New Zealand-based dairy tech company Herd-i has raised USD $2.5m from overseas venture capital and is now opening a second round of USD $2.5m, this time focused on New Zealand investors, to support its expansion into the United States, with a launch planned for early 2026.
Herd-i’s AI-led system detects lameness early and provides daily Body Condition Scores (BCS), already delivering proven productivity gains on New Zealand farms. These insights enable farmers to improve herd wellbeing, boost milk production, enhance reproductive performance, optimise feed management, and allocate labour more effectively.
“This system is already proving itself to be a real game-changer,” says Karl Jameson, Director of the Christchurch-based company. “And we’ve had strong interest from New Zealanders wanting to be part of ag innovation born and bred here in NZ.”
“I've seen various industry estimates over the years that lameness alone costs the American dairy industry over a billion dollars a year, with poor BCS monitoring adding significantly to that economic impact,” he adds. “We’re building solutions that directly address these inefficiencies.”
Herd-i is the world’s first AI technology to analyse dairy cow gait using both a side view and a 45° rear view as cows exit the milking facility after milking, setting a new standard in accurate modelling. The system is independently validated by expert veterinarians and has processed nearly 20 million scores across lameness and BCS, making it the largest dataset of its kind in the world.
The company will begin installing its first cameras on US farms later this year to collect data and adapt its models for local conditions, which will be important groundwork for a full market launch in 2026.
“With over 14 million dairy cows between New Zealand and the United States, the scale of opportunity for Herd-i is immense,” says Chairman Peter Mitchell. “These solutions are not just scientifically validated — they’re delivering real, tangible value to farmers.
“What sets Herd-i apart is the precision and reliability of our AI-led approach. Our focus remains on scaling our two core products while also exploring adjacent innovations built on our proprietary data platform. We have the right team, the right technology, and
a clear vision. Now we’re looking for local investors who share our belief in the power of New Zealand ingenuity — and who want to be part of a world-class agritech success.”
The company continues to scale installations across New Zealand and is backed by a senior team with global experience in AI, machine learning, business strategy and finance.
“The Herd-i products have improved immensely over the last two or three years, particularly with the support of some key new players in the team,” says Karl. “The scalability of our technology makes expansion both here and in the US achievable — and exciting.”
“We already have VC interest in this second tranche from the US, which is incredibly encouraging,” he adds. “Now we’d love to see more Kiwis come on board. I’d be more than happy to talk.”
