Helion Energy
Facts
- HQ
- Everett, Wash.
- Sectors
- Renewable Energy Power Generation
- Founded
- 2013
- Type
- Corporation Seattle business license
- Employees
- 595
- Registered name
- Helion Energy Inc Seattle business license
- Stage
- startup
- Founders
- DAVID KIRTLEY, Chris Pihl, George Votroubek, Anthony Pancotti, John Slough
TerraPower, Group14 Technologies, and Helion Energy Secure Over $1.5 Billion in Pacific Northwest Climate Tech Funding in 2025
The three largest investment rounds in the Pacific Northwest in 2025 have all gone to climate tech companies: TerraPower, Group14 Technologies, and Helion Energy, totaling over $1.5 billion. Despite political and economic challenges, clean energy firms in the region attracted nearly 40% of total investment funding so far this year.
Seattle Lags Behind San Francisco in Top AI Startup Funding Deals in 2025 Despite Strong Talent Pool
Despite Seattle's strong AI talent and institutions, no Seattle-area startups rank among the top 100 AI funding deals in 2025, as investors favor San Francisco-based companies for large funding rounds. The city has potential but currently lacks a defining AI startup comparable to Anthropic or OpenAI.
Helion Energy Breaks Ground on World's First Commercial Fusion Plant in Washington, Targeting 2028 Operation
Helion Energy has begun construction on its Orion fusion power plant in Malaga, Washington, aiming to be the world's first commercial fusion facility. The project, backed by a historic power purchase agreement with Microsoft, targets operational status by 2028 despite significant industry challenges.
Avalanche Energy Receives $10M Washington State Grant to Build FusionWERX Fusion Energy R&D Site
Avalanche Energy secured a $10 million grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to build FusionWERX, a commercial-scale fusion energy testing facility in Richland, Washington, aimed at supporting fusion R&D and job creation. The facility will serve universities, companies, and government labs to advance fusion power technologies and the clean energy supply chain.
Report: "Cascadian Dynamism"—Pacific Northwest startups marry AI and physical systems across fusion, satellites, robotics and energy
The Pacific Northwest is spawning a cluster of engineering-heavy startups—what the author calls "Cascadian Dynamism"—that combine AI with physical systems (autonomy, fusion, satellites, robotics, energy) driven by regional talent, infrastructure, and nearby enterprise and federal customers.
GeekWire Revamps 200 Seattle-Area Startup Ranking with AI for Q2 2025
The GeekWire 200 ranking of Seattle-area startups has been revamped for Q2 2025 using AI tools to better highlight fast-growing companies and emerging leaders. Presented by JPMorganChase, the updated ranking combines data and editorial insight to provide a comprehensive view of the Pacific Northwest tech startup ecosystem.
Zeno Power Advances Strontium-90 Nuclear Batteries with Full-Scale Demo Set for 2026 and Commercial Launch in 2027
Zeno Power is developing scalable nuclear batteries using strontium-90 at their Seattle facility, aiming for full-scale demonstration in 2026 and commercial delivery by 2027. These batteries are designed for long-term power in extreme environments including oceans, the Arctic, and lunar missions.
Seattle Has Fewer Than 20 Unicorn Startups Amid Top AI Talent and Tech Giants in 2025
Seattle hosts fewer than 20 unicorn startups, representing about 1.5% of global unicorns as of January 2025, despite having a dense tech talent pool and being a prime location for AI businesses. Industry leaders argue that the number of unicorns alone is a poor measure of regional tech success, pointing to Seattle's strengths in AI, cloud giants, and fast-growing startups.
Seattle Fusion Startups Helion, Zap, Avalanche Clash Over Commercial Power Timelines at Investor Summit
At a Seattle-area Technology Alliance event, fusion startups Helion Energy, Zap Energy, and Avalanche Energy debated their timelines and challenges in commercializing fusion power, with Helion targeting a 2028 fusion power plant for Microsoft and competitors expressing skepticism about such aggressive goals.
Helion Energy to Build World's First Fusion Plant in Malaga, Washington, Powering Microsoft Data Centers with 50MW
Helion Energy plans to build the world's first fusion power plant near the Rock Island Dam in Malaga, Washington, aiming to begin construction this summer and provide 50 megawatts of clean energy to Microsoft data centers. The company, backed by over $1 billion in investments from notable investors like Sam Altman and SoftBank, has been engaging extensively with the local community and authorities to secure permits and support.
GeekWire Awards 2025 Sustainable Innovation Finalists Include Carbon Robotics and CarbonQuest for Advanced Environmental Technologies
The 2025 GeekWire Awards Sustainable Innovation finalists include Carbon Robotics, CarbonQuest, Helion, Modern Hydrogen, and Tidal Vision, companies developing technologies from AI-powered laser weeders to carbon capture and clean energy solutions. These innovations aim to protect the planet by transforming energy production, eliminating weeds sustainably, and capturing carbon emissions.
Starcloud Raises $10M More, Totaling $21M Seed to Launch Solar-Powered Orbital Data Centers
Starcloud, formerly Lumen Orbit, has raised a total of $21 million in seed funding to develop space-based data centers powered by large solar panel arrays. These orbital data centers aim to reduce terrestrial data center impacts and improve processing of satellite data by handling computations in space.
