Pet Circle

Pet Circle is Australia's largest online specialty pet retailer, founded in Sydney in 2011 by Mike Frizell and James Edwards. The company originally launched as Paws for Life before rebranding to Pet Circle in 2014. The idea came when co-founder Frizell noticed his father had stopped buying their golden retriever's usual food because an injured back made carrying heavy bags from the pet store too difficult. Since then, Pet Circle has grown to serve over 700,000 customers, offering more than 10,000 products across food, treats, health, grooming and accessories for dogs, cats, birds, fish and small animals. The company achieved unicorn status in December 2021 after raising $125 million in Series C funding led by Prysm Capital and TDM Growth Partners, and secured an additional $75 million from Prysm Capital in 2023.

Beyond retail, Pet Circle offers subscription delivery, pet insurance, and access to an in-house vet squad providing free telehealth advice. The company operates fulfilment centres and a dedicated delivery fleet across Australia. Pet Circle is privately held and venture capital-backed, with no parent company.