Avalanche Energy

Avalanche Energy, a Seattle-based startup founded in 2021 by Robin Langtry and Brian Riordan, is developing compact, modular fusion reactors. The company's mission is to provide clean, portable, and scalable energy solutions for a wide range of applications that are difficult to decarbonize. The founders, both veterans of Jeff Bezos's space exploration company Blue Origin, leverage their extensive experience in complex engineering projects to steer Avalanche's development. Langtry, the CEO, has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and a background in turbulence modeling and system architecture, with his initial inspiration for the company's fusion concept stemming from the sci-fi show "The Expanse." Riordan, the COO, previously served as a Principal Engineer at Blue Origin.

The company's core technology is the "Orbitron," a micro-fusion reactor small enough to fit on a desk. Unlike many fusion efforts that rely on large, expensive magnetic confinement systems like tokamaks, Avalanche employs a hybrid approach using electrostatic fields to trap ions and magnetic fields to confine electrons. This design allows ions to be accelerated to high energies within a compact space, increasing the probability of fusion reactions. The small form factor is a key strategic advantage, enabling rapid and cost-effective design, build, and test cycles, a departure from the multi-year, billion-dollar timelines of larger fusion projects.

Avalanche Energy's business model focuses on creating modular 5kW cells that can be stacked together to meet various power demands, from kilowatts to megawatts. The initial target market is applications where energy density and portability are critical and costs are less sensitive, such as space power and propulsion for satellites. The company secured a contract with the Defense Innovation Unit in 2022 to demonstrate its technology for spacecraft. As the technology matures and costs decrease, Avalanche plans to address other markets, including long-haul trucking, maritime shipping, and power for remote microgrids and disaster relief. A secondary revenue stream involves leveraging their technology to produce and sell high-energy neutrons for radioisotope production and advanced materials testing. To support this, the company is developing FusionWERX, a commercial-scale testing facility in Washington, partially funded by a $10 million state grant.

The company has achieved significant technical milestones, including operating its prototype reactor at 200kV and later sustaining 300,000 volts, crucial steps toward achieving net energy gain. Financially, Avalanche Energy is venture-backed, having closed a $5 million seed round in 2021 and a $40 million Series A round in 2023, led by notable investors like Lowercarbon Capital, Founders Fund, and Toyota Ventures.

Keywords: micro-fusion reactors, compact fusion, modular energy, electrostatic confinement, Orbitron, clean energy, space propulsion, portable power, decarbonization, advanced nuclear, distributed energy generation, high-voltage fusion, net energy gain, fusion technology, venture-backed, Robin Langtry, Brian Riordan, Lowercarbon Capital, Founders Fund, Toyota Ventures, Defense Innovation Unit, FusionWERX, neutron source, radioisotope production, climate tech, deep tech