GeekWire 200 Q1 2025: Highspot Leads as Helion Rises to No. 2 After $425M Funding; Truveta, Statsig, Protect AI Also Advance
The GeekWire 200 Q1 2025 update highlights rapidly growing Pacific Northwest tech startups, with Highspot retaining No. 1 and Helion rising to No. 2 after a $425 million funding round. Other notable movers include Truveta, Statsig, Protect AI, Carbon Robotics, and Stoke Space, reflecting dynamic shifts in the regional tech landscape.
Helion Energy Raises $425 Million from Sam Altman, SoftBank, and Others, Valued at Over $5.4 Billion to Advance Fusion Power
Helion Energy, a Seattle-area fusion startup, raised $425 million from investors including Sam Altman and SoftBank to advance fusion power development, boosting its valuation above $5.4 billion. The funding emphasizes progress toward clean, carbon-free energy solutions crucial for powering AI data centers.
Highspot Takes No. 1 Spot on GeekWire 200 Startup Ranking After Outreach’s Layoffs and CEO Departure
Seattle-based sales enablement company Highspot has claimed the No. 1 spot on GeekWire's 200 ranking of privately held startups in the Pacific Northwest, replacing Outreach which recently downsized and saw its CEO step down. The GeekWire 200 ranking reflects changes in the dynamic startup landscape based on factors like funding, employee growth, and layoffs.
GeekWire 200 Updates Top Pacific Northwest Tech Startups Featuring Chainguard's $140M Raise and $1.1B Valuation
The GeekWire 200 ranking updates the top privately held tech startups in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, highlighting companies like Chainguard that raised $140 million and reached a $1.1 billion valuation. The list spans various industries and regions including Oregon and British Columbia, emphasizing the area's strong B2B enterprise software and consumer tech sectors.
CIA-Backed In-Q-Tel Joins $6.9M Funding Round for Kyoto Fusioneering, Tokyo-Based Fusion Startup with Seattle HQ
Kyoto Fusioneering, a Tokyo-based fusion energy startup with a U.S. office in Seattle, raised nearly $6.9 million in a funding round including new investment from CIA-backed In-Q-Tel and corporations Marubeni and Nichicon. The company has raised $95 million to date and is developing fusion fuel cycle test facilities in Japan and Canada.
Bloomberg Questions Scientific Validity and Internal Issues at Sam Altman-Backed Helion Energy Amid Fusion Power Ambitions
Bloomberg reports skepticism about Helion Energy's secretive fusion technology and ambitious commercial goals backed by Sam Altman and Microsoft, amid internal allegations of harassment. Helion aims to operate its seventh prototype reactor by year-end and build a commercial fusion plant by 2028, potentially the first worldwide.
Washington Leaders Visit Everett Fusion Startups as Industry Raises Over $900 Million in 2023 with Growing Policy Support
Washington state leaders Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Patty Murray visited local fusion startups Helion Energy and Zap Energy amid a surge in fusion funding exceeding $900 million last year and growing policy support. Despite technological challenges, fusion is seen as a promising carbon-free energy source, with over $7.1 billion invested globally and new federal and state regulations advancing its development.
Interlune Plans Robotic Helium-3 Harvesting on Moon with $18M Seed Funding, Aiming for 2026 Prospecting Mission
Seattle-based startup Interlune revealed plans to build a robotic harvester to extract helium-3 from the moon, aiming for a prospecting mission by 2026 and commercial operations in the 2030s. The company raised $18 million in seed funding led by Seven Seven Six, with the goal of enabling advanced technologies like quantum computing and fusion power.
GeekWire 200 Q1 2024 Update Highlights 35% New Startups and Outreach Tops Seattle Tech Rankings
The GeekWire 200's latest update reveals a significant reshaping of Seattle and Pacific Northwest startups, with 35% new companies entering, including newcomers in AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and health sectors. Key shifts include outreach becoming the top startup and major players like Hootsuite and Icertis graduating off the list after 15 years.
No New Seattle Unicorns in 2023 as Venture Capital Slows and Former Unicorn Convoy Collapses
Seattle saw no new unicorn startups in 2023 amid a broader venture capital slowdown following a boom during the pandemic, with some existing unicorns like Convoy collapsing and others cutting costs or staff. This trend reflects a global decrease in new unicorns, dropping from 619 in 2021 to only 64 through Q3 2023.
Zap Energy Secures $5M DOE Grant for Fusion Power Development with FuZE-Q Device Targeting 2030 Grid Integration
Zap Energy received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to support its development of fusion power using its fourth-generation Z-pinch device, FuZE-Q, aiming for commercial fusion energy by 2030. Despite challenges, the DOE funding serves as a significant national-level endorsement of Zap's work toward achieving fusion breakeven.
Microsoft and Helion Energy to Build First Commercial Fusion Power Plant by 2028 in Washington State
Microsoft and Helion Energy have announced an agreement to build the world’s first commercial fusion power plant in Washington state, aiming to operate by 2028. This plant could provide a limitless, carbon-free energy source to power Microsoft’s global data centers, marking a significant step from fusion research toward practical, clean energy production.
Avalanche Energy Raises $40M Series A Led by Lowercarbon Capital and Hits 200 kV Fusion Milestone with Device Marty
Avalanche Energy, a Seattle-based micro-fusion startup, secured $40 million in a Series A funding round led by Lowercarbon Capital and announced a technology milestone operating its fusion device Marty at 200 kV. The company aims to develop small-scale fusion power with the potential for unlimited clean energy and plans to reach 300 kV within the next year.
People
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David Kirtley Founder, Co-founder and CEO, Founder and CEO
