Smart collars solve the problem of pets getting lost, Jiyu is seeking seed round financing.
Pet loss is the most unwanted yet unavoidable pain point for urban pet-owning families. The scene of owners rushing through streets searching for their medium or large-sized dogs that have run out of sight plays out in cities across the country every day. Targeting this high-frequency demand, the pet positioning hardware track has kept heating up in recent years, yet the industry supply has long been polarized: low-end products are heavy with plastic shells, low waterproof rating and high failure rate, which can hardly meet the demand of long-term wearing; high-end overseas brands have up-to-standard quality, but come with exorbitant prices and inconvenient local after-sales services. There is no option that features good quality, reasonable price and light weight in the middle market.
JIYU (Traces lead home) is exactly targeting this market gap. The project is oriented at owners of medium and large-sized dogs, and develops a smart collar integrating positioning, health reference and anti-tearing alert, which is currently seeking seed round financing. According to public data, the global smart pet wearable market reached a scale of about 3 to 3.5 billion US dollars in 2025, with a CAGR of 15% to 17%, and GPS positioning is the largest category in this market. The project plans to verify market demand through overseas crowdfunding first, and then enter the domestic market.
Three-section titanium alloy body: Achieve "light weight" and "durability" at the same time
The long-standing contradiction in the collar industry is that products made light usually sacrifice structural performance and waterproof capability, while products made sturdy bring higher wearing burden. The solution of JIYU is to split the body into a three-section modular structure, which is integrally formed with medical-grade TC4 titanium alloy and MIM process, with a single section measuring 70×23×15 mm. The total weight of the device is targeted to be controlled below 60g, with an ideal target of 55g, which is suitable for long-term wearing by medium and large-sized dogs. Meanwhile, the strength of titanium alloy supports the minimum IP68 waterproof performance and resistance to daily collisions.
In terms of functions, the product is integrated with multi-mode GNSS positioning, PPG vital sign reference, 4G global connectivity, Bluetooth and NFC dual activation, as well as Hall anti-tearing detection: it can not only track the pet's position in real time, but also provide reference for activity status and vital signs, and send out alerts immediately once the collar is taken off or disassembled. It adopts Type-C magnetic charging solution, and is equipped with two sections of customized soft-pack cells, reserving IP68 waterproof margin for the first batch of mass production.
In terms of software, the project plans to develop multi-language iOS and Android applications, as well as PC and Mac desktop assistants (in planning), to build a long-term data barrier with dual algorithms for behavior and power consumption, and dual models for health consultation and customer service. In terms of hardware security, the product is built with a hardware-level activation lock, which prohibits reverse reading of firmware. Once the shell is disassembled, the Hall sensor will be triggered to lock the device and upload the status, preventing the device from being cracked and reused at the underlying level. The domestic release version will also be supported by special quality insurance, covering quality risks of core components such as battery cells.
Overseas crowdfunding first, dual-track advancement of hardware and subscription
In terms of business model, JIYU adopts a dual-track design of "hardware sales + optional subscription": subscription is not mandatory, users can purchase only the hardware to use core functions, and activate advanced services as needed. The project plans to complete the first round of verification via Kickstarter overseas crowdfunding — to verify the product definition and pricing with real orders, then use the crowdfunding proceeds to kick off mass production, and gradually enter the domestic market afterwards.
Current progress of the project: the Chinese and English business plans and the high-fidelity prototype of multi-language APP have been completed, and the hardware is in the design verification stage; the bill of materials has been calculated according to the mass production standard, the net weight of the whole device is 55.47g, and the median BOM cost is 353 RMB. The project targets to control the total weight of the device below 60g and strive to reach 55g. The founder Yang Chao has consecutive entrepreneurial experience in physical pet food production, supply chain and offline channels. The team is based in Ningbo with 4 to 5 members, and key positions including hardware and software will be filled gradually along with the financing milestones.
For investors, the pet wearable track is a sector that has verified users' willingness to pay — leading overseas players have already made the subscription model work, and the market education cost has been borne by early entrants. There is no dominant brand in the mid-to-high end lightweight segment for now. JIYU chooses to form differentiation with titanium alloy material and anti-tearing security, expands overseas first then enters the domestic market, and proves its value with crowdfunding data. Whether this collar can carve out a second growth curve in the crowded pet track will be answered by the market.