Peter Thiel’s investment firm has led a $220 million funding round for Halter, a company that creates AI-powered smart collars for cows.

Key points

• Halter’s solar-powered, GPS-enabled collars allow farmers to create "virtual fences" for their herds using sound and vibration cues.
• The technology also monitors cow health, breeding cycles, and general farm management through an AI-driven operating system.
• The company has already deployed over one million collars across 2,000 farms in New Zealand and is now planning to expand into the U.S. and Australian markets.
• Halter operates on a subscription model, charging farmers a recurring monthly fee per cow, which is a major draw for venture capital investors.
• The company is now valued at $2 billion, marking the largest venture capital raise in New Zealand’s history.

This investment highlights the growing trend of "Big Tech" moving into the agricultural sector to digitize food production. By controlling the software that manages livestock, investors like Peter Thiel are positioning themselves to profit from the recurring subscription fees and data generated by the global food supply chain.