Silicon Valley SBDC
Fido’s Bark
Pet care is entering an exciting new chapter, and at American Pet Tech, we’re helping shape that future by making care simpler, smarter, and more human. Our company was built on a simple belief: pets deserve the same thoughtful, proactive care that we give ourselves.
Created by engineers, designers, and lifelong animal lovers, the Fido’s Bark app helps pets live longer, healthier lives by giving pet parents one clear, trusted place to track the health details that matter most.
THE CHALLENGES
Client was developing their initial prototype of a pet scale to be attached to a mobile pet-care app that they were building concurrently; they needed fundraising, including both dilutive and non-dilutive and were considering launching a Kickstarter campaign in summer 2023. Subsequent needs arise in off-line and online marketing to create early awareness, traction and download conversion to demonstrate social proof.
ACTIONS TAKEN:
The initial advisor team (Jeff Smith, Charles Eason, Paul Bozzo, and Gregory Thayel) engaged to help strategize and review fundraising strategies, investment assets (pitch decks, projected financials) and grant application opportunities. The advising team subsequently brought on marketing advisor, Jenny Huang, to assist the client with their early-user acquisition efforts, using online and offline methods to create awareness, fine-tune messaging, establish influencer (Ambassadors, Super Users, partnership collaboration) and user (app reviews and engagement) relationships, and ultimately drive download conversion. Jenny also connected the client to San José State University’s Business Honors and Practicum Programs and obtained approvals from professors to assign student resources to assist the client with their digital/social media marketing and vet user-need research efforts.
THE RESULTS
To date, the client has created two full-time jobs and invested over $12K in developing their iPhone and Android apps. The Fido’s Bark app is now available on the App Store and has received strong user reviews, with over 2,200 downloads across multiple countries. Client has executed a series of organic social media campaigns to support the product launch, collaborated with influencers, and actively engaged online communities to build visibility and user support. Client also exhibited with a dedicated booth at SuperZoo — the pet industry’s largest trade show — bringing their product directly to brands, retailers, and pet professionals.
CLIENT’S TESTIMONIAL
“The SBDC advisor team has been integral to our success, providing thoughtful guidance and steady support at every stage of our growth. Their expertise and commitment helped us make informed decisions with confidence and clarity.”
-Meysam Daeichin & Stephanie Brooks, Co-Founders, Fido’s Bark
