Munich-based Marvel Fusion, founded in 2019, has announced the extension of its Series B funding round by €50m ($54m), bringing the total round to €113m. Most fusion investment has so far supported traditional magnetic confinement fusion systems, which are the most widely studied. The laser-based technology under development at Marvel Fusion is based on an alternative method known as inertial confinement, that could offer a more compact and scalable solution.
Marvel’s fusion technology involves an ultrashort laser pulse interacting with small fuel pellets in a target structure with high intensity. The rapid deposition of laser energy triggers the fusion of the fuel’s nuclei before the target structure can disassemble. To achieve sufficient scale for commercial operation, fuel pellets must be irradiated and ignited several times per second.
An injector pushes a new pellet into the target chamber, where it is hit by the incoming laser pulse and releases energy during the fusion process. Supplementary systems convert the released energy into electricity. By adjusting the rate of pellet injections and corresponding laser pulses per second, Marvel’s fusion power plant design can adjust the overall energy output to market demand. The company plans to build a prototype facility by 2032 and aims to have a commercial fusion power plant operational by 2036.
The extended financing round further supports Marvel Fusion’s transition from its research and development phase toward industrial deployment. This includes the current construction of a €139m laser facility in partnership with Colorado State University. Marvel Fusion is also progressing its industrial partnership with Siemens Energy by jointly developing a conceptual design of a fully integrated fusion power plant. Marvel Fusion says it is “actively forging industrial partnerships for the ramp-up of laser production, which can meet the high-gain requirement needed to offer sufficient energy at competitive prices”.
The new funding includes investments from EQT Ventures, Siemens Energy Ventures, and the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, marking their first fusion energy equity investment. Existing investors Tengelmann Ventures and Bayern Kapital contributed again. Marvel Fusion Founder & CEO Moritz von der Linden said: “Welcoming the EIC Fund, EQT Ventures and Siemens Energy to our shareholder board is fantastic; it gives us the financial and operational backing for executing the required milestones towards building the world’s first fusion prototype.”
Juha Pankakoski, Executive Vice President Global Functions at Siemens Energy, comments: “We have long been involved with Marvel Fusion, contributing our expertise and we look forward to continuing our joint work. We hope this important technology becomes a reality, enabling reliable energy. When that day arrives, Siemens Energy is committed to being at the forefront.”
The European Commission has explicitly identified fusion energy as “no longer a research subject” but rather “an industrial challenge with immense potential for Europe’s industry, competitiveness, and strategic autonomy.” Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board, noted: “The European Innovation Council’s Fund participation underscores a significant advance, demonstrating the EIC commitment to high-impact innovation by private fusion companies and in line with fusion technology’s position as a strategic technology for Europe.”
Ted Persson, Partner at EQT Ventures, said solving fusion would be a generation-defining moment for humanity. “We’ve followed the fusion space since the early days of EQT Ventures. The exceptional team at Marvel Fusion has proven time and again that fusion energy is within reach, and we are more than excited to partner with them.”
