Focused Energy receives €2.5 million grant to develop laser-based nuclear fusion in Hessen
Innovative startup is set to expand laser fusion research with a new grant from the Hessen state government that aims to position the region as a leading center of fusion energy.
Focused Energy, a startup spun off from the Technical University of Darmstadt, has secured a €2.5 million grant from the Hessen government to further its work in laser-based nuclear fusion. The funding, which includes €500,000 from state sources and €2 million from the European Regional Development Fund, will support the company’s construction of a new, larger laboratory in Darmstadt.
Scheduled to open in early 2025, the state-of-the-art lab represents a €10 million investment that will be six times larger than Focused Energy’s current facility. It will house high-power laser systems to test and advance laser-based nuclear fusion and support the company’s efforts to make fusion energy commercially viable.
Founded three years ago, Focused Energy has quickly become a globally recognized fusion company. It is the only fusion company with a target lab producing tiny fusion fuel pellets, which are critical to the laser fusion process. The company’s unique position will allow it to accelerate the market readiness of laser fusion and build an ecosystem for future fusion power plants.
By awarding Focused Energy the €2.5 million grant, the Hessen government aims to make the state a leading center of laser fusion, strengthen the region’s economy, and support the long-term goal of energy independence.