Helical Fusion Selected for JETRO's Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP)
- naho yoshimura
- Jul 7
- 2 min read
Partnering with top international accelerators to advance fusion energy commercialization and build a sustainable future
Helical Fusion has been selected for the Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP)—a global business development initiative jointly operated by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Cabinet Office of Japan.
Launched in 2021, GSAP has supported more than 500 startups from across Japan, helping many achieve global expansion through fundraising, overseas entity establishment, and strategic alliances with global corporations. In the first round of 2025, 30 startups were selected in the Enterprise B2B and Sustainability domains. Helical Fusion was selected for the Sustainability Course, which supports companies solving global climate and energy challenges.
About GSAP and the Sustainability Course
GSAP connects Japanese startups with world-class overseas accelerators to provide tailored support for global market entry, fundraising, partnerships, and commercialization. The program includes workshops, mentoring, pitch sessions, and business matching with potential partners including investors.
The Sustainability Course is delivered in partnership with Third Derivative (D3), a climate tech accelerator with approximately 800 in-house experts and 200+ external mentors, and New Energy Nexus (NEX), a global innovation network operating in over 15 countries. The course is also supported by Japan Energy Fund Ventures, which invests in technologies that reduce CO₂ and improve climate resilience.
The Urgency of Fusion
Global electricity demand is projected to rise sharply by 2050, fueled by population growth and the rapid expansion of energy-hungry technologies like AI. Conventional sources cannot sustainably meet this demand. Fusion, fueled by abundant seawater, offers zero-carbon baseload energy—if technical and economic barriers can be overcome.
Analysts project a USD 550 billion annual market for fusion by mid-century*. Helical Fusion’s Series A attracted investors including SBI Investment, Keio Innovation Initiative (KII), and 17 other institutions(19 in total) alongside individual investors and public financial institutions, reflecting a growing commitment across Asia to compete in the global fusion race.
From Science to Engineering: Advancing Beyond the Experimental Stage
What sets the Helical Stellarator apart from other approaches is that it has already cleared the critical scientific phase of plasma, —an essential requirement for a commercial plant. This allows Helical Fusion to focus on the next phase: engineering and manufacturing a real-world fusion power plant.
Helical Fusion is now collaborating with leading industrial partners known for world-class manufacturing capabilities, steadily turning concepts into reality through technical partnerships, joint research agreements, and engineering collaborations.
These partnerships span a wide range of technical domains, including the development of proprietary high-temperature superconducting magnets and liquid metal blankets, both critical to realizing commercial fusion power plants.
Looking Ahead
Helical Fusion aims to deliver the world’s first steady-state net power fusion plant in the 2030s. Through GSAP, the company will gain strategic insights and global connections that will strengthen its business development capabilities and accelerate its mission: to commercialize a truly sustainable and high-efficiency energy source, and help shape the next global industrial frontier.
