MACSO
MACSO Technologies Ltd. is a New Zealand-based AI company that builds edge-deployed sensory fusion AI models for hardware OEMs, commercialized in livestock respiratory monitoring (swine 'Ear' sensor) and school vape detection (Canaree monitor), sold via subscription and exclusive distribution through partners such as Virbac and Avnet.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What MACSO does
MACSO Technologies Ltd. is a New Zealand-based AI company founded in 2021 that develops a sensory fusion platform combining audio, aerosol, temperature, and humidity sensors processed by compressed neural networks deployed on edge microcontrollers. The proprietary architecture enables on-device inference without cloud dependency and includes a remote over-the-air (OTA) pipeline for upgrading neural networks on deployed hardware without requiring device recall. The company's two commercial products are the AI 'Ear' audio sensor, which monitors swine herds for early signs of respiratory disease such as PRRS and African Swine Fever (16 hours to 6 days earlier than human detection, with reported reduction of nursery pig mortality from 4.8% to 1.4%), and the Canaree aerosol monitor, which detects vaping and other particulates in schools while distinguishing them from air fresheners. Both products are validated through independent studies on 5,000+ pigs (US and European farms) and Piera Systems' vape-detection deployment (15% accuracy improvement, 8x faster deployment).
MACSO operates a B2B subscription-based revenue model, licensing AI models to hardware OEM partners and selling bundled hardware-software solutions to end enterprises such as pig farms and schools. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales (US pig farms, NZ and Australian schools), a global Avnet IoTConnect channel partnership (August 2024), and an exclusive multi-year Virbac distribution agreement signed in March 2026 covering Europe, Latin America, and Asia. AI model licensing, OTA updates, dashboards, and alerts form the recurring subscription layer, while the proprietary data collection tool and AI model training/deployment services address partners who lack in-house ML capabilities. Headcount is approximately 6 to 11-50 depending on source, the company is headquartered in Auckland with a US office in Carlsbad, California, and as of 2026 is raising a NZD 4 million Series A to fund geographic expansion in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and additional European markets, with a stated goal of contracting with every major pork-producing company globally by year-end 2026.
MACSO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MACSO
- Legal name
- MACSO Technologies Ltd.
- Website
- https://macso.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- MACSO Technologies Ltd. is a New Zealand-based AI company that builds edge-deployed sensory fusion AI models for hardware OEMs, commercialized in livestock respiratory monitoring (swine 'Ear' sensor) and school vape detection (Canaree monitor), sold via subscription and exclusive distribution through partners such as Virbac and Avnet.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MACSO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Edge AI Software for Environmental Sensing
- NAICS
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Livestock Precision Monitoring Software (Herd/Flock Analytics, Health Alerts) (AFAAAFAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Field Mapping, GIS & Remote Sensing Analytics (AFAAAFAB), Environmental Data Management Platforms (EHS/EMS, LIMS, ELN, Compliance Data Hubs) (EUAHAKAA), Zoonotic & One Health Surveillance (HLAJABAF)
Keywords
Where MACSO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
MACSO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- AI Model Subscription Licensing: MACSO licenses AI models to customers who subscribe to the models and pay for the subscription. Hardware companies subscribe to AI model packages deployed on their devices. The subscription covers access to AI models, over-the-air updates, dashboard access, and alert systems.
- AI Model Licensing to Hardware Partners: MACSO trains advanced AI models on different sensor types and licenses them to hardware OEM partners through programmes like Avnet's IoTConnect Partner Program. Partners pay subscription fees for AI model access.
- Hardware-Software Integrated Solution: Turnkey solution providing hardware (audio sensors), connectivity, and dashboard to end customers like pig farmers and schools. Hardware is provided as part of the solution package with associated subscription.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Subscription-based AI model licensing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
MACSO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MACSO develops and licenses AI models for edge-deployed sensory fusion devices, combining audio, aerosol, temperature, and humidity sensors to detect respiratory illness in livestock and vaping/air quality events in schools. The company packages its neural networks with hardware partners and sells turnkey sensor-plus-dashboard solutions to enterprise pig farms and educational institutions on a subscription basis.
