Rewarding innovative initiatives from Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa that harness mutual positive power of pet–human bond Riyadh, 14 May 2020: Pet Me, a mobile App project that will facilitate free pet adoption and foster pet relationships and empathy in Saudi Arabia, is among eight finalists for the 2020 Purina BetterwithPets Prize which rewards social entrepreneurs leveraging the power of the pet-human bond to positively impact society. This year’s second edition of the Prize, organized in collaboration with Ashoka, a pioneer in the field of social entrepreneurship, drew more than 150 applicants from across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, with the eight finalists stemming from the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Entrants were welcomed across two entry streams: Early-stage ideas for innovations and Fully piloted/implemented innovations. The prizes, an investment of up to 100,000 Swiss Francs (SAR 385,800) for piloted/implemented innovations and up to 20,000 Swiss Francs (SAR 77,100) for idea-stage innovations, support and accelerate the most innovative initiatives and ideas that harness the positive mutual power of the pet-human bond for the benefit of communities. More information is available online. “Throughout the selection process for the BetterwithPets Prize, we found ourselves inspired by these impact-driven initiatives,” said Sergej Pracevic, Business Executive Officer, Nestlé Purina for the Middle East and North Africa region. “Our eight finalists best demonstrated how harnessing the pet-human bond in an innovative way can help lead to positive changes in communities to benefit us all.” “Pet Me’s values and philosophy aim to bring to the surface the bond between humans and pets,” said Maram Alghamdi, a young Saudi pet enthusiast behind Pet Me. “During our journey, the COVID-19 crisis emerged, bringing with it fears and loneliness, and we’ve aimed to shine a light on the fact that pet adoption can help offset such feelings. Being one of the finalists is an honor and we are looking forward to impacting people’s and pets’ lives.” The finalists will showcase their initiatives to a jury of five judges during online pitches that will be broadcast live on 3rd June 2020 at 13h00 to 15.30 CET. After pitches and Questions & Answers, Bernard Meunier, CEO, Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe, Middle East, and North Africa, will announce the Prize winner(s) and their award(s).