Fusion Energy Accelerates: Fusionality Secures CHF 3 Million to Revolutionize Reactor Operations
September 13, 2026, 5:45 am
Fusionality, an EPFL spin-off, recently secured CHF 3 million in pre-seed funding. The company develops integrated hardware and software solutions. These systems address critical operational challenges in magnetic fusion devices. They provide crucial reliability and efficiency for ultra-fast plasma measurement, analysis, and precise control of heating, fueling, and magnets. This innovative approach tackles widespread duplication and inefficiency within the burgeoning fusion industry, offering reusable infrastructure. Fusionality aims to accelerate global fusion energy development, making clean, star-like power a reality. The capital infusion will build a specialized team in Lausanne and support initial client projects, driving the next generation of fusion technology forward.
The global quest for clean energy intensifies. Fusion power represents a monumental goal. It promises abundant, virtually limitless clean electricity. Harnessing the energy of stars on Earth presents immense technical challenges. Magnetic fusion devices use powerful magnets. They confine super-hot plasma. This creates the extreme conditions necessary for fusion reactions. Over thirty privately funded companies now pursue this vision worldwide. They join numerous public programs. All aim to build operational fusion power plants.
A critical hurdle remains for all these endeavors. Fusion devices demand sophisticated operations infrastructure. This system must accurately measure plasma properties. It then translates these measurements into real-time understanding. Finally, it steers the reactor’s heating, fueling, and magnet systems. These actions must occur within milliseconds. Failure can stall progress. It risks component damage. Future energy production could face interruptions.
Many organizations build this complex capability from the ground up. This leads to widespread duplication. It fosters inefficiency. Costs climb. Development slows. This fragmented approach impedes the entire sector. A standardized, robust solution is urgently needed.
Enter Fusionality. This innovative company directly addresses this core problem. It provides integrated solutions. These enable fusion companies to build operations infrastructure faster. They ensure greater efficiency. Fusionality leverages proven components and technologies. Its offerings span both hardware and software.
The company's approach emphasizes transferability. Technologies are built to adapt across various fusion devices. Minimal customization is required for each client. This strategy significantly reduces deployment costs. Each subsequent installation becomes more economical. This creates a scalable, efficient model for the industry. Fusionality streamlines measurement, simulation, and control. This accelerates the path to commercially viable fusion.
Fusionality recently announced a CHF 3 million pre-seed funding round. Founderful and Playfair co-led the investment. This capital injection underscores investor confidence. It highlights the critical need for Fusionality's technology. The funding empowers the company to expand operations. It fuels vital advancements in fusion energy.
The company was founded in 2026. Federico Felici leads Fusionality as CEO. He brings extensive expertise in fusion control. Felici pioneered innovations in simulation and model-based control of fusion devices. His background includes a degree in control engineering. He holds a PhD in plasma physics from EPFL. He served as an assistant professor at TU Eindhoven. He also drove control activities at EPFL’s Swiss Plasma Center. Felici spent two and a half years at Google DeepMind. He returned to Switzerland to establish Fusionality.
Jonas Buchli co-founded Fusionality. He serves as CTO. Buchli is an electrical engineer. He held a faculty position at ETH Zürich. He then joined Google DeepMind as a senior research scientist. His work focused on robotic systems. He specialized in optimal control and reinforcement learning. Buchli applied these techniques to physical systems.
Felici and Buchli’s collaboration predates Fusionality. They met while teaching an AI to control EPFL’s TCV tokamak. This groundbreaking work involved EPFL and Google DeepMind. It led to a seminal 2022 Nature paper. The publication detailed magnetic control of tokamak plasmas through deep reinforcement learning. This shared history provides a strong technical foundation. It demonstrates their capability to solve complex fusion control problems.
The newly secured funding has a clear purpose. It will build Fusionality’s founding team in Lausanne. The company seeks top talent. This includes control engineers, computational physicists, and plasma measurement specialists. Software engineers are also crucial. This multidisciplinary team will drive product development. It will deliver the company's first customer engagements. Fusionality is actively hiring for technical and operational roles.
Fusionality's integrated hardware and software solutions address reliability and efficiency. They enable fusion companies to monitor and analyze their devices better. Reusable operations infrastructure is key. It eliminates the need for companies to build similar systems repeatedly. This cuts development time and costs. It accelerates deployment cycles.
The long-term vision for fusion energy is profound. It offers a promise of clean, safe, and abundant power. However, bridging the gap from research to commercial viability requires relentless innovation. Fusionality’s specialized tools accelerate this transition. By standardizing and optimizing critical operational components, the company de-risks development for its clients. This reduces overall industry costs. It streamlines the path to commercial fusion power plants.