Product overview
MACSO is an AI company specializing in sensory fusion technology for hardware companies. The core offering is the MACSO Sensory Fusion Platform, which combines multiple sensor modalities (audio, visual, aerosol/scent, tactile, temperature) to deliver comprehensive environmental monitoring. Key commercial products include the AI 'Ear' Audio Sensor for livestock respiratory health monitoring (swine) and the Canāree Air Quality Monitor for vaping and smoke detection in schools. The platform includes a Data Collection Tool and AI Model Training/Deployment services, enabling hardware companies to integrate machine learning capabilities. The company operates on a B2B model, partnering with hardware manufacturers and offering subscription-based AI model licensing. Deployment is primarily edge-based with cloud connectivity, enabling real-time monitoring with minimal power consumption.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AI 'Ear' Audio Sensor AI-enabled audio sensor that monitors livestock (primarily swine) respiratory health by detecting coughing sounds. Identifies early signs of respiratory illnesses such as PRRS and African Swine Fever 16 hours to 6 days before clinical symptoms become audible, enabling proactive intervention and 24/7 monitoring.
- Canāree Air Quality Monitor AI-powered air quality monitor that detects and distinguishes vaping, cigarette fumes, and other aerosols from deodorants or air fresheners. Detects the most minute aerosol particles and immediately alerts staff. Deployed in schools across North America and Australia to manage youth vaping.
- Swine Health Monitoring Solution End-to-end AI solution for monitoring respiratory health in pig herds. Audio sensors detect respiratory illness early and alert farmers immediately via dashboard. Reduces death rates from average 4.8% to 1.4% and enables 24/7 monitoring without skilled labor.
- Data Collection Tool Customizable and scalable data collection tool that enables non-technical field staff to collect high-quality application-specific data across audio, visual, aerosol, and other sensor types. Reduces data engineering time significantly (92% decrease in collection time per user reported).
- AI Model Training and Deployment Service End-to-end AI model development service that trains models for various applications, from cloud-based applications to hardware-specific neural networks. Deploys compressed lightweight models via MACSO's proprietary OTA solution for EdgeAI devices.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces nursery pig death rates by up to 70% in deploying farms
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use MACSO
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
MACSO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
MACSO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- VirbaccoreExclusive strategic partnership announced March 2026. Virbac holds exclusive distribution rights for MACSO's AI swine health monitoring solution across its affiliate network in Europe, Latin America, and Asia (excluding Australia, China, and US). Multi-year, multinational partnership with future co-development roadmap for additional capabilities. Respiratory diseases cause up to 60% of deaths in swine production globally.
- AvnetcoreStrategic relationship through Avnet's IoTConnect Partner Program. MACSO trains AI models that simultaneously use different types of sensors on Avnet's components. Enables OEMs and independent design houses to build AI-enabled IoT solutions using Avnet hardware with MACSO's AI models. Avnet provides joint marketing and lead-generation activities.
- Chaoyang Technologies (Endura Technologies)coreStrategic partnership with fabless semiconductor company Chaoyang Technologies combining MACSO's sensor AI with Chaoyang's low-power AI chips and analog front-end technology. Chaoyang is also an early investor in MACSO. Joint efforts focus on intelligent sensor solutions for IoT, smart audio, and beyond.
- Piera SystemscoreStrategic partnership combining Piera's Intelligent Particle Sensors and Canaree Air Quality Monitors with MACSO's AI/ML software platform. MACSO's algorithm improved Piera's vape/smoke detection accuracy by 15% and deployed 8x faster. Partnership enables classification of pollution sources including vape, cigarette smoke, construction dust, and wildfire smoke.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MACSO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SoundTalks (Boehringer Ingelheim): SoundTalks is the most direct competitor: an AI-based cough-monitoring system for swine respiratory health, now owned by Boehringer Ingelheim. It directly overlaps MACSO's AI 'Ear' in product, target customer (pig producers), and disease focus (PRRS, respiratory illness).
