Lexington, KY, Sept. 20, 2013 –Lexington-based TagaPet™; LLC has been selected for the Startupbootcamp Accelerator Program in Amsterdam. TagaPet™ is among ten startup companies awarded a spot out of a total of 250 applicants across the globe. The company was started by two University of Kentucky Phis while they were still in school and has since gained global attention. Founders Michael Ward (Kentucky Epsilon) CEO, Mac Glidwell (Kentucky Epsilon) COO and Ben Wilson, CTO will participate in an intensive 90-day program where they will have access to world-class industry expertise starting October 14, 2013 in Amsterdam.

TagaPet® offers electronic tags, dubbed the Argos tag, to assist pet owners in finding their pets should they go missing. These innovative products align with social media contacts to alert local shelters that the animal is missing along with contact information if found. When the tags are scanned, GPS coordinates from a cell phone in the exact location activate and alert the pet’s owner to the exact location. Unique to the category, they do not charge on-going subscription fees.

“We are thrilled to be part of this international mentor program,” said Michael Ward, co-founder. “To be among the other startups and having the thought leadership and brain power of the companies that are part of the boot camp is phenomenal. All of the partners at TagaPet™ are eager to learn as much as we can on innovative ways to grow the business as we help pet owners all over the world to secure their pet’s safety.”

According to Startupbootcamp, the teams all had inspiring ideas. “They came from practically all corners of the world,” said Patrick de Zeeuw, CEO of Startupbootcamp Amsterdam. “Supported by almost eighty local and international mentors we have tested the startups to determine their business vision, market potential and scalability. Most of all we looked at the team compositions-do their skills and expertise complement each other, and are they open to intensive mentoring? After close deliberation the teams we selected came out on top.”

TagaPet ® started as a concept when founder Michael Ward began to think what might happen if his dog Lily wandered from the home he shared with several room mates. He developed the system with Glidewell and Wilson. The team entered and won the Elevator Pitch Competition in the 2012 Idea State U for future entrepreneurs in Lexington, KY. Within seven months of winning this competition, sales of TagaPet™ spread to 19 states. “As passionate pet owners, we are dedicated to making certain that pet owners have an affordable product that can quickly locate their missing pets,” said Ward.

About TagaPet
TagaPet is a pet recovery system for locating lost pets using important contact information, social media and GPS. The Argos tag is available for pre-order at www.tagapet.org.

About Startupbootcamp
Startupbootcamp is the global startup accelerator with seven programs in Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin, Eindhoven and Haifa, and a mentor and alumni network in more than 30 countries.