Chinese fusion machine developer startup, Startorus Fusion (sometimes known as Stellar Fusion Energy), has announced a 1 billion yuan ($143.3 million) Series A funding round.
This Series A round was jointly led by CICC Capital and 3 government-backed investment firms from Shanghai: Shanghai STVC Group, Shanghai Future-Oriented Industries Fund, and Shanghai Jiading Technology Investment Group.
As of this announcement, this funding round is the largest of 2026, setting the stage for a continuation of the strong investment environment we saw throughout 2025.
Startorus Fusion was founded in 2021 by Chen Rui (CEO) and Tan Yi (Chief Scientist), two graduates of Tsinghua University. .
Startorus Fusion is developing a spherical tokamak utilizing high-temperature superconducting magnets. The company’s team includes core members from Tsinghua University’s Department of Engineering Physics and works in collaboration with projects such as the SUNIST-2 device.
The SUNIST-2 Experiment, Source: Startorus Fusion
The SUNIST-2 experiment was jointly developed by Startorus Fusion and Tsinghua University. The experiment has been operating since 2023.
Startorus Fusion plans to verify the engineering plans for its new machine around 2028, which will lead to the construction phase for a commercial demonstration unit. The company's goal is to build a fusion demonstration machine capable of outputting electricity around 2032.