2 million per portfolio company in follow-on financing. Investors in this public/private partnership include the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the KfW Banking Group, as well as thirteen industrial groups of ALTANA, BASF, B. Braun, Robert Bosch, CEWE Color, Daimler, Deutsche Post DHL, Deutsche Telekom, Evonik, Qiagen, RWE Innogy, Tengelmann and Carl Zeiss. High-Tech Gruenderfonds has about EUR 563 million under management in two funds (EUR 272 million EUR HTGF I, EUR 291 million HTGF II).

Contact:
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2
53175 Bonn
Marco Winzer
Tel: +49 (228) 823 001-00
Fax: +49 228 823 000-50
info@high-tech-gruenderfonds.de
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