Investment led by Companion Fund, launched by Mars and Digitalis Ventures, comes as Sparkle surpasses 600 franchise licenses awarded and enters its next phase of national expansion.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sparkle Grooming Co. (Sparkle), the wellness-focused dog grooming franchise pioneering the Quick-Service Pet Care (QSPC) category, today announced it has secured $6 million in strategic growth financing led by Companion Fund, the venture capital fund managed by Digitalis Ventures in partnership with Mars Petcare.
The investment comes as Sparkle enters its next stage of national growth after surpassing 600 licenses awarded in just 24 months to multi-unit franchise partners nationwide. The financing will help strengthen the platform behind that momentum, giving Sparkle greater capacity to support franchise partners, accelerate expansion and scale the system with discipline.
“The significance of this investment goes well beyond the capital,” said Ben Crawford, co-founder and CEO of Sparkle Grooming Co. “Digitalis brings deep experience across pet care and animal health, along with a perspective that is highly relevant to where we believe this industry is going. Their investment is meaningful validation of the model we are building and gives us additional resources to strengthen the business for what comes next.”
Sparkle was founded to modernize a highly fragmented category by making routine hygiene and grooming a more consistent part of a dog’s overall wellness. Its QSPC model combines recurring memberships, standardized operating systems, proprietary technology and a hospitality-driven customer experience designed to move the category from a transactional service to a routine, trusted care experience while creating a more repeatable business model for franchise owners.
“What stood out to us about Sparkle was the combination of a differentiated consumer proposition and a team that understands how to build and scale a franchise system,” said Ben Jacobs, partner at Digitalis Ventures. “They have demonstrated strong early adoption while remaining focused on the capabilities required to build a durable business over the long term.”
With 10 salons currently open and a growing pipeline preparing to launch across the country, Sparkle is entering its next phase of unit expansion. The company expects to finish 2026 with at least 20 salons open and more than 30 additional openings planned for 2027. Sparkle also continues to pursue select multi-unit franchise partners in priority markets.
For franchise opportunities and more information about Sparkle, visit sparkledogcare.com.
About Sparkle Grooming Co.
Founded in 2022, Sparkle Grooming Co. is a wellness-focused dog grooming franchise redefining routine pet care through a modern, membership-driven model. As the creator of Quick-Service Pet Care (QSPC), Sparkle combines high-quality hygiene and grooming, proprietary technology and hospitality-led service to create a more consistent, trusted care experience for pets, pet parents and franchise partners. Learn more at sparkledogcare.com.
About Digitalis Ventures
Digitalis Ventures invests in companies addressing complex problems in human and animal health. Through its Companion Funds, the firm invests in companies leveraging science, technology and design to improve animal health and supports founders across stages of company development. Companion Fund was launched by Mars and Digitalis to back companies using science, technology and design to improve the lives of pets, pet owners and veterinarians. Learn more at digitalisventures.com.
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SOURCE Sparkle Grooming Corp.
