News
Awards, installations, research and the conferences we turn up at.
Funding · 10 August 2026Aftrak wins a share of the £2.7m DRIVE35 Mobilise grantThe Advanced Propulsion Centre UK has named Aftrak one of sixteen automotive innovators backed through Mobilise, the SME accelerator funded by the government's £4bn DRIVE35 programme.Read more →News · 27 April 2026Aftrak and Global Manufacturing Africa partner to assemble and distribute the AFT-e1 in South AfricaA supply partnership with Cape Town's Global Manufacturing Africa: in-country assembly of AFT-e1 kits, a distribution network across the SADC region, and the spares, technicians and training that keep machines working.Read more →
Event · 27 February 2026FAO: Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural MechanisationJacob Lavin spoke at the first Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Tanzania, on combining technological innovation with local knowledge.Read more →
Research · 20 February 2026Rotimi's life cycle analysis of a micro electric tractorA cradle-to-grave life cycle analysis of the AFT-e1, evaluating batteries, motors, drivetrains and chassis materials for durability, efficiency and carbon footprint.Read more →
Project · 20 February 2026Extending reliable power to maternal care in rural MalawiAftrak has completed a solar installation at Ngolowindo Hospital outside Salima — six panels, 3.6 kW peak, powering the maternity ward.Read more →
Award · 27 February 2025Winner of The Engineer Collaborate to Innovate Grand Prix 2024Aftrak was awarded The Engineer's Collaborate to Innovate Grand Prix by unanimous decision of the judges, having also won the Energy and Environment category.Read more →Award · 4 December 2024IET Excellence and Innovation Awards in Power and Energy 2024Aftrak won the Power and Energy category for a microgrid that integrates energy access with electric agriculture and Deep Bed Farming.Read more →
Award · 6 May 2024Aftrak wins $1 million in the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green EnergyGlobal winner of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy, which rewarded innovators expanding access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity in Africa.Read more →
Award · 24 March 2024Runners up in the Leicestershire Innovation AwardsAftrak were runners up in the Innovation in Sustainability category, for combining solar microgrids and tailored tractors to empower smallholder farmers.Read more →
Event · 27 February 2026FAO: Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural MechanisationJacob Lavin spoke at the first Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Tanzania, on combining technological innovation with local knowledge.Read more →Research · 20 February 2026Rotimi's life cycle analysis of a micro electric tractorA cradle-to-grave life cycle analysis of the AFT-e1, evaluating batteries, motors, drivetrains and chassis materials for durability, efficiency and carbon footprint.Read more →Project · 20 February 2026Extending reliable power to maternal care in rural MalawiAftrak has completed a solar installation at Ngolowindo Hospital outside Salima — six panels, 3.6 kW peak, powering the maternity ward.Read more →Award · 27 February 2025Winner of The Engineer Collaborate to Innovate Grand Prix 2024Aftrak was awarded The Engineer's Collaborate to Innovate Grand Prix by unanimous decision of the judges, having also won the Energy and Environment category.Read more →Award · 4 December 2024IET Excellence and Innovation Awards in Power and Energy 2024Aftrak won the Power and Energy category for a microgrid that integrates energy access with electric agriculture and Deep Bed Farming.Read more →Award · 6 May 2024Aftrak wins $1 million in the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green EnergyGlobal winner of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy, which rewarded innovators expanding access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity in Africa.Read more →Award · 24 March 2024Runners up in the Leicestershire Innovation AwardsAftrak were runners up in the Innovation in Sustainability category, for combining solar microgrids and tailored tractors to empower smallholder farmers.Read more →AwardAftrak wins the $1m Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green EnergyGlobal winner of the competition. Link to the original announcement to be added.
NewsGMA appointed assembler and distributor for South Africa and SADCStrengthens local assembly, distribution and market development across the region.
Case studyMalawi · deep beds with TiyeniUnits deployed, what was measured and on what basis. To be written.
EventNAMPO Harvest DayDate and stand number to be confirmed.
ProjectProject DEPLOY: feasibility complete, Blantyre selectedSupply chain partnerships in place and design for assembly finished. Full post to be written.
Elsewhere
Coverage
Where other people have written about the work. Each one opens on their site.
- CNN · March 2026Aftrak's solar-powered micro electric tractors bring light to farmers in MalawiCheck before quoting: the address ends -spc, which on CNN marks branded rather than editorial content.Read it at cnn.com →
- BBC · October 2025Interview on the Aftrak systemRecording held by Aftrak. A link to the BBC's own page is still wanted.
- Loughborough University · November 2025New solar-powered Aftrak tractor will increase crop yieldsRead it at lboro.ac.uk →
- Consortium for Battery InnovationGreen power meets agriculture: Aftrak's mission to transform farming in AfricaRead it at batteryinnovation.org →
- Power Systems DesignNew solar and battery powered tractor: a farming solution for AfricaRead it at powersystemsdesign.com →
- Loughborough University · October 2024“We are no longer living in the dark”: Malawi communities praise impact of Loughborough initiativeRead it at lboro.ac.uk →