Best Food and Agriculture Tech Companies in New Zealand
The 277 best Food and Agriculture Tech companies in New Zealand in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Halter.
When you're mapping the best Food and Agriculture Tech companies in New Zealand by disclosed equity funding and recent momentum, the numbers tell a pretty clear story fast. Of 277 companies tracked, total disclosed funding sits at $198M, and Halter alone accounts for $81M of that, which is the kind of outsized concentration that signals a sector still sorting itself into winners. BioLumic has pulled $26M, and the remaining field clusters well below that, with names like Opo Bio ($920K) and Forever Harvest ($715K) doing the early-stage grind. That one unicorn in the mix confirms the ceiling is real. According to 2019 research, precision approaches to biological systems are gaining traction, which maps neatly onto what Halter and BioLumic are actually building.
The global Food and Agriculture Tech market was valued at roughly $4,200B in 2023, growing at a 4.7% CAGR, and demand drivers right now lean toward water conservation, plant-based simplification, and functional ingredients. So where does New Zealand fit? I'd argue it punches above its weight on the agri-hardware and biotech side, with investors like Callaghan Innovation and Icehouse Ventures keeping early rounds alive. Median install growth across food and agtech apps is running at roughly +20% YoY, which means the consumer-facing layer is catching up to the infrastructure bets already on the board.
- ResearchAndMarkets.com
Our analysis of 414 Food and Agriculture Tech companies
$46.7b in tracked funding; 86% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2021.
Ranked: Best Food and Agriculture Tech companies in New Zealand
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founder | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halter 🦄 Revolutionizing pasture management with virtual fencing and animal monitoring technology | $81M | 2 mo ago | 160 | Craig Piggott Founder & CEO | WebflowSalesforceAmazon Web Services+26 | — | — |
| 2 | BioLumic Programming plant growth, vigour, and yields with UV light technology | $26M | 27 mo ago | 34 | — | Squarespace CommerceSquarespaceTypeScript+15 | 66 patents Seed treatment technologies and genetically enhanced crops to boost yield, hardiness, and nutrition | — |
| 3 | Leaft Foods Developer of technology extracting Rubisco protein from green leaves for food | $15M | 50 mo ago | 20 | — | PrismicTailwind CSSGSAP+17 | 4 patents Plant-based protein extraction and processing technologies for food applications | 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 4 | Robotics Plus Robotics Plus: Adapting technology for a sustainable and successful agriculture sector | $10M | 91 mo ago | 90 | Steven Saunders Co-Founder & CEO | PHPVue.jsMicrosoft 365+7 | 30 patents Automated load scanning and robotic packing for material handling systems. | — |
| 5 | PastoralGenomics Online retailer of premium domain names with multiple payment options | $7M | 132 mo ago | — | Mike Dunbier Chairman & CEO | — | — | — |
| 6 | Upstock E-distributor offering farm products and software solutions for wholesale businesses | $7M | 28 mo ago | 30 | Matt Watson Founder | WebflowKnockout.jsAmazon Web Services+22 | — | — |
| 7 | Sunfed World Brand of meat products | $7M | 91 mo ago | 15 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | MOBI Provider of suite solutions for restaurant businesses | $6M | 87 mo ago | 152 | — | Cart FunctionalityWebflowApple iCloud Mail+25 | — | — |
| 9 | Hectre Provider of orchard management solutions using sensor-based devices | $5M | 32 mo ago | 46 | Matty Blomfield Co-Founder | WordPressMySQLPHP+20 | — | 3 awards |
| 10 | Certus Bio Provider of biosensors for monitoring processes | $5M | 57 mo ago | 2 | Barry Richardson Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 11 | Engender Technologies Developer of sperm sorting technology for the dairy industry | $4M | 120 mo ago | — | Brent Ogilvie Co-Founder & Managing Director | — | 2 patents Microfluidic particle orientation and sorting technologies | — |
| 12 | WayBeyond Provider of crop management software and climate monitoring systems to farmers | $3M | 40 mo ago | 32 | Darryn Keiller Founder & CEO | HubSpot CMS HubAmazon Web ServicesPreact+20 | 9 patents Air quality and environmental monitoring sensors for detecting gases and pollutants | 3 launchs |
| 13 | Croplogic Precision agriculture technology provider | $3M | 85 mo ago | 11 | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | ANDFOODS Provider of plant based dairy products | $3M | 27 mo ago | — | Alejandra Fani Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 15 | Supie Membership-based platform offering multi-category grocery products | $2M | 55 mo ago | 21 | — | — | — | — |
| 16 | Figured Cloud-based software for farm planning and accounting management | $2M | 102 mo ago | 78 | Andrew Watters Co-Founder | HubSpot CMS HubApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+26 | — | 1 launch · 1 partnership |
