Fusion energy leaders head to TechCrunch Disrupt to map the grid transition

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) and Helion represent the vanguard of a shift in fusion energy, moving away from experimental milestones toward full-scale electricity production. Sorbom, who co-founded CFS in 2018, is currently overseeing the development of SPARC, a demonstration machine designed to support the future ARC commercial power plant. The company recently signaled its intent to join the grid by applying to PJM Interconnection, the largest wholesale electricity market in the United States, and securing $4 billion in total funding.

Helion is pursuing a different engineering path under the leadership of David Kirtley, an expert in high-Beta plasmas. The company’s Polaris prototype successfully reached temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius earlier this year. Helion is now focused on Orion, a 50-megawatt plant slated to provide power to Microsoft by 2028. Following a $500 million funding round finalized in September, the startup is navigating the regulatory hurdles necessary to bring a functioning power plant online.

At the upcoming October 13–15 event in San Francisco, Sorbom and Kirtley will examine the engineering and economic barriers that remain. Their discussion at Moscone West aims to demystify the jump from laboratory successes to consistent, scalable energy delivery for the public, providing a rare look at the operational realities facing modern fusion startups.