Grenoble-based Renaissance Fusion, a startup pioneering simplified stellarator fusion reactors, has raised €32 million in Series A1 funding to build a demonstrator proving its novel reactor design.
The round was led by Crédit Mutuel Impact’s Révolution Environnementale et Solidaire fund, with participation from Lowercarbon Capital and other investors.
Revolutionizing Stellarator Fusion for Cost Efficiency
While most fusion startups focus on inertial confinement (laser-driven) or magnetic confinement (tokamaks), Renaissance Fusion is refining the stellarator approach, which stabilizes plasma with uniquely shaped magnetic fields.
The startup’s polygonal segmented tube design offers key advantages:
- Easier manufacturing & maintenance compared to complex stellarator coils.
- High-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets etched with laser precision.
- Liquid lithium walls to protect components, generate fuel, and transfer heat.
CEO Francesco Volpe, a fusion researcher with decades of experience, noted:
“We’re eliminating unnecessary complexity, making fusion reactors cheaper and more scalable.”
Advertisement
Next Steps: Building a Demonstrator by 2026
With this funding, Renaissance Fusion will:
- Develop wide HTS magnetic “carpets” for plasma control.
- Construct a test demonstrator integrating liquid lithium walls & magnetic confinement.
- Target full reactor development in the early 2030s, aligning with global fusion industry timelines.
Fusion Industry Races to Commercialization
Renaissance Fusion competes with other stellarator-focused startups like Thea Energy, alongside fusion heavyweights such as:
- Helion Energy ($2.2B raised, targeting fusion power by 2028).
- TAE Technologies ($1.2B raised, backed by Google).
- Commonwealth Fusion Systems ($2B raised, MIT spinout focused on tokamak reactors).
With €32M in fresh capital, Renaissance Fusion is pushing toward a practical, scalable fusion power solution, aiming to make commercial fusion energy a reality within the next decade.
