French technology company Thales has founded GenF, a new venture dedicated to developing nuclear fusion through laser-driven inertial confinement. Announced on May 15, 2025, in Bordeaux, the project aims to create an “artificial sun” capable of producing clean, abundant energy.
GenF’s approach centers on using high-powered lasers to compress and heat atomic nuclei until they fuse, releasing vast energy—mimicking the process powering the sun. Leveraging over 40 years of expertise in high-power laser systems, including contributions to France’s Laser Megajoule program, Thales is positioning itself at the forefront of fusion technology.
The global fusion energy sector is rapidly growing, with investments rising from €4.24 billion in 2021 to €5.48 billion in 2022, according to the Fusion Industry Association. Countries like China are heavily investing in fusion research, highlighting the strategic importance of the field.
GenF’s development will progress in three phases: modeling and experimentation by 2027; technology maturation through 2035 focusing on laser synchronization and materials development; and finally, building a prototype reactor in the mid-2030s aimed at commercialization.
To support this effort, GenF has partnered with leading French research institutions, including the Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), École Polytechnique, and the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), with backing from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region. The French government has also committed €18.5 million in seed funding, reflecting national priority on fusion energy.
Currently staffed with about ten experts, GenF plans to expand its team to roughly forty specialists to address the complex challenges of laser fusion reactor construction.
Nuclear fusion offers advantages over traditional fission by generating minimal radioactive waste and relying on abundant hydrogen isotopes. Achieving fusion requires reaching temperatures hotter than the sun’s core to overcome atomic repulsion and trigger energy-releasing reactions. If successful, fusion could revolutionize sustainable energy production worldwide.
Thales’ proficiency in precision laser technology positions it uniquely to propel fusion development. As global energy demand grows and environmental concerns mount, GenF represents a significant step toward clean, limitless power.