Kyoto University, Starlight Engine, and Kyoto Fusioneering Forge Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Fusion Energy Breakthroughs
Joint Research Agreement Signed for Plasma Design in the Pioneering FAST Project, Targeting Power Generation Demonstration by the 2030s
Kyoto University, Starlight Engine Ltd. (SLE), and Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd. (KF) have officially entered into a joint research partnership to advance the plasma design for the FAST Project—a cutting-edge initiative targeting the demonstration of fusion power generation by the 2030s. This collaboration brings together world-class academic insights and private-sector innovation to push the boundaries of clean, limitless energy.
1. Joint Research Agreement Overview
The FAST Project emerged in November 2024 as a bold, private-sector-driven collaboration between industry and academia, dedicated to demonstrating fusion power generation by the 2030s. Harnessing the tokamak confinement method—the most extensively studied approach to fusion—FAST is strategically positioned to minimize both costs and technical risks while accelerating progress toward commercialization.
Spearheaded by SLE, the project unites Japan’s top fusion researchers, key industrial players including KF and international partners, creating a powerhouse alliance to propel fusion energy from ambitious vision to reality. Achieving an early, cost-effective demonstration of fusion energy—FAST’s central goal—requires a plasma design that integrates key elements, including confinement performance, heating and current drive, heat management, and particle circulation. To meet this challenge, a new joint research agreement has been signed with Kyoto University, marking a major step forward in optimizing the project’s plasma physics strategy.
With decades of pioneering research in magnetically confined fusion plasmas, Kyoto University stands at the forefront of theoretical fusion science in Japan. Its deep academic expertise, combined with the advanced engineering capabilities of Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd. and the project management experience of Starlight Engine Ltd., creates a powerful alliance to propel the FAST Project toward realizing the promise of fusion energy.
2. Joint Research Agreement Details
This joint research initiative will focus on exploring how core design elements—including plasma geometry, magnetic coil configuration, conductor wall structure, and the distribution of plasma pressure and current—impact the performance of a next-generation fusion tokamak. The project is rooted in the application of cutting-edge high-temperature superconducting (HTS) technology, a key enabler for compact, efficient, and powerful reactor designs.
The partnership will also carry out advanced simulations to optimize fuel supply mechanisms and improve the confinement of fusion reaction products—two pivotal factors in achieving sustained, high-performance plasma. These integrated efforts will directly accelerate the FAST Project’s mission: to design and deliver a fusion power demonstration tokamak that moves the world closer to a practical, zero-carbon energy future.
3. Comments from Project Leaders
Akinobu Matsuyama – Associate Professor, Department of Fundamental Energy Science, Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University
“Expectations are growing for the early realization of fusion energy as a key energy source to build a sustainable, carbon-free future. At Kyoto University, we are proud to contribute our deep theoretical expertise in fusion plasma science, developed over decades in close collaboration with the broader scientific community, to the FAST Project. This joint research represents a powerful bridge between academia and industry as well as a vital opportunity to develop the next generation of innovators who will drive the future of energy development. Together with our professors and researchers, we are fully committed to advancing this important initiative.”
Kiyoshi Seko – CEO, Starlight Engine Ltd.
“We are very encouraged to have the opportunity to join forces with Kyoto University and Kyoto Fusioneering—two organizations at the forefront of fusion science and technology—for the FAST Project. Their exceptional expertise and in-depth knowledge are invaluable assets as we work toward demonstrating fusion power generation in the 2030s. We are fully committed to the success of the FAST Project, an important milestone in the development of fusion energy in Japan and around the world.”
Satoshi Konishi – Co-Founder and CEO, Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd.
“We are proud to be part of the FAST Project—led by Starlight Engine and in collaboration with Kyoto University, the very institution where our company was founded. This partnership brings together Kyoto University’s world-class research capabilities and our own cutting-edge technological expertise. By uniting these strengths, we are fully committed to accelerating progress on the conceptual design being developed by Starlight Engine and helping bring the vision of fusion power closer to reality.”
