After more than two decades of pioneering achievements in practical fusion technology, General Fusion founder and Chief Science Officer Dr. Michel Laberge is transitioning to founder emeritus, a key advisor role, as the company advances toward commercializing fusion energy. This new role allows the company to continue to benefit from his vision, passion, and insights, while giving Michel well-deserved time to focus on the other things he loves outside of fusion. Join us in celebrating an incredible journey!
A Big Mission From a Small Garage
In 2002, Dr. Michel Laberge set out with a big mission: to transform how we energize the world with clean, abundant fusion energy. With a PhD in physics focused on fusion, Michel understood its potential, and as the climate crisis worsened, he went looking for a better way to get fusion onto the grid.
He founded General Fusion to develop a technology that could practically scale to a commercial fusion power plant. He chose to pursue Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) with a liquid metal wall, an approach that addresses key barriers in materials durability, fuel cycle, and cost, and enables efficient conversion of fusion energy using established power plant infrastructure.
Design It, Build It, Test It, Improve It
“It all began in a small garage on Bowen Island, British Columbia. I felt a deeply held conviction that I had to do my part to fight climate change, and that urgency has only grown. Energy demand is rising at such a rapid pace, and other energy sources like renewables can’t take us all the way. Fusion is the clean answer. But fusion only matters if it can be commercialized, and that’s where General Fusion’s Magnetized Target Fusion stands apart.”
From day one, Michel’s focus on practicality and commercialization has been at the heart of everything we do. His early work began with hands-on experimentation and rapid iteration. Initial plasma compression and neutron results in 2005 demonstrated real potential, and momentum built through early validation and committed investment.
Michel’s approach has always been to design it, build it, test it, and improve it. Over the years, we got really good at building stuff, advancing the program through dozens of prototypes and testbeds. More importantly, these machines produced real results, now published in 37 peer reviewed papers that underpin and derisk our MTF approach and give us confidence in our roadmap to commercialization.
A World-First Milestone
All of that hard work recently culminated in a world-first result for General Fusion’s practical approach to fusion: our large-scale LM26 fusion demonstration machine reached plasma temperatures exceeding 12 million degrees Celsius (over 1 keV)!
This is the first time any fusion machine has hit 1 keV using General Fusion’s practical, low speed compressional heating approach, and it’s a major step toward our mission to deliver reliable, baseload, economical clean power from fusion.
It also confirms we’re on the right path, and that Michel chose the right technology all those years ago. Plasma temperature, density, and magnetic field all increased as expected for a stable plasma under compression. That gives us even more confidence in our core MTF technology principles, and in our next target for the LM26 machine: 100 million degrees Celsius (10 keV).
Seasoned Leadership Behind the Machines
Working hand-in-hand with Michel throughout this journey was Mike Donaldson, today General Fusion’s Senior Vice President of Technology Development. As employee #5, Mike has guided the company’s technology development for more than 17 years, leading the rapid development of our prototypes and a team of highly skilled scientists, technicians, and engineers.
We’re full speed ahead. Mike will continue to lead General Fusion’s technology development program as we upgrade our LM26 machine and push toward our next milestones. At the same time, as LM26 progresses, we’re preparing to start our Commercial Systems program supporting a first-of-a-kind plant in the mid-2030s. With Mike’s seasoned leadership, and the team that he and Michel have grown, we’re ready for what’s next.
A Lasting Impact & Looking Forward
As Chief Science Officer, Michel has left an indelible mark on the development of MTF and the field of fusion science itself. His TED Talk on MTF has drawn more than 1.3 million views. He has supported the company in numerous patents and peer-reviewed papers. TIME, The Wall Street Journal, Science, Scientific American, and many other publications have featured his work. He has hosted a Prime Minister and technology titans and delivered keynotes around the world. Just as important is his commitment to educating the next generation of fusion experts. Michel has welcomed countless co-op students into the lab, personally taking them through General Fusion’s facility and inspiring them with a big mission.
And his contribution isn’t over. Michel will continue to support General Fusion leadership with his technical expertise and critical insight as we progress toward our next major milestones for LM26 and gear up for our Commercial Systems program.
“I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made over the past 24 years, and I know this is the team that can deliver practical fusion energy. Thank you to the deeply talented and dedicated team at General Fusion who drive our mission forward every day; it is more important now than ever before. Because of you, fusion energy is within reach, and I look forward to continuing to support you and the company on its path to commercialization while also taking more time to pursue my passion for inventing, and of course, more time on the ski hill!”
Thank You, Michel (and Enjoy the Slopes!)
Certain statements in this blog are forward-looking statements under U.S. Securities laws. These include statements regarding the Company’s ability to commercialize MTF or other fusion technology, expected timelines, future demand for fusion energy, the LM26 program, financing needs, and future operational or financial results. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties, many outside the Company’s control. Actual results may differ materially, and readers should not rely on these statements as guarantees, assurances, or predictions of future performance. Important information regarding these statements, including the full cautionary disclosure, is available at https://generalfusion.com/disclosures/.