Petnet, a Los Angeles, CA-based connected pet device company, closed a $1.125m seed funding round.
Backers included Grishin Robotics, Kima Ventures, SparkLabs Global Ventures, and Launch Capital.
The company intends to use the funds to enhance its core feeding technology, grow its team, and develop other confidential projects, in addition to expand commercialization of the SmartFeeder, which is scheduled to ship to customers in mid-2014.
Led by CEO Carlos Hererra, Petnet has received over 10,000 orders for the Petnet SmartFeeder, a pet feeder with intelligent sensor technology, learning algorithms, and processing power that assesses the dietary requirements of a pet, creates a custom feeding schedule to meet those requirements, alerts pet owners when their pet has been fed and reminds owners to purchase more food when they run low.
The device can be accessed and controlled by any smartphone, tablet or computer, allowing all pet caregivers to monitor and/or adjust feeding schedules, compare their pet’s diet to other similar pets, order food, and more.
The company was initially funded and incubated at Bolt, a seed-stage fund in Boston that invests capital, personnel, equipment, and expertise in hardware startups.