Aussie livestock tech company tags Johnson County for its new North American HQ

January 29, 2025  |  Startland News Staff

David and Melita Smith, Ceres Tag; courtesy photo

An Australian leader in direct-to-satellite animal monitoring technology announced its plans Wednesday to establish North American headquarters at the Aspiria Campus in Overland Park — bringing a half-dozen jobs and paving the way for more tech innovators from Australia to land in the local market.

“The Kansas City region was the clear choice,” said David Smith, founder and CEO of Ceres Tag, which makes durable, solar-charged smart monitoring sensors that can be attached to wildlife or livestock. “This region offers the perfect environment to grow our presence and deliver our groundbreaking technology — poised to transform animal health science for businesses across North America.”

Ceres Tag flagship product; courtesy image

Founded by Smith and his wife, Melita, in 2016, the company offers insights previously unavailable to farmers, ranchers and wildlife managers to improve productivity, profits and conservation. By delivering plug-and-play solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing software systems, Ceres Tag empowers a variety of end-users with a scalable and less-intrusive approach to animal monitoring, boosting productivity and profitability.

Its new headquarters will initially support four to six employees, with additional sales representatives positioned strategically across the United States.

The move further strengthens the Kansas City region as a hub for animal health technology and innovation, said Kimberly Young, president of the KC Animal Health Corridor, an affiliate of the Kansas City Area Development Council.

“Ceres Tag’s investment in our region reinforces our global reputation as a leader in animal health innovation,” she explained. “Representing 56 percent of total worldwide animal health, diagnostics and pet food sales, the Animal Health Corridor is home to some of the most cutting-edge technology in our industry, and we’re thrilled to welcome Ceres Tag to our robust network.”

With headquarters in Kansas City, Ceres Tag is actively seeking partnerships with businesses across the animal health sector to enhance insights and improve customer outcomes.

Young animal health professionals, digital natives with a heightened focus on animal welfare, represent a key demographic for Ceres Tag’s technology, the company said. By improving market access and providing unprecedented insights into animal health and performance, Ceres Tag equips ranchers, farmers and more with the tools they need to adapt to evolving industry demands and ensure optimized solutions for their own businesses and customers.

Click here to learn more about Ceres Tag.

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

2025 Startups to Watch

    stats here

    Related Posts on Startland News

    Kearra Johnson, Revolution Card Deck, Studio Lo

    KC designer’s new deck of cards celebrates Black icons who refused to play the hands they were dealt

    By Tommy Felts | February 10, 2021

    Learning and celebrating Black history should be in the cards for more than just the month of February, Kearra Johnson said, unveiling a new design project that’s set to hit metro store shelves soon. “I really just want to create fun ways to get serious conversations started for the younger generation,” explained Johnson, founder of…

    Jordan Williams and Julian Taylor, Veeper

    No promo codes needed: How two Brits and their KC startup are adding instant discounts to your shopping cart

    By Tommy Felts | February 9, 2021

    When restaurants and retailers shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many of their customer loyalty programs did too, leaving frequent shoppers empty handed, explained Jordan Williams.  “I had a $200 Southwest Airlines voucher and 6000-plus Chipotle restaurant points expire,” Williams said, detailing a pandemic-presented problem that finds its solution in his newly-launched startup: Veeper.  The platform…

    Downtown Royals ballpark design by Pendulum Studio

    Why an award-winning KC firm designed a downtown Royals stadium (sky pool included) for free

    By Tommy Felts | February 3, 2021

    Architecture is more than design — it’s a business, the founder of Pendulum said: the business of balancing what’s possible with what actually works. When Jonathan O’Neil Cole and his team at Pendulum Studio released concepts in July 2020 for a potential — and long-talked-about — downtown stadium for the Kansas City Royals baseball team, the…

    Matt Condon, Bardavon

    Bardavon set to double (again) in 2021, adding former Cerner executive to surging healthcare startup’s board

    By Tommy Felts | February 2, 2021

    Using the momentum from a high-growth 2020, Bardavon Health Innovations announced today an addition to its board of directors that’s more about substance and acceleration than just grabbing headlines and hype, said Matt Condon. “It was a really natural fit,” said Condon, founder and CEO of Bardavon, detailing the leadership development that sees Zane Burke…