| 17 | Winely Provider of fermentation solution for winemakers | $2M | 67 mo ago | 16 | Abbe Hyde Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 18 | RipeTime Analytics technology for ripeness detection in fruits and vegetables | $2M | 116 mo ago | — | John Shannon CEO | — | 4 patents Gas sensing and measurement devices for detecting specific gas concentrations | — |
| 19 | Veritide Developer of technology for real-time detection of foodborne microorganisms | $2M | 151 mo ago | — | Gerard Kilpatrick | — | 27 patents Optical biosensor systems for real‑time detection of contaminants and microorganisms | — |
| 20 | Opo Bio Developer of cell-based cultivated meat products | $920K | 13 mo ago | 9 | Laura Domigan Co-Founder & CSO | — | — | — |
| 21 | Forever Harvest Developer of plant cell lines and growth media for ingredients | $715K | 3 mo ago | — | Mick Riley Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 22 | ProTag Developer of smart ear tags for pasture management, and cow health monitoring | $664K | 52 mo ago | — | Baden Parr Co-Founder | — | 4 patents Real-time GPS-based location monitoring for agricultural machinery and equipment. | — |
| 23 | MenuAid Online menu planning platform for weekly meals | $655K | 48 mo ago | 10 | Toby Skilton Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 24 | Scanabull Provider of animal weight measurement solutions using 3D vision technology and AI-powered imaging algorithms… | $641K | 2 mo ago | — | Paul Sealock Co-Founder | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+17 | — | 1 launch |
| 25 | Mastaplex Detects mastitis causing bacteria in dairy milk | $462K | 108 mo ago | — | Olaf Bork Founder & MD | — | 31 patents Rapid bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing kits for clinical diagnostics | 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 26 | AgriTrack Online farm management software for agriculture industry | $394K | 119 mo ago | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 27 | Zeddy Produces and supplies automatic calf milk feeding systems | $160K | — | 2 | Ben Neal Founder | — | 2 patents Automated animal feeding devices for livestock management | — |
| 28 | Biotelliga Provider of sustainable waste and water treatment technologies | $103K | 156 mo ago | 3 | Damien Fleetwood CEO | — | 50 patents Patents concentrated in health & consumer products | — |
Top 12 Food and Agriculture Tech companies in New Zealand
#1
Halter 🦄Series E · Auckland, Auckland · founded 2016 · 160 employees$81.3Mraised▾
Revolutionizing pasture management with virtual fencing and animal monitoring technology. This company provides a cutting-edge operating system for pasture-based farms, leveraging technology to enhance productivity and sustainability. Their core offering includes virtual fencing, pasture management tools, and animal health monitoring, all accessible through an intuitive mobile and desktop app. The system uses lightweight, solar-powered collars to transmit animal data, enabling farmers to remotely manage herds, optimize grazing, and improve mating results. This innovative approach reduces farm workload, increases pasture utilization, and supports better animal welfare. The company's solution brings animal and pasture data together, empowering farmers to make informed decisions and achieve greater efficiency. It is a tech company offering a SaaS solution that transforms traditional farming practices through data-driven insights and automation. They are focused on creating a positive social impact by promoting sustainable agriculture and improving the lives of farmers and their animals.
- Mar 2026Series E$220M
- Jun 2025Series D$100M
- Mar 2023Series C$53M
- Apr 2021Series B$23M
#2
Seed · Raglan, Waikato · founded 2024$641Kraised▾
Provider of animal weight measurement solutions using 3D vision technology and AI-powered imaging algorithms for efficient livestock management.
- Mar 2026Seed$641K
#3
Seed · Christchurch, Canterbury · founded 2026$715Kraised▾
Developer of plant cell lines and growth media for ingredients. The company develops plant cell lines and growth media for custom fruit and nut ingredients. It creates a reliable supply of ingredients, with flavour profiles tailored to application needs. The business uses cell culture methods and natural biological processes without genetic modification.
- Feb 2026Seed$715K
#4
Series B · Palmerston North, Manawatu Wanganui · founded 2012 · 34 employees$26.4Mraised▾
Programming plant growth, vigour, and yields with UV light technology. The company delivers ultraviolet light to seeds and seedlings, triggering biological mechanisms that enhance plant characteristics. This world-first technology is clean, green, and GM-free, offering a sustainable approach to agriculture. The company focuses on photobiology, engineering, and data science to maximize the power of UV light for crop enhancement. They aim to increase yields sustainably, working with plant scientists, agronomists, and engineers to develop innovative solutions for row crops, dairy, and forage applications. The company's technology represents a breakthrough in agricultural science, offering a novel method for improving plant traits and promoting sustainable farming practices. This is a B2B, AgTech company with a social impact.
