Halter raises $155M in funding as Australian expansion accelerates

Halter, a New Zealand tech company revolutionising farming with its virtual fencing and animal management system, has raised $155M in a Series D fundraise round, valuing Halter at $1.55 billion (USD $1 billion).

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The round was led by BOND, a global technology investment firm, with investment from NewView Capital, continued support from local investors Blackbird and Icehouse Ventures, and ongoing backing from Bessemer Venture Partners, DCVC, and Promus Ventures.

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Craig Piggott, CEO and Founder of Halter, says “Halter was built with our early farmers – we wouldn’t be here without them. We’re deeply grateful for their trust. This capital will help unlock productivity gains for even more farmers.”

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Halter is the leading operating system to run a dairy or beef farm. The Halter system includes a solar-powered smart collar for each cow, towers for connectivity, and an app that lets farmers manage their cattle and pasture from their phone. Cattle are guided by the collar’s sound and vibration cues. Farmers can virtually fence, move, and monitor their cattle 24/7.

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“Halter farmers are more profitable and get better outcomes for the environment and their animals. Farmers use Halter to grow and harvest more grass, reduce workload, increase herd size, improve animal health and welfare, and unlock environmental benefits,” says Piggott.

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Halter is the global category leader and is rapidly expanding in Australia. Beef and dairy farmersin Queensland and Tasmania have been using the technology for years, with 25% of Tasmania’s dairy herd managed with Halter. Governments in Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia are now changing regulations to soon permit virtual fencing of cattle.

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Piggott says the milestone reflects the importance of farming in society. “Farmers are the backbone of rural communities. They feed society and play a key role in building sustainable food systems. Halter farmers are pioneering a more productive and sustainable way to farm.”

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“We’re delighted to partner with BOND and to welcome NewView, and we’re grateful for continued support from our investors who backed us early – we’re all aligned on our mission to support farmers.”

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Daegwon Chae, General Partner at Bond says that cattle-based products generate over $1 trillion annually.

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“Farmers feed billions of people but are constrained by traditional bottlenecks of the offline economy – labour, time, and limited automation. Halter’s vision is ambitious and impactful, to build the digital operating system for farms and ranches globally, leveraging the cutting-edge of physically-enabled technology. We’re thrilled to partner with them.”

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Piggott says in states like Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia – where Halter will soon become available when regulations are updated – farmers have been registering their demand through their website.

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“This capital will help thousands more farmers increase productivity and deepen their enjoymentof farming, in turn driving growth in the Australian economy. We’re investing in expanding throughout Australia, NZ and the US, and in exciting product innovations.”

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Halter was named the fastest growing company in New Zealand by the Deloitte Fast50 index, and is well positioned to continue expanding to meet demand across its markets.

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“I’m really proud of our team – we’re passionate about supporting farmers and we’re excited about the journey ahead,” says Piggott.

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About Halter

Founded in 2016, Halter is the leading operating system to run a dairy or beef farm. Thousands of farmers in New Zealand, Australia and the US use Halter to run their farm, with new customers going live daily. Halter is headquartered in Auckland and employs over 200 people across New Zealand, Australia, and the US.

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About BOND

BOND is a global technology investment firm that supports visionary founders throughout their entire life cycle of innovation and growth. BOND's founding partners have backed industry pioneers such as Airbnb, Canva, Docusign, DoorDash, Facebook, Instacart, JD.com, Peloton, Plaid, Revolut, Ring, Slack, Snap, Spotify, Square, Stripe, Twitter, Uber, and Waze.

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Media contacts:

Charlie Baker
021556267
Charlie.baker@halter.co.nz