# DeepMind Alumni Are Standardizing Fusion Reactor Controls

> Fusionality raised $3.7M to build modular software and hardware control systems for commercial fusion power plants.
- Title: DeepMind Alumni Are Standardizing Fusion Reactor Controls
- Summary: Fusionality raised $3.7M to build modular software and hardware control systems for commercial fusion power plants. Standardizing the 80% of control systems…
- Keywords: fusion power, deepmind, clean energy, startups, technology, Alumni, Standardizing, Fusion, Reactor, Controls, TechCrunch
- Source: TechCrunch — https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/08/google-deepmind-alumni-are-building-tools-to-accelerate-fusion-power-for-the-grid
- Author: Tim De Chant
- Published: 2026-09-09T06:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: fusion power, deepmind, clean energy, startups, ai, technology
## The missing link in fusion
DeepMind alumni Federico Felici and Jonas Buchli launched Fusionality after realizing fusion startups were all struggling to build reactor control systems from scratch.
## Fresh capital for control systems
The Lausanne-based startup raised $3.7 million in pre-seed funding from Founderful and Playfair to build standardized tools for fusion reactors.
## Ending duplicated engineering effort
While an emerging supply chain provides specialized hardware components, around 80% of every fusion company's control system relies on the exact same underlying logic.

> Across the industry, many companies make their own control systems from scratch. But actually, 80% of each company’s control system is really exactly the same.
## Taming fickle plasma in real time
Fusion power relies on maintaining superheated plasma at precise temperatures and shapes. Fusionality is creating core control systems and simulation software startups can fine-tune.
## Rooted in DeepMind research
The founders previously teamed up to teach AI how to control a tokamak, a donut-shaped fusion device, at EPFL and Google DeepMind.
## AI as assistant, not driver
While artificial intelligence will play a critical role in optimizing reactor performance, the team believes AI should complement core physics controls rather than run whole reactors alone.

> I wouldn’t be somebody who advocates for AI to take the role of controlling the entire fusion reactor.
## Targeting magnetic confinement first
Fusionality is launching its software for magnetic confinement devices, the approach used by startups like Commonwealth Fusion Systems, before expanding to other reactor types.
## Building modular Lego blocks
The seven-person team is focusing on a tightly selected set of modular technology components with the goal of eventually powering a wide range of fusion operations.

> We start with a few of these blocks and then we build out more.
## Key takeaway

Standardizing the 80% of control systems shared across fusion reactor designs can dramatically accelerate commercial fusion deployment.