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Google DeepMind alumni are building tools to accelerate fusion power for the grid
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- DeepHorus
Google DeepMind alumni Federico Felici and Jonas Buchli have founded Fusionality, a Lausanne-based startup poised to supply critical control systems for the burgeoning fusion power industry. The company recently secured $3.7 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Founderful and Playfair. The founders identified a significant gap in the market while developing control solutions for experimental fusion devices, frequently hearing from fusion companies a desire to purchase off-the-shelf components rather than build everything from scratch.
Fusionality is part of an emerging supply chain supporting the fusion sector, which includes companies developing components to turn engineering breakthroughs into grid-ready electricity. However, very few firms specialize in the hardware and software needed to control the fusion reactors themselves. Felici noted that while 80% of each company's control system is identical across the industry, most are still building their own bespoke systems from the ground up.
The core challenge lies in managing the superheated plasma within a reactor, which requires split-second decision-making to maintain the correct temperature, shape, and fuel level. Fusionality plans to develop a standard suite of control systems and simulation environments based on the common physics principles shared across reactor designs. Startups can then fine-tune these platforms for their specific needs, accelerating development.
The founders bring unique expertise from their work at Google DeepMind and Switzerland's EPFL, where they previously used AI to control an experimental tokamak. Felici emphasizes that while AI will play an important complementary role in optimizing systems, it is not yet ready to fully manage a fusion reactor autonomously. For now, Fusionality is focusing on magnetic confinement fusion, a dominant approach used by several major startups.
The $3.7 million investment will support the current seven-person team in developing a select number of core technologies. Felici described the strategy as building with "Lego blocks," starting with a few foundational components and expanding the suite over time. The long-term ambition is to provide the wide range of technology required to operate any fusion reactor, potentially serving the entire industry as it moves toward commercialization.
