The Pounce Program will officially kick off in 2025
Emerging pet brands can be MIGHTY with contextualised knowledge and market insights
Discover how tailored insights and strategic understanding can empower growing pet brands to thrive in a competitive market.
Access to peer-to-peer network of like-minded pet brand owners
Lessons and insights with subject matter experts and peers who have been through the journey
Formulating a market thesis with mini product sampling marketing campaign
Key pillars made to strengthen our community of emerging brands
Risk and Reward of Accessing A New and Foreign Market
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From the valley of death faced by brands and startups, we explore how emerging brands can develop a beachhead strategy to enter unfamiliar markets, reducing risks and gaining an advantage over generic competitors.
Magnetic and Attractive Brand
2
Drawing from Algo’s extensive operational experience in empowering brands across Asia, we share insights into how certain brands have succeeded, along with tactics and lessons on best practices for localizing brand and value proposition communication.
Planning a Success of Entering New and Foreign Markets
3
With insights from our in-house digital success expert, we deconstruct each level of Algo’s Cornetto Cone strategy funnel process and highlighting its interconnection with the cost structure considerations that brands should factor in when positioning their products for maximum strength.
Online Channel
Strategies
5
We break down the list of channels available to foreign brands entering Asia, highlighting the pros and cons of each. Additionally, we introduce localization tactics to help brands stand out and explore new strategies for market entry through strategic partnerships.
Managing Effective
e-Commerce Operations
4
Entering new markets can be an operational challenge. This theme explores how the storefront and backend can work seamlessly together to deliver a superior shopping experience for both new and loyal customers. We also address how emerging brands can manage inventory more effectively.
Be part of our Community of Pet
Brand Founders and Pounce to Asia
An exclusive program designed to propel your brand into vibrant new markets.
You will get:
Immediate listings on the largest e-commerce marketplaces in Asia, including Shopee, Lazada, PetProject.HK & HKTVMall.
Join sample distribution campaigns across 3 markets in Asia and get quick feedback.
Understand your brand’s positioning with our custom Competitor Pricing Report.
Decide how to allocate your growth budget with our Market Thesis Report on completion of the program.
Lifetime access to community-led courses to learn best practices of Brand building in Asia from experts
We are running a giveaway campaign for 10 and a referral bonus scheme. Enquire within!
The Learning and Brand Support Principles that Guide Our Curation
Made together with GUIDE, we are in the mission to help brands to formulate unique go-to-market strategies to reduce their mistakes and risks
Like minded community and genuine connection
Rich knowledge and contextualised insights
Founder-centric business enablement
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the program fee?
The Pounce Program costs US$600. However, if you join before June 30, 2025, you will receive a 20% discount, reducing the fee to US$500. This fee includes lifetime access to the community-led courses.
Are There Any Early Bird Discounts?
Yes, we are offering 10 free passes for qualified brands. To qualify, your brand must meet the following criteria:
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Brand Presence: Your brand has or had a presence in Hong Kong, Singapore, or Malaysia within the last 3 years.
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Product Innovation: Your product must showcase a distinctive innovation—whether in design, sustainability, or a unique formula tailored to the pet industry. This innovation will be reviewed by a panel of industry experts and influencers with extensive experience in testing various products and brands in Asia.
Who should join Pounce?
Pounce is designed for brands looking to leverage digital-led strategies for social proof and engage with customers through innovative marketing approaches. It’s ideal for brands that want to expand into new markets, particularly in Asia.
What problem does Pounce seek to solve?
Pounce helps pet brands navigate the challenges of entering new markets, managing distribution, and keeping costs under control.
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Market Differences: Each market has unique preferences. For example, Hong Kong and Singapore pet owners spend more on smaller dogs, while Malaysia is mostly a cat market. Pounce helps you adapt your products and marketing to fit local needs.
Avoiding Reliance on Distributors: Relying only on one distributor can be risky. If they stop carrying your products, your brand could suffer. Pounce encourages a mix of online sales, distributors, and retail, so your business is protected.
