FUSION STARTUPS SEE RECORD $3.8BN FUNDING, BUT EXPERTS QUESTION COMMERCIAL TIMELINE

Nuclear fusion startups have attracted a record $3.8 billion in private investment so far this year, fueled by tech giants and billionaires betting on the future of clean energy. Despite ambitious targets, such as Helion Energy's plan to power Microsoft by 2028, many scientific experts remain skeptical about the near-term commercial viability. Senior scientists suggest that connecting a fusion plant to the grid is unlikely within the next decade and may not be a reality until much later in the century.