“Smart” animal collars will change US farming

Venture capital firm Founders Fund, led by billionaire Peter Thiel, is raising a new round of funding for Halter, a startup that develops artificial intelligence-powered collars for farm animals.

According to Bloomberg, the upcoming funding round could value the company at about $2 billion.

Halter, which is expanding its operations in the United States, makes solar-powered collars equipped with sensors and machine learning software.

The technology allows producers to create virtual fences to manage pastures, remotely move animals using sounds and vibrations, and track their health and behavior using a mobile app.

In doing so, they reduce the need for physical fencing and labor-intensive labor.

The funding round is still being negotiated, and the final amount has not yet been disclosed.

This deal will double Halter’s valuation compared to its previous funding round in June 2024, when the company raised $100 million, reaching a valuation close to $1 billion.

Tags: USA, AI