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

    The 2017 Battle of the Brands set to kick off

    By Tommy Felts | February 1, 2017

    Along with dozens of participating companies around the metro area, KCSourceLink is gearing up for its 2017’s Battle of the Brands competition. Battle of the Brands is a bracket-style competition that pits Kansas City businesses against each other — only one will reign as the “Aristo of Entrepreneurship.” Its purpose? To shine a light on…

    Quickly-growing HipHire to launch app for part-timers

    By Tommy Felts | January 31, 2017

    A startup facilitating part-time job placement is finding traction. Launched in 2015, HipHire digitally matches people looking for and offering part-time gigs. HipHire founder Brian Kearns wanted there to be a solution that was “a step up from CraigsList” that the public could rely on to find quality jobs. Kearns said that over 1,000 job matches have…

    Life Equals raises $780K, opens larger West Bottoms office

    By Tommy Felts | January 30, 2017

    Health supplement startup Life Equals is the latest firm to outgrow the entrepreneurial hamlet known as the Kansas City Startup Village. Thanks to a growing team, the Lenexa-based company — which sells vitamins and supplement products — is ditching its quaint 900-square-foot office in the village to create a spacious 3,700-square-foot event space in the…

    Greitens’ budget cuts ding Missouri, KC entrepreneurship efforts

    By Tommy Felts | January 30, 2017

    A series of state budget cuts by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens will directly impact Kansas City entrepreneurship. The sweeping $146.4 million rollback of the Show Me State’s budget will cut funds from both the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Free Enterprise Center and Missouri Technology Corporation. Greitens’ plan will cut about $3.3 million from the enterprise…