Nuclear fusion startups race to secure technological leadership

Global investment in nuclear fusion is accelerating as the technology moves from theoretical physics toward industrial application. Following a 2022 milestone in California where a fusion reaction produced more energy than it consumed, billions of dollars from both state and private sources are flowing into reactor development.

While the United States and China currently dominate the market, European companies are attempting to secure technological leadership. Among the German participants is Darmstadt-based Focused Energy.

Various companies are pursuing different technical approaches to achieve commercial viability. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) in the US utilizes the tokamak method with high-temperature superconductors. CFS reported that its SPARC research reactor was nearly 80 percent complete as of August 2026, with plans to deliver electricity to the grid via its ARC plant in the early 2030s. Other players, such as Helion Energy, are also working toward bringing fusion power to the market.