Investment in Fusion Power Startups Surges as Technology Advances

Fusion power, once a distant dream, is now drawing serious investment. Startups are racing to harness nuclear reactions, similar to those in the sun, to generate nearly limitless energy. This shift is fueled by advances in computer chips, AI, and high-temperature superconducting magnets, which have improved reactor designs and control schemes.

In 2022, a U.S. lab achieved scientific breakeven—producing more power than consumed—a significant step toward commercial viability. Private fusion startups have raised $7.1 billion to date.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) leads with a $1.8 billion Series B. Their Sparc reactor, using a tokamak design, aims for commercial relevance by the early 2030s.

General Fusion, founded in 2002, has raised $440.53 million. Their magnetized target fusion reactor compresses plasma with pistons, targeting scientific breakeven by 2026.

Helion plans to generate electricity by 2028, with Microsoft as its first customer. Their field-reversed configuration reactor uses magnets to collide plasma at high speeds, directly harvesting electricity.

TAE, founded in 1998, has raised $1.32 billion. Their modified field-reversed configuration uses particle beams to stabilize plasma, enhancing fusion.

Zap Energy bypasses high-temperature magnets, using electric currents to generate magnetic fields that compress plasma, achieving ignition.

These startups aim to upend trillion-dollar energy markets, promising a future of nearly limitless, clean energy.