U.S. nuclear fusion startup draws investment from Itochu, SoftBank

Blue Laser Fusion advances R&D with eye on commercial viability in 2030

20240306 Shuji Nakamura Blue Laser Fusion

The U.S. startup Blue Laser Fusion was founded by Shuji Nakamura, who won the 2014 Nobel Prize in physics for the development of the blue light-emitting diode.

RYOTARO YAMADA and TOMOYA ONISHI, Nikkei staff writers

March 6, 2024 20:15 JST

Updated on March 7, 2024 02:19 JST

PALO ALTO, California/TOKYO -- Trading house Itochu and telecom company SoftBank are investing in Blue Laser Fusion, a nuclear fusion startup in the U.S. headed by a Japanese Nobel Prize winner in physics that is developing a method for stable power generation using proprietary laser technology.

The two high-profile companies are the first strategic investors from the Japanese private sector in BLF, which aims to make the technology commercially viable around 2030.