Oslo-based startup Spoor has successfully raised $9.3 million in a Series A funding round to address a critical conflict between wind energy expansion and wildlife preservation. The company develops AI-powered technology to monitor bird activity around wind farms, aiming to reduce costly shutdowns and streamline regulatory compliance. This investment signals strong market confidence in solutions that support the sustainable growth of renewable energy infrastructure.
Addressing a Critical Industry Challenge
Wind farm developers face significant financial and operational hurdles due to strict wildlife protection regulations. A single day of shutdown at a major wind farm can result in up to €1 million in lost revenue, a substantial figure for large-scale projects. As a result, operators often budget for energy production losses between 1.5 percent and 5 percent, specifically due to bird-related curtailments.
Traditional monitoring methods have proven both costly and inefficient, often requiring one human spotter stationed at each turbine for extended periods. This manual approach is not scalable for the rapidly growing number of wind installations across Europe. Spoor’s automated system presents a modern alternative, designed to overcome the limitations and high costs associated with these outdated practices.
Innovative AI-Powered Monitoring
Spoor's system uses off-the-shelf cameras mounted on turbines, feeding continuous video into its proprietary AI models. The technology is engineered to detect and track birds up to two kilometers away, offering around a 100-fold increase in monitored airspace compared with conventional methods.
The platform goes beyond simple detection by identifying and classifying bird species that regulators prioritize. To date, Spoor’s models have processed more than 200 thousand hours of video and logged around 1.6 million bird sightings. This data-rich foundation delivers the accuracy and reliability wind developers need for effective environmental management.
Strategic Investment and Market Confidence
The $9.3 million Series A round was led by energy-tech investor SET Ventures. The syndicate includes EnBW New Ventures, Ørsted Ventures, Superorganism, Futurum Capital, and Nysnø Climate Investments. The breadth of participation reflects strong cross-sector belief in Spoor’s potential to solve one of the wind industry’s most persistent operational challenges.
Anke Gratz, Investment Manager at EnBW New Ventures, emphasized that bird monitoring is a mandated requirement from early permitting through long-term operation, making scalable solutions essential. The investment validates Spoor’s approach to tackling this regulatory and ecological bottleneck for wind developers.
Future Outlook and Expansion
With the new capital, Spoor plans to strengthen its technology and expand integrations with wind farm control systems to enable automated, real-time responses. CEO Ask Helseth explained that the funding will support team growth and help accelerate the industry’s shift toward continuous, data-driven wildlife protection. Spoor aims to position its platform as standard infrastructure across global wind operations.
The company already collaborates with major energy players including Iberdrola, RWE, Vattenfall, and TotalEnergies, demonstrating strong commercial traction. Looking forward, Spoor sees opportunities to apply its technology beyond wind farms, such as monitoring wildlife near power lines, mining sites, and even tracking drones.
In conclusion, Spoor’s Series A funding round represents a significant step toward uniting renewable energy expansion with biodiversity conservation. The company’s advanced AI technology offers a scalable and effective solution to a pressing industry challenge, positioning Spoor to play a central role in the future of sustainable energy development. This investment not only accelerates Spoor’s growth but also underscores the importance of innovation in building a cleaner, more resilient energy system.