Nofence

Founded in Norway in 2011 by goat farmer Oscar Hovde, Nofence is the world’s first commercial virtual fencing system for livestock. Nofence’s virtual fencing system combines solar-powered, GPS-enabled collars connected via cellular network to an easy-to-use app, allowing farmers to create and adjust virtual grazing boundaries from their phone, enabling real-time tracking and responsive herd management. When an animal approaches the boundary, the collar emits sounds that gradually increase in pitch, prompting it to change direction. If the animal continues forward, it receives a mild electric pulse designed to be half as intense as traditional electric fences. Over time, the majority of interactions are resolved with sound alone, resulting in calmer, more predictable grazing behaviour.

This innovation replaces the need for physical fencing, reducing infrastructure and maintenance costs, labour, and environmental impact. By giving farmers greater control over how and where their livestock graze, Nofence helps improve soil health, prevents overgrazing, and supports regenerative land management practices, particularly in remote or environmentally sensitive areas.

The company’s virtual fences have increased in popularity since its pilot customers first began using them in Norway in 2016, with the company recently surpassing 150,000 collars sold across Europe – a strong testament to the success of the new technology. Nofence has over 90 employees worldwide distributed between Norway, UK, Ireland, Spain and the United States.