Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ Brandon Sorbom and Helion’s David Kirtley on bringing fusion to the grid at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

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    "url": "https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/commonwealth-fusion-systems-brandon-sorbom-and-helions-david-kirtley-on-bringing-fusion-to-the-grid-at-techcrunch-disrupt-2026/",
    "title": "Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ Brandon Sorbom and Helion’s David Kirtley on bringing fusion to the grid at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026",
    "author": "TechCrunch Events",
    "excerpt": "For decades, commercial fusion power has seemed perpetually out of reach. Now two companies are building toward something much more concrete: putting fusion-generated electricity on the grid. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is building SPARC, a demonstration fusion machine intended to pave the way for its first commercial power plant, ARC. Helion is developing Orion, a 50-megawatt fusion power plant intended to supply electricity to Microsoft beginning in 2028. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 , CFS co-founder and chief science officer Brandon Sorbom and Helion founder and CEO David Kirtley will take the Smart Systems Stage for “Bringing Fusion to the Grid.” They’ll discuss the breakthroughs moving fusion forward, the challenges that remain, and what it will take to deliver fusion power to the grid at scale. Want to hear what stands between today’s fusion breakthroughs and commercial power? Grab your pass and bring your co-founder, partner, or peer for 50% off their pass. Discover the insights shaping the future of fusion, together. Sorbom co-founded CFS in 2018 with the goal of commercializing fusion energy in time to help combat climate change. As chief science officer, he leads the company’s scientific direction and R&D and helps advance the design of ARC. The idea has roots in his work at MIT, where Sorbom was lead author of the paper proposing the original ARC design while...",
    "product": "Orion",
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    "image_url": "https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/TCD26_Sorbom-Kirtley-16x9-Dark.png?resize=1200,675",
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