An incubator-backed startup from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur has signed an agreement to commercialise an indigenous electric compact tractor technology developed for small and marginal farmers in India.
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur-incubated startup ScaNxt Scientific Technologies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute and National Research Development Corporation for the technology transfer of what is described as India’s first indigenously developed fully electric compact tractor.
The agreement was signed during Vigyan Tech 2026.
According to the parties involved, the tractor has been developed with over 90% indigenous components and is aimed at addressing mechanisation challenges faced by small and marginal farmers. The platform has been designed for fragmented landholdings and lower operating costs compared to diesel-powered tractors.
Under the agreement, ScaNxt Scientific Technologies will commercialise the tractor under its own brand. The vehicle features a fully electric drivetrain, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability for powering irrigation pumps and farm equipment, and a compact architecture intended for smaller farms. The company said simplified controls have also been incorporated to improve accessibility for women farmers.
India’s agricultural sector is largely dependent on smallholder farmers, with more than 86% of farming households operating on less than two hectares of land. Industry stakeholders have long cited high acquisition and operating costs of diesel-powered mechanisation as a barrier for this segment.
ScaNxt said the electric tractor is intended to reduce cultivation costs and support rural employment generation through local manufacturing and servicing opportunities.
The development also reflects growing collaboration between publicly funded research institutions, startup incubators and private ventures in areas such as agritech, clean mobility and rural electrification.
Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre IIT Kanpur, operating under FIRST at IIT Kanpur, has supported nearly 500 startups across sectors including agritech, clean energy, healthcare, defence and advanced manufacturing.
Established in 1959, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur is recognised as an Institute of National Importance and has over 570 faculty members and more than 9,500 students across its departments, centres and specialised schools.