Japanese laser fusion company EX-Fusion received 1.8 billion yen in new financing

On July 6, Japanese laser fusion energy commercialization startup EX-Fusion announced that it recently completed a 1.8 billion yen new seed round of investment aimed at accelerating the commercial development of laser fusion technology. So far, EX-Fusion has raised 130 million yen, and the latest funding will bring its total raised to 1.93 billion yen.

At present, the world is accelerating the commercialization of new energy utilization using laser nuclear fusion. In the past, academic research and development in this field was mainly carried out by universities and government research institutions in various countries, but with the success of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States on December 13, 2022, the first successful "net energy gain" in nuclear fusion reaction, the pace of startups has accelerated.

By combining high-output, high-repeat laser technology, continuous target source devices and cutting-edge light control technology, EX-Fusion hopes to achieve the world's first commercial laser fusion power plant and contribute to the technological development of various optical industries, not just the energy sector.

The company is currently accelerating the development of a Continuous Target Supply System (CTSS) and a Laser Target Tracking system (LTTS), which are the foundation systems for commercializing its laser-powered fusion reactors. By combining these two systems, EX-Fusion hopes to demonstrate the feasibility of using high-power pulsed lasers to perform high-frequency repeated laser plasma experiments and demonstrate the ability to continuously produce neutrons in successive laser fusion reactions.

Since its last funding round in April last year, the company has been focusing on the development of laser control components. With this new round of funding, EX-Fusion will build its own plant and prepare the appropriate environment and conditions for comprehensive testing of these components.

EX-Fusion was co-founded by Kazuki Matsuo, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego; Shinsuke Fujioka, a professor at the Institute of Laser Engineering at Osaka University; and Yoshitaka Mori, an associate professor at the New Photonics Industry Creation Graduate School. Relevant investors include: ANRI, Nissay Capital, Delight Ventures, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Capital, Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund, Osaka Shoko Shinkin Bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, Shizuoka Capital, Kyushin Social Capital.

In addition, it requires larger components to control the higher energy output of the laser. In order to become the world's leading developer of fusion energy science in the future, its goal is to achieve the independent production of dedicated laser systems and advanced manufacturing technology, and to establish a variety of optical industries centered on laser fusion, making significant progress in clean energy production.

Source: OFweek