TOKYO – Japanese fusion energy startup Helical Fusion said it has raised $5.5 million in an extension to its Series A funding round, bringing its total capital raised to approximately $38 million as it races to develop a commercially viable fusion power plant in the 2030s.
The company, which leverages Japan’s foundational “Helical Stellarator” reactor design, said the investment round included participation from the “Ecrowd NEXT” fund for individual investors, alongside other corporate and private backers. The extension brings the total Series A fundraising, including loans, to about $21 million.
Helical Fusion stated the new capital will accelerate its “Helix Program,” a multi-phase roadmap aiming for the world’s first commercial fusion power plant. The program centers on progressing to an integrated demonstration with its experimental device, “Helix HARUKA,” and ultimately achieving net-electricity, steady-state generation with a first plant, “Helix KANATA,” next decade.
“Fusion energy represents the ultimate clean, safe, and sustainable power source,” said Takaya Taguchi, CEO of Helical Fusion. “This funding underscores confidence in our stellarator-based approach and supports our critical path to demonstration and commercialization.”
The company’s technology is based on the helical stellarator concept, a alternative design to the more widely known tokamak, which uses complex twisted magnetic coils to contain superheated plasma for fusion reactions. Proponents argue it offers inherent advantages for stable, continuous operation essential for a power plant.
The global race for fusion energy has intensified, with both private ventures and public projects like the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) seeking to replicate the sun’s power generation on Earth. Helical Fusion’s progress is part of a growing wave of investment into alternative fusion technologies aiming for faster commercialization.