Fusion Energy Startups Attract Over $100M in Investments

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. Key advances in computer chips, AI, and high-temperature superconducting magnets are driving this surge.

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, uses magnetized target fusion (MTF). Their reactor compresses plasma with pistons, heating liquid metal to generate steam.

Helion, aiming for 2028, plans to power Microsoft. Their field-reversed configuration reactor spins plasma into doughnuts, colliding them to induce fusion.

TAE, founded in 1998, uses a modified field-reversed configuration, bombarding plasma with particle beams for stability.

Zap Energy bypasses magnets, using electric currents to generate magnetic fields, compressing plasma for ignition.

Tokamak Energy innovates with a compact, spherical tokamak design, reducing magnet requirements.

First Light employs inertial confinement without lasers, using a projectile gun to compress fuel pellets.

Marvel Fusion and Xcimer both use inertial confinement, with Marvel focusing on silicon nanostructures and Xcimer aiming for a 10-megajoule laser system.

These startups, backed by billions, are pushing the boundaries of science and engineering, aiming to revolutionize energy production.