- Mar 2024Series B$3M
- Jun 2022Series B$13.5M
- Dec 2021Conventional Debt$1.2M
- May 2019Series A$1.5M
#5
Seed · Auckland, Auckland · founded 2022 · 9 employees$920.5Kraised▾
Developer of cell-based cultivated meat products. It claims to offer a variety of protein-rich foods using cell cultivation. It sources cells after verifying the health status of the livestock
- May 2025Seed—
- Nov 2022Seed$920.5K
#6
Series B · Wellington, Wellington · founded 2020 · 30 employees$6.9Mraised▾
E-distributor offering farm products and software solutions for wholesale businesses. It caters to grocery buyers and sellers. The product catalog includes fruits, vegetables, drinks, etc. The platform offers features like digital catalog, invoice, custom pricing, price lists, etc. The mobile application is available for android and iOS users.
- Feb 2024Series B$3.4M
- Sep 2020Series A$3.5M
#7
Seed · Auckland, Auckland · founded 2015 · 46 employees$5.4Mraised▾
Provider of orchard management solutions using sensor-based devices. The software platform allows digital record-keeping for daily operations as well as inventory management. The data for pests, diseases, hazards, and diseases. The software also has a digital bin card system for working offline. The platform provides a graphical and tabular representation of historical data for performance benchmarking purposes.
- Oct 2023Seed$3M
- Oct 2021Seed$2.4M
#8
Seed · Palmerston North, Manawatu Wanganui · founded 2023$2.7Mraised▾
Provider of plant based dairy products. It offers a variety of dairy alternatives that are sustainable and made from pulses. The products include soya milks, soya yoghurts, and soya cheeses. It uses fermentation processes to produce plant based dairy alternatives.
- Mar 2024Seed$2.7M
#9
Series A · Christchurch, Canterbury · founded 2019 · 20 employees$15Mraised▾
Developer of technology extracting Rubisco protein from green leaves for food. The technology extracts Rubisco protein from leaves, creating a highly digestible form for human consumption. This protein source offers a sustainable alternative to conventional protein production. The company focuses on enabling farmers to diversify land use into plant protein production.
- Apr 2022Series A$15M
- 2021Grant (prize money)$5.5M
#10
Series A · Auckland, Auckland · founded 2021 · 32 employees$3.2Mraised▾
Provider of crop management software and climate monitoring systems to farmers. Its solutions include collecting data, managing crops with data, and managing growing practices with data. It also offers solutions for agriculture planning software, crop tracker, and farm management tool.
- Jan 2023Series A$3.2M
#11
Series A · Christchurch, Canterbury · founded 2015 · 2 employees$4.8Mraised▾
Provider of biosensors for monitoring processes. The product is developed in its research lab by biochemists and electrochemists and its commercial development team. The products are utilized in agricultural and industrial process monitoring. The primary use case of the product is to detect bacterial presence and changes in the product to detect loss and contamination. It is targeting the dairy and water management companies.
- Sep 2021Series A$4.6M
- Mar 2016Seed$150K
- Jun 2015Grant (prize money)—
#12
Acquired · Tauranga, Bay Of Plenty · founded 2013 · 90 employees$10Mraised▾
Robotics Plus: Adapting technology for a sustainable and successful agriculture sector. They design and build robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous machines for the agriculture sector. Their products include unmanned ground vehicles, fruit packers, and log scalers, all designed to improve efficiency, accuracy, and safety in agricultural processes. They focus on creating solutions that adapt to diverse and ever-changing agricultural environments, enabling growers to thrive. They offer multiple products and services, focusing on innovation through understanding the realities of farming. They are committed to creating a more sustainable and successful agriculture sector.
- Nov 2018Series A$8M
- Mar 2018Seed$2M
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Food and Agriculture Tech coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
How research on Food Technology is moving in New Zealand
A read on the academic research around Food Technology — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 327 New Zealand-affiliated papers.
- AgResearch89
- Massey University51
- Ministry of Health46
- University of Auckland40
- University of Otago33
- Food safety6
- Food processing5
- Food packaging5
- Food industry4
- Product (mathematics)3
- Food safety1→10
- Food science1→6
- Starch1→4
- Food safety3→37
- Food processing3→22
- Food security1→16
- Environmental health1→12
- Production (economics)2→13
Where food tech is researched across New Zealand
Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.