Fusionality wants to speed up fusion power with control systems and simulations

Fusionality is developing control systems and simulation environments for fusion power startups. The Lausanne-based company was founded this year by Federico Felici, who serves as CEO, and Jonas Buchli, who serves as CTO. The core idea is practical: help fusion companies avoid rebuilding the same control-system foundations from scratch.

Fusion power plants rely on the energy released when atoms fuse, a process more likely to happen in superheated plasma. Keeping plasma at the right temperature, shape, and fuel level requires fast, precise control. Fusionality is betting that shared physics across reactor designs can support reusable tools that startups can adapt to their own machines.

Fusionality raised a $3.7 million, or CHF 3 million, pre-seed round from Founderful and Playfair. The company’s team is currently seven strong, and the funding will support a tightly selected set of technologies. Felici described the approach as starting with a few Lego-like blocks and building out more over time.

Felici and Buchli met while teaching AI to control an experimental tokamak, a donut-shaped device used to study fusion power. Felici later worked at Google DeepMind on simulations and machine learning interfaces for fusion devices. Felici said AI will play an important role in future control systems, but for now is more likely to complement, enhance, or optimize parts of the system rather than control an entire fusion reactor.

Fusionality is initially focusing on magnetic confinement, which uses powerful electromagnets to keep fusion fuel dense and hot enough to support a power plant. The company says it eventually plans to develop systems for other fusion approaches. The broader takeaway: as fusion startups push toward electricity for the grid, specialized suppliers for controls, simulations, components, and precision manufacturing are becoming a key part of the race.