FAST is an industry-academia collaboration project led by Kyoto Fusioneering to develop a fusion power demonstration plant. The project will employ a tokamak design and targets the start of plant operations in 2035, followed by a power generation demonstration in 2038, with commercial deployment envisaged in the 2040s. Starlight Engine was established in 2025 to advance the project.
The call for proposals is open to Japan’s prefectural governments and designated major cities, with applications being accepted until 15 October. Following the application period, the company will conduct discussions with local governments and site surveys before selecting a preferred location by 2028. According to Starlight Engine, a preliminary survey conducted through the Japan Industrial Location Center since 2025 has already identified interest from 17 prefectural-level local governments.
On the same day, the company also announced its first fundraising round since its establishment, raising a total of JPY 6.06 billion through a third-party allotment of new shares to 17 companies and organisations. The FAST project completed its conceptual design in November 2025, and the newly raised funds will be used for research and development during the engineering design phase, as well as site selection, regulatory engagement, supply chain development, and strengthening the company’s workforce and organisational structure.
The financing round also included participation by K4V Vital Platform Fund, an investment fund of the Kansai Electric Power Group. KUWANO Satoshi, Managing Executive Officer of Kansai Electric Power Co, said the company would work to deepen its expertise in fusion energy and support technology development as part of its efforts to explore future zero-carbon power sources.
