Type One Energy and ExoFusion Extend Partnership for Stellarator Optimization

Fusion energy leaders Type One Energy and ExoFusion announced today the extension of their partnership focused on stellarator optimization, with a particular emphasis on maximizing plasma confinement. The ongoing collaboration aims to reduce the time to Commercially Viable Fusion (CVF) by optimizing the edge region of the plasma. ExoFusion's expertise and intellectual property, combined with Type One Energy's leadership in stellarator engineering and science, are expected to significantly accelerate progress toward CVF.

Stellarators are a type of fusion device that uses twisted magnetic fields to confine plasma, offering inherent stability advantages over tokamaks. However, optimizing confinement—particularly at the plasma edge—remains a critical challenge. The partnership leverages ExoFusion's advanced simulation and design capabilities, which have been supported by grants from ARPA-E, SCIDAC, FIRE, INFUSE, and others. Type One Energy brings decades of combined experience in building state-of-the-art stellarator machines, along with a capital-efficient development strategy called FusionDirect™.

“This partnership is a strong accelerant to CVF,” said a spokesperson for the companies. “By combining ExoFusion’s physics innovations with Type One Energy’s engineering prowess, we are tackling one of the most challenging aspects of stellarator design: maximizing confinement to achieve economic fusion power.” The companies emphasized that physics partnerships are crucial to overcoming the remaining scientific and engineering hurdles on the path to commercial fusion.

Type One Energy, established in 2019 and venture-backed in 2023, is led by a team of globally recognized fusion scientists and veteran business leaders. The company applies proven advanced manufacturing methods, modern computational physics, and high-field superconducting magnets to develop its optimized stellarator fusion energy system. Its FusionDirect™ program aims to achieve a fusion power plant over the coming decade through a partner-intensive strategy.

ExoFusion, based in Austin, Texas, focuses on the physics and technologies of confinement for novel first-wall materials. The company works across device types and fuel cycles, providing design, simulation, and scientific innovation for the growing fusion industry. Its expertise in edge plasma physics is expected to complement Type One Energy’s core stellarator work.

For more details, the full announcement can be accessed here. Images and additional information about the partnership are also available.

The extended partnership underscores the increasing collaboration within the fusion industry to overcome technical barriers. As both companies continue to push the boundaries of stellarator optimization, the fusion community watches closely for breakthroughs that could bring clean, abundant fusion power closer to reality.