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Cows do not usually show up in venture capital headlines, but that is exactly where this story begins. A herd, a smartphone, and a piece of hardware strapped to a cow’s neck have turned into a $220 million bet<\/a> from one of Silicon Valley’s most well-known investors.<\/p>\n Founders Fund, the venture capital firm co-founded by PayPal co-founder and billionaire investor Peter Thiel, led the Series E round, pushing New Zealand-based technology company Halter’s valuation to about $2 billion in late March.<\/p>\n Other investors in the round include Blackbird, DCVC, Bond, and Bessemer.<\/p>\n Halter’s product is straightforward on the surface. The company builds solar-powered collars equipped with GPS, sensors, and connectivity that allow farmers to manage cattle through a mobile app.<\/p>\n Don’t Miss:<\/p>\n Instead of building fences, farmers draw boundaries digitally. The collars guide cows using audio cues and vibrations, and when needed, a mild pulse. Over time, cows learn to respond to these signals, allowing farmers to move entire herds remotely.<\/p>\n The system replaces several labor-heavy tasks tied to traditional ranching, according to Halter. Physical fencing becomes less necessary, and manual herding is reduced. Farmers can shift grazing areas, rotate pastures, and monitor animals without being physically present.<\/p>\n The pitch is not framed as futuristic<\/a>. It is framed as practical. Less labor, fewer materials, and more control over land use.<\/p>\n Halter refers<\/a> to its proprietary AI platform as the Cowgorithm, a trademarked term used across its materials and filings. The system sits behind every collar and decision the platform makes.<\/p>\n According to the company, the Cowgorithm processes a massive dataset built from cattle behavior. The dataset has exceeded 7 billion hours<\/a>, collected across hundreds of thousands of animals, Halter said.<\/p>\n Trending: Explore the Fire-Safe Energy Storage Company With $185M in Contracted Revenue<\/a><\/p>\n Each collar continuously gathers data points tied to movement, location, and activity patterns. That information feeds into a cloud-based system that helps farmers monitor herd health, detect early signs of illness, track fertility cycles, and optimize grazing.<\/p>\n This is not conversational AI or consumer-facing software, TechCrunch<\/a> reported. It is a behavioral system trained on real-world animal data, designed to predict and guide outcomes in a physical environment, the report added.<\/p>\n Founders Fund’s involvement reflects<\/a> a broader investment pattern. The firm has a track record of backing companies that apply technology to industries that have changed slowly.<\/p>\n Agriculture<\/a> fits that profile. It faces labor shortages, rising costs, and increasing pressure to improve efficiency. Halter’s system targets all three.<\/p>\n See Also: This Startup Thinks It Can Reinvent the Wheel \u2014 Literally<\/a><\/p>\n The company, founded by Craig Piggott, has already deployed its technology across farms in New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S.<\/p>\n U.S. ranchers alone have created 11,000 of miles of virtual fencing using the platform, Halter said<\/a> in November.<\/p>\n The latest funding is expected to support expansion and continued product development. The underlying idea is simple to describe but difficult to execute at scale.<\/p>\n Turn livestock management into a software-driven system, and let data replace fences, guesswork, and manual labor.<\/p>\n That is the bet behind the collar.<\/p>\n Halter’s \u2018Cowgorithm’ reflects a broader shift toward using AI to turn massive datasets into real-time decision-making tools. Companies like RAD Intel<\/a> are applying similar principles in marketing, using AI to analyze data and help businesses make more informed, data-driven decisions.<\/p>\n Read Next: You Saved for Retirement \u2014 But Do You Know What You’ll Keep After Taxes?<\/a><\/p>\n Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, professional financial guidance, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.<\/p>\n Rad AI<\/p>\n Rad AI’s award-winning artificial intelligence technology helps transform data chaos into actionable insights, enabling the creation of high-performing content with measurable ROI. Their Regulation A+ offering allows investors to participate at $0.91 per share with a minimum investment of $1,000, providing an opportunity to diversify portfolios into early-stage AI innovation.<\/a> For investors seeking exposure to the rapidly growing AI and tech sector, Rad AI offers a chance to get in on the ground floor of a data-driven growth story.<\/p>\n Metals.io<\/p>\n Metals.io is a digital investment platform that gives individuals direct, 24\/7 access to a range of precious, rare earth, and strategic metals\u2014including gold and uranium\u2014through blockchain-powered tokenization<\/a>. By representing physical metals as tradable tokens, the platform removes many of the traditional barriers associated with commodities investing, such as high minimums, limited trading hours, and reliance on intermediaries. Investors can buy, sell, and manage their holdings within a single, unified dashboard, with features like fractional ownership, real-time visibility, and globally accessible trading designed to make metals investing more flexible and accessible.