CartFit selected for SME Support, Japan’s 15th FASTAR cohort and Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto startup attraction program

prtimes.jp reported on Nov. 2, 2026, that CartFit had been selected for SME Support, Japan’s 15th FASTAR cohort and Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto startup attraction program. This newspaper has not been able to verify the information with primary sources; please refer to the original source for details.

According to the company, CartFit’s approach uses existing hand trucks and carts, with drive units and control technology added afterward. How effective this design, which aims to electrify and automate transport without replacing existing equipment, will be for mass production and deployment at worksites will depend on the compatible models and demonstration results.

The key point of the selections is that support for commercializing a retrofit system for existing hand trucks and carts will proceed alongside research into its potential use in Noto. Rather than introducing an entirely new set of transport equipment, the product is based on adding drive units and control technology to existing equipment. However, the presentation describes automatic following, remote control and powered assistance for manual pushing, while unmanned autonomous driving is a future goal. The latter should not be treated as a current product capability; progress toward implementation needs to be considered separately. The two programs also have different roles. CartFit says it will use FASTAR to advance development for mass production, expand demonstrations, develop sales channels and strengthen its business plan. Ishikawa Prefecture’s program will examine potential applications in logistics and manufacturing, agriculture, and livelihood support in the Noto region. In other words, one can be viewed as support for product and business growth, while the other explores the potential fit with regional needs. Selection, however, does not mean that mass production or deployment in the region has been decided. On the technology side, the company has outlined a plan to connect operation and driving data from the retrofit units to data for building future models. If the product’s value lies in reusing existing equipment, how well driving and control can adapt to differences among vehicles and carts will be an issue for both mass production and expansion into new applications. In addition, transport needs cited for Noto involve varying terrain and pathways, cargo and operators, so results from a single demonstration cannot necessarily be applied directly to other uses. Points to watch include the timing and volume of mass production, the range of compatible hand trucks and carts, driving performance and safety in demonstrations, and how image, sensor and operation data are collected and used. The presentation did not provide specific figures or specifications on these points. For use in Noto, the effort is also at the stage of fleshing out plans for local research and demonstrations; it did not specify locations, start dates or operating entities.