How fusion power works and the startups pursuing it

Fusion startups have attracted over $10 billion in investment as they race to build reactors capable of putting power on the grid, driven by rising data center energy demand. Various approaches are being pursued, with magnetic confinement being one of the most prominent, exemplified by Commonwealth Fusion Systems building its Sparc demonstration device targeting late 2026 activation. While experimental devices have achieved controlled fusion and even net energy gain, none have yet produced enough surplus for a viable power plant.