The global energy landscape demands sustainable solutions. Fusion energy holds immense potential. Fusionality positions itself at the forefront of this revolution. Its technology ensures fusion devices operate reliably. It makes them more efficient. This accelerates the timeline for fusion to become a global energy reality. The company’s success could significantly impact future energy security and climate goals.
The global quest for clean energy intensifies. Fusion power represents a monumental goal. It promises abundant, virtually limitless clean electricity. Harnessing the energy of stars on Earth presents immense technical challenges. Magnetic fusion devices use powerful magnets. They confine super-hot plasma. This creates the extreme conditions necessary for fusion reactions. Over thirty privately funded companies now pursue this vision worldwide. They join numerous public programs. All aim to build operational fusion power plants.
A critical hurdle remains for all these endeavors. Fusion devices demand sophisticated operations infrastructure. This system must accurately measure plasma properties. It then translates these measurements into real-time understanding. Finally, it steers the reactor’s heating, fueling, and magnet systems. These actions must occur within milliseconds. Failure can stall progress. It risks component damage. Future energy production could face interruptions.
Many organizations build this complex capability from the ground up. This leads to widespread duplication. It fosters inefficiency. Costs climb. Development slows. This fragmented approach impedes the entire sector. A standardized, robust solution is urgently needed.
Enter Fusionality. This innovative company directly addresses this core problem. It provides integrated solutions. These enable fusion companies to build operations infrastructure faster. They ensure greater efficiency. Fusionality leverages proven components and technologies. Its offerings span both hardware and software.
The company's approach emphasizes transferability. Technologies are built to adapt across various fusion devices. Minimal customization is required for each client. This strategy significantly reduces deployment costs. Each subsequent installation becomes more economical. This creates a scalable, efficient model for the industry. Fusionality streamlines measurement, simulation, and control. This accelerates the path to commercially viable fusion.
Fusionality recently announced a CHF 3 million pre-seed funding round. Founderful and Playfair co-led the investment. This capital injection underscores investor confidence. It highlights the critical need for Fusionality's technology. The funding empowers the company to expand operations. It fuels vital advancements in fusion energy.
The company was founded in 2026. Federico Felici leads Fusionality as CEO. He brings extensive expertise in fusion control. Felici pioneered innovations in simulation and model-based control of fusion devices. His background includes a degree in control engineering. He holds a PhD in plasma physics from EPFL. He served as an assistant professor at TU Eindhoven. He also drove control activities at EPFL’s Swiss Plasma Center. Felici spent two and a half years at Google DeepMind. He returned to Switzerland to establish Fusionality.
Jonas Buchli co-founded Fusionality. He serves as CTO. Buchli is an electrical engineer. He held a faculty position at ETH Zürich. He then joined Google DeepMind as a senior research scientist. His work focused on robotic systems. He specialized in optimal control and reinforcement learning. Buchli applied these techniques to physical systems.
Felici and Buchli’s collaboration predates Fusionality. They met while teaching an AI to control EPFL’s TCV tokamak. This groundbreaking work involved EPFL and Google DeepMind. It led to a seminal 2022 Nature paper. The publication detailed magnetic control of tokamak plasmas through deep reinforcement learning. This shared history provides a strong technical foundation. It demonstrates their capability to solve complex fusion control problems.
The newly secured funding has a clear purpose. It will build Fusionality’s founding team in Lausanne. The company seeks top talent. This includes control engineers, computational physicists, and plasma measurement specialists. Software engineers are also crucial. This multidisciplinary team will drive product development. It will deliver the company's first customer engagements. Fusionality is actively hiring for technical and operational roles.
Fusionality's integrated hardware and software solutions address reliability and efficiency. They enable fusion companies to monitor and analyze their devices better. Reusable operations infrastructure is key. It eliminates the need for companies to build similar systems repeatedly. This cuts development time and costs. It accelerates deployment cycles.
The long-term vision for fusion energy is profound. It offers a promise of clean, safe, and abundant power. However, bridging the gap from research to commercial viability requires relentless innovation. Fusionality’s specialized tools accelerate this transition. By standardizing and optimizing critical operational components, the company de-risks development for its clients. This reduces overall industry costs. It streamlines the path to commercial fusion power plants.
The global energy landscape demands sustainable solutions. Fusion energy holds immense potential. Fusionality positions itself at the forefront of this revolution. Its technology ensures fusion devices operate reliably. It makes them more efficient. This accelerates the timeline for fusion to become a global energy reality. The company’s success could significantly impact future energy security and climate goals.