Proxima Fusion, the Munich-based deeptech company developing stellarator fusion technology, has announced a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with Japan’s Kyoto Fusioneering. The partnership aims to establish a robust industrial supply chain and combine complementary expertise from both nations to accelerate the commercialisation of fusion energy.
The collaboration represents a significant step for Proxima Fusion, which was founded in 2023 and has already secured over €650 million in total funding. By partnering with Kyoto Fusioneering, the German startup seeks to leverage Japanese plasma-heating technology expertise alongside its own advanced stellarator engineering capabilities.
Combining German and Japanese Expertise
The partnership will focus on integrating Germany’s leading stellarator engineering knowledge with Japan’s decades of accumulated fusion technology development. This combination addresses a critical challenge in the fusion industry: building the manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure necessary to move from research prototypes to commercially viable power plants.
Dr. Francesco Sciortino, Co-founder and CEO of Proxima Fusion, emphasised the strategic importance of the collaboration. “The global race to fusion will be won in factories and supply chains,” he stated. “Japan has spent decades building world-class fusion engineering capabilities; Germany has the leading stellarator engineering in the world and knows how to industrialise. In working closely with Kyoto Fusioneering and Fujikura, we are building a new industry together, one that makes both our countries more secure.”
Supporting Proxima’s Development Roadmap
The MoU supports Proxima Fusion’s ambitious development timeline. The company is progressing toward its Alpha demonstration stellarator, a key milestone in proving the viability of its fusion approach. Beyond this prototype phase, Proxima is planning the Stellaris commercial fusion plant, which would represent a major step toward commercial-scale fusion energy production.
Stellarators, which differ from the more widely-known tokamak design, offer distinct engineering advantages for sustained fusion reactions. Proxima’s focus on this technology positions Germany as a competitive hub for alternative fusion approaches alongside the tokamak-focused research conducted at various European institutions.
Growing International Fusion Competition
This partnership reflects the increasingly international nature of fusion development, where companies and nations recognise that advancing this technology requires cross-border collaboration and specialised supply chains. As fusion technology transitions from purely research-focused efforts to commercial ventures, the infrastructure challenge becomes as significant as the scientific one.
The collaboration between Proxima Fusion and Kyoto Fusioneering demonstrates how European deeptech companies are positioning themselves within global fusion ecosystems. Germany’s ambitions to become a global fusion leader depend not only on technological innovation but also on securing partnerships and supply chains that can support commercial-scale deployment. The MoU signals confidence from both German and Japanese stakeholders that fusion energy commercialisation is becoming a near-term industrial reality rather than a distant prospect.