<\/p>\n Paladin<\/p>\n Paladin Power is addressing the growing demand for energy independence with a fire-safe energy storage system that doesn’t rely on lithium-ion batteries. <\/a>Instead, its ESS uses non-lithium, solid-state graphene battery technology designed for durability, safety, and long service life\u2014positioning it as an alternative to fire-prone storage solutions that dominate today’s market. Since launching in 2023, Paladin has generated $185 million in contracted revenue, achieved strong year-over-year growth, and secured a manufacturing agreement with NYSE-listed Jabil. With systems already deployed across residential and commercial properties and a $500B global electrification market opportunity ahead, Paladin offers investors exposure to decentralized energy infrastructure backed by real contracts, U.S.-based manufacturing, and scalable next-generation technology.<\/p>\n Arrived<\/p>\n Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100<\/a>. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.<\/p>\n Masterworks<\/p>\n Masterworks enables investors to diversify into blue-chip art, an alternative asset class with historically low correlation to stocks and bonds.<\/a> Through fractional ownership of museum-quality works by artists like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, investors gain access without the high costs or complexities of owning art outright. With hundreds of offerings and strong historical exits on select works, Masterworks adds a scarce, globally traded asset to portfolios seeking long-term diversification.<\/p>\n Finance Advisors<\/p>\n Finance Advisors helps Americans approach retirement with greater clarity by connecting them to vetted, fiduciary financial advisors who specialize in tax-aware retirement planning.<\/a> Rather than focusing on products or investment performance alone, the platform emphasizes strategies that account for after-tax income, withdrawal sequencing, and long-term tax efficiency\u2014factors that can materially impact retirement outcomes. Free to use, Finance Advisors gives individuals with meaningful savings access to a level of planning sophistication historically reserved for high-net-worth households, helping reduce hidden tax risk and improve long-term financial confidence.<\/p>\n Public<\/p>\n Public is a multi-asset investing platform built for long-term investors who want more control, transparency, and innovation in how they grow wealth.<\/a> Founded in 2019 as the first broker-dealer to offer commission-free, real-time fractional investing, Public now lets users invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more\u2014all in one place. Its latest feature, Generated Assets, uses AI to turn a single idea into a fully customized, investable index that can be explained and backtested before committing capital. Combined with AI-powered research tools, clear explanations of market moves, and an uncapped 1% match for transferring an existing portfolio, Public positions itself as a modern platform designed to help serious investors make more informed decisions with context.<\/p>\n AdviserMatch<\/p>\n AdviserMatch is a free online tool that helps individuals connect with financial advisors based on their goals, financial situation, and investment needs<\/a>. Instead of spending hours researching advisors on your own, the platform asks a few quick questions and matches you with professionals who can assist with areas like retirement planning, investment strategy, and overall financial guidance. Consultations are no-obligation, and services vary by advisor, giving investors a chance to explore whether professional advice could help improve their long-term financial plan.<\/p>\n EnergyX<\/p>\n EnergyX is a lithium extraction company focused on making production faster and more efficient with its LiTAS\u00ae technology, which can recover over 90% of lithium in just days instead of months.<\/a> Backed by General Motors and a $5 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, the company controls extensive lithium acreage in Chile and the U.S. and is working to scale one of the largest lithium production facilities. Its goal is to help meet the rapidly growing global demand for lithium, a key resource for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and large-scale energy storage.<\/p>\n Global Air Cylinder Wheels<\/p>\n GACW is an engineering startup developing the Air Suspension Wheel (ASW)\u2014an airless mechanical wheel with built-in suspension designed to replace traditional rubber tires in heavy-duty applications.<\/a> Initially targeting the $5 billion global mining tire market, the company says its technology can eliminate blowouts, reduce maintenance, and lower lifetime operating costs while also addressing environmental concerns tied to tire waste and microplastics. The patent-protected system is fully recyclable and designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle, with potential applications beyond mining. GACW plans to commercialize the technology in 2026 using a “Wheels as a Service” model that lets operators adopt the system without large upfront costs.<\/p>\n Bam Capital<\/p>\n