We’re launching a Science and Technology Advisory Board – an important milestone and mandatory reality check in our journey to fusion on the grid

By Conner Galloway

 

Just over a year ago, we announced our Series A funding and set out on an ambitious path: commercializing hotspot-ignited laser inertial fusion–the most proven fusion energy technology. Since then, we’ve been busy—very busy. 

Today, we’re sharing an important update on our progress and a major step we’re taking to ensure we stay on the most rigorous and credible path forward: the formation of a Science and Technology Advisory Board made up of some of the world’s most respected experts in fields important to our mission—veterans in pulsed power, fusion science, laser physics, nuclear design, and more. We’ve asked them to critique, validate and challenge our progress, question our assumptions, and help us eliminate risks as we scale up.

A Year of Tremendous Progress

In the months since our Series A, our team has grown to nearly 100 people—an exceptional group of engineers, scientists, and operators who are advancing the frontier of fusion energy. We’ve achieved key technical milestones, including the completion of our first electron-beam-pumped excimer laser—one of the foundational building blocks of our unique approach to develop an affordable and scalable 10 MJ laser driver for inertial fusion.

We’ve also launched collaborations with respected institutions in fusion and high-energy physics: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Westinghouse, General Atomics (GA), MIT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), and others. These partnerships help us accelerate our path to commercial deployment while leveraging the decades of experience in fusion science and related technologies.  

We also published a joint paper with collaborators from many of these institutions detailing one of our target design concepts. One of the strengths of our approach is that it builds on and scales the implosion and ignition mechanism demonstrated by the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to larger size and fuel mass, leveraging the only confinement scheme to achieve breakeven while addressing the challenges of commercially viable performance and integration. 

Another highlight of the past year has been participating in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program. We received the second-largest award in the program while still a seed-stage company—a validation of the promise of our approach. We believed in the Milestone Program from the beginning because it wasn’t just about plasma physics; it was a comprehensive assessment of the entire science, engineering, financial and commercial path to deployed fusion power. The feedback we received from DOE experts and reviewers has been invaluable, helping us refine and sharpen our roadmap.

Launching Our Science and Technology Advisory Board

As we continue to expand and accelerate, we know that maintaining a critical eye is essential. At Xcimer, we hold “Respectful Critique” as a core value. Progress in fusion—or any transformative technology—requires humility and a willingness to question assumptions, even when things are going well.

That’s why we’ve formed a Science and Technology Advisory Board composed of leading experts across multiple disciplines. This board isn’t here to cheer us on; they’re here to challenge us. We’ve intentionally brought together committed skeptics: people aligned with our mission yet unafraid to ask hard questions and highlight risks. Some members come from the inertial fusion world; some from the magnetic fusion world; and some from outside the fusion community altogether. This diversity of thought is intentional and vital.

Under the chairmanship of Michael Campbell, former Director of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester and former Associate Director for Lasers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the originator of the NIF, this board will not be a rubber-stamp committee. Mike and the rest of the board aim to elevate the bar for the entire fusion sector.  

Other S&TB members include: 

• Riccardo Betti, Ph.D.Target Implosion Physics, Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Physics & Astronomy, University of Rochester, Former Chair of the Division of Plasma Physics, American Physical Society
  
• David Crandall, Ph.D. Fusion & National Security, Former Chief Scientist, NNSA
• Greg Van Dyk, Ph.D. Fusion & National Security, Former Chief Scientist, DoD
• Roger Falcone, Ph.D. Plasma Physics, HEDP, Former President, American Physical Society; Professor of Physics, UC Berkeley
• Javier Garay, Ph.D. Laser Science & Materials Science, Professor and Director of the Fusion Engineering Institute, UC San Diego
• Mark J. Kushner, Ph.D. Laser Science & Plasma Chemistry, Distinguished Professor of EECS, University of Michigan
• Rick Spielman, Ph.D. Pulsed Power, Former Chief Scientist and Project Manager, Sandia Z-Machine; Professor of Physics, University of Rochester
• Jim Trebes, Ph.D. Defense, National Security, Former Director for Directed Energy, DoD; Former Head of Physics, LLNL
• George Tynan, Ph.D. Fusion Reactor and Plasma Physics, UC San Diego Engineering

The board held its first meeting last quarter. Many members said they were deeply impressed by the strength of our team and the coherence of our technical approach. One member shared that, prior to the meeting, he didn’t believe any private company had a real chance at delivering fusion energy. Now, he told us, he believes that Xcimer has a shot—but real risks remain. 

That’s the kind of honest assessment we want. While the board strongly supports our Series A activities—especially around demonstrating our laser technology—the most critical feedback we received was about the scope of work ahead of us to achieve our timeline to deliver electrons on the grid by the mid-2030s. We’re grateful for that. It forces us to think harder, refine our roadmap, and focus with even more intensity as we begin shaping our Series B.

Staying Grounded, Delivering Results

This is an exhilarating time for fusion. Startups are laying out roadmaps, governments are boosting support, and the scientific community is energized. Yet the field is crowded, and many of the roughly 70 early-stage fusion companies will fail. The contraction will, inevitably, cast doubt on the entire sector. 

If there’s one formula for success in fusion–or any challenge–it’s this:

• Deliver the results you say you’re going to deliver.
  
• Stay humble and always listen to critique.

We’ve heard others say, “Our investors don’t want to hear about risks.” We believe that’s a mistake. Ignoring risk doesn’t make it go away. Understanding it—and tackling it head-on—is what leads to real, sustainable progress.

We founded Xcimer on the principle of scientific integrity and the conviction that laser-driven inertial fusion offers the fastest, most credible path to grid-scale fusion power. By establishing our Science and Technology Advisory Board–including physics pioneers from leading universities, America’s national labs, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy–we’re reinforcing our commitment to scientific rigor, transparency and urgency.