Startups·23 October 2026·1 min readTechnical readSource-backed

Commonwealth Fusion Systems Secures $85 Million From U.S. Government to Develop Fusion-Ready Semiconductors

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Commonwealth Fusion Systems secured $85 million from the U.S. government on Thursday to develop specialized chips and power electronics for the fusion industry. The Department of Commerce award grants the federal government an equity stake in the company. The funding will support five distinct initiatives, starting with silicon carbide power electronics, which manage high voltages and drive the superconducting magnets that confine reactor plasma.

CFS also plans to build next-generation radio-frequency generators to heat fusion fuel, and to develop radiation-hardened electronics for faster reactor control. Additionally, the company will adapt artificial intelligence hardware like GPUs and TPUs for use in power plants. Building a single demonstration device is only a proof point.

If startups want to construct dozens of commercial power plants, they require durable power electronics and a secure domestic supply chain. Brandon Sorbom, co-founder and chief science officer at CFS, stated in a blog post that the initiative will lower plant costs and strengthen the U.S. chip industry.

CFS aims to turn on its Sparc demonstration reactor sometime next year.

The company said the new CHIPS Act award will boost research, development, and manufacturing capacity for semiconductors nationwide.

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TechCrunch

Original author: Tim De Chant

Original publication: 23 October 2026 21:50

Read full story on TechCrunch ↗

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STORY TITLE:
Commonwealth Fusion Systems Secures $85 Million From U.S. Government to Develop Fusion-Ready Semiconductors
SOURCE:
TechCrunch
ORIGINAL URL:
https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/23/commonwealth-fusion-systems-gets-85m-to-build-better-fusion-ready-semiconductors/

SOURCE EXCERPT:
Top-funded fusion startup Commonwealth Fusion Systems received an $85 million award from the federal government to advance conductors for fusion power plants.

Last updated 23 October 2026 23:30

Original sourceTechCrunch ↗