- HerdDogg: HerdDogg provides livestock traceability and health monitoring using ear-tag sensors and a mobile app for beef and dairy producers. It overlaps MACSO in the broader livestock precision monitoring category, though focused on identity/traceability rather than respiratory AI.
- BinSentry: BinSentry applies AI and IoT sensors to monitor on-farm feed bin levels for swine and poultry producers. It is a direct peer in agricultural Edge AI sensor monitoring for livestock operations, with a similar capital-light SaaS model.
- Aeroqual: Aeroqual manufactures air quality monitoring instruments with embedded sensors for particulate matter, gases, and aerosols. It is comparable to MACSO's Canaree product in environmental/aerosol monitoring, with established enterprise and government deployments.
Emerging players
- Piera Systems: Piera Systems is a hardware partner that also competes in the air quality / vape detection space with its Intelligent Particle Sensors. The two firms co-developed Canaree's classification algorithms, making Piera both a partner and an adjacent player in aerosol sensing AI.
- Vayyar Imaging: Vayyar builds radar-on-chip sensors with edge AI for various applications including eldercare fall detection, automotive safety, and smart home. It is comparable to MACSO as a multi-modal sensor AI platform with edge inference, though targeting different end markets.
- SomaDetect: SomaDetect provides in-line optical sensor AI for dairy herd health and milk quality monitoring. It is comparable to MACSO as a livestock-focused AI sensing platform, though its sensor modality and target species (dairy cattle) differ.
- Syntiant: Syntiant builds ultra-low-power edge AI chips and neural decision processors for always-on sensor applications. It is comparable to MACSO's edge AI hardware deployment model and could be a partner or competitor for on-device inference in IoT/sensor products.
Broad incumbents
- Cainthus (MSD Animal Health): Cainthus, acquired by MSD/Merck Animal Health, uses computer vision and AI to monitor dairy cow behavior, health, and productivity. It is comparable to MACSO as a livestock computer vision/sensor AI company, now operating within a major animal health incumbent.
- Zoetis: Zoetis is the world's largest animal health company, offering diagnostics, monitoring, and therapeutics across livestock and companion animals. It is comparable to MACSO as a broad incumbent in the animal health value chain where MACSO's Virbac distribution partnership places it adjacently.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MACSO social profiles
Digital presenceMACSO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MACSO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
MACSO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MACSO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MACSO
What does MACSO do?
MACSO develops and licenses AI models for edge-deployed sensory fusion devices, combining audio, aerosol, temperature, and humidity sensors to detect respiratory illness in livestock and vaping/air quality events in schools. The company packages its neural networks with hardware partners and sells turnkey sensor-plus-dashboard solutions to enterprise pig farms and educational institutions on a subscription basis.
Is MACSO a public or private company?
MACSO is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was MACSO founded?
MACSO was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is MACSO based?
MACSO is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does MACSO make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. AI Model Subscription Licensing is the primary driver. The others are AI Model Licensing to Hardware Partners and hardware-Software Integrated Solution.
Who are MACSO's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SoundTalks (Boehringer Ingelheim), HerdDogg, BinSentry and Aeroqual. Emerging players are Piera Systems, Vayyar Imaging, SomaDetect and Syntiant. Broad incumbents are Cainthus (MSD Animal Health) and Zoetis.
Does MACSO have an API?
Yes. MACSO provides an API designed to interoperate with Third Party Products. The API supports integrations with third-party applications, messaging systems, and third-party platforms. MACSO maintains the API in accordance with documented endpoint usages, determines whether the API is functioning per documentation if an integration reported by Customer is malfunctioning, and rectifies API malfunctions resulting from deviations on MACSO's part from the API documentation. Pricing for the Product and Services is included in Order Forms and denominated in USD. Developer documentation is at www.macso.ai/terms-of-service.
What industry is MACSO in?
MACSO's product category is Edge AI Software for Environmental Sensing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAAAFAM, Livestock Precision Monitoring Software (Herd/Flock Analytics, Health Alerts), with a secondary code of AFAAAFAB, Field Mapping, GIS & Remote Sensing Analytics. Its NAICS code is 33451 and its SIC code is 3823.