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Controlling Costs: Entering new markets can be expensive, with logistics, marketing, and unexpected fees like customs clearance. Pounce provides guidance to manage these costs, helping you grow without overspending.
What is included in the Pounce Program?
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Competitor Pricing & Market Thesis Reports to assess your brand’s positioning and guide post-program investments.
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Cornetto Cone Strategy Deployment for targeted market entry and growth.
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3PL Costs covered for shipping to designated markets (brand covers initial shipping).
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Immediate e-commerce listings and participation in marketing campaigns across 3 key Asian markets.
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Access to community-led courses on digital sales, distribution, and brand building in Asia.
What markets are included in the Pounce Program?
The Pounce Program grants access to Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and other markets like the United Kingdom, as activated from time to time.
What is the duration of the Pounce Program?
The program runs for 6 months or until your inventory is fully utilized in our marketing campaigns, whichever comes first. Additional terms and conditions will be outlined in the contract.
Do I receive the Market Thesis and Competitor Report only after a year?
No, you will receive the Market Thesis and Competitor Report as part of the Pounce Program. The exact timing will be clarified in your agreement upon onboarding, and the program may conclude earlier depending on specific conditions.
How does the mini product sampling marketing campaign work?
Brands joining Pounce can leverage Algo’s network in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Once onboarded, brands can ship their Sampling Inventory to an Algo-designated 3PL to start the campaign, gaining insights and community feedback.
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Key Terms & Conditions:
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Brand owners cover shipping costs to the 3PL.
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Inventory must have a shelf life of at least 18 months.
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A maximum of 5 SKUs and 0.25 CBMs can be shipped.
What is required from me as a brand partner?
As a brand partner, you will need to:
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Ship Sample Inventory to an Algo-designated 3PL
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Ensure the inventory meets quality and packaging standards
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Provide intellectual property rights for the duration of the program
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Share product and marketing materials, including historical sales data and branding guidelines
How should I (brand owners) pick my five SKUs?
Algo's digital-led strategy helps select five SKUs based on their potential for social media awareness, immediate results in terms of appeal or palatability, and popularity with pets, ensuring strong traction and engagement with customers.
Who is responsible for the shipping costs of the Sample Inventory?
The brand owner is responsible for the shipping costs of the Sample Inventory, including shipment to the designated 3PL partner and any ancillary costs such as customs clearance.
What is Algo’s role in the program?
Algo is not just a community of pet brands but a platform that helps emerging pet brands expand into Asia by providing hyperlocal market access services and investment opportunities. It integrates both digital and traditional sales approaches, using social media and digital platforms to generate awareness while ensuring strong product performance across multiple sales channels.
How does Algo work alongside other distributors?
Algo manages online channels while ensuring that a fixed recommended retail price (RRP) is respected. This approach reassures retailers and distributors that their pricing is protected, encouraging them to carry the products without concern over online price competition. By focusing on brand awareness and uplifting the brand, rather than cutting prices, Algo supports both online and offline channels, maintaining harmony between e-commerce and traditional retail partnerships.
What happens after Pounce?
Pounce serves as an “entry point” for ambitious emerging brands to maximize the benefits of Algo’s community-powered platform. Once ready, emerging brands can participate in the Validation Accelerator Program (VAP) to elevate their collaborative experience.
VAP is a market access support process offered by Algo to help emerging brand founders execute go-to-market strategies based on the Market Thesis and Competitor Report, using Algo’s proprietary Cornetto Cone strategy. VAP is designed for brands ready to commit resources and efforts to further test hypotheses and build a presence in key markets using Algo’s proven methods to break into the Asian market.
Brands that demonstrate strong growth and traction may be selected for the Co-creation Program, where Algo offers strategic capital investment to deepen the brand’s market presence in Asia.
Please feel free to reach out to pounce@algogroup.io for more information about VAP and the Co-creation Program.