The CEO Changing Pet Food with Biotech

Your pet food doesn’t have to be the lowest grade 4D meat OR harm the environment

By Susannah Williams

It’s fantastic to have Shannon Falconer, CEO of Because Animals, becoming part of our portfolio of RebelBio Cohort VI companies that are accelerating to change the world of medical research.

Shannon and Gaia enjoying life with the third member of their family after a delicious helping of Because Animals.

The surest way to get Shannon to smile is to ask her about her best friend, Gaia. The two met while Shannon was traveling in South America. Shannon was approached by the then-timid and starving street dog.

Even in her poor state, Gaia was so gentle and trusting. Shannon helped Gaia into a rental car, drove her to a veterinarian who would treat Gaia’s wounds and administer vaccinations, and would soon after that fly with the dog back to the USA.

Arranging for Gaia to travel out of the country in such a short period of time was no small feat. And it’s this love for animals — all animals! — that led Shannon to quit her biochemistry research as a postdoctoral research at Stanford University to cofound Because Animals — a company making nutritious, environmentally sustainable, animal-free pet food.

With her scientific background, Shannon looked at all of the nutrients that pets need to survive and to thrive, and then asked the question: can we obtain these essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals from non-animal sources? The answer is yes, we absolutely can! Now, with her company, Because Animals, Shannon has taken off down the start-up road to make nutritious and delicious pet food while creating a better future for pets, people and all of the other animals on this planet.

And what does Gaia think of Because Animals’ food? She loves it!

Previous CEO profile: Salman Malik

Next CEO profile: Erik S. Poulsen

Cohort VI of the RebelBio accelerator is taking place in Imperial College White City Incubator, London. They are also supported by Capital Enterprise.

Companies or prospective entrepreneurs who would like to avail of funding, mentorship & support for early-stage life sciences they can apply or show their interest here.