HB11 Energy, an Australian nuclear fusion startup, is targeting the United States for its future operations due to the absence of a national fusion energy strategy in Australia.

Founded in 2017 and based in Sydney, the company has raised about US$10 million in venture funding.

It collaborates with local universities for research.

The startup is partnering with the University of New South Wales on materials science for fusion containment vessels.

It is also working with the University of Adelaide on laser technologies needed for its fusion process.

🔗 Source: SmartCompany

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Australia’s nuclear ambivalence stems from a complex historical legacy

Australia’s cautious approach to nuclear fusion is deeply rooted in its conflicted nuclear history, explaining the current resistance HB11 Energy faces.

During the Cold War period, Australia permitted British nuclear testing on its soil, including at Maralinga between 1952-1963, which led to long-term health impacts for military personnel and indigenous communities, with 30% of exposed personnel later dying from cancer or related illnesses 1.

This nuclear legacy was acknowledged only recently when the government allocated AUD $133 million in 2017 to support veterans exposed to radiation during these tests, marking a belated recognition of the harmful consequences 1.

The historical ambivalence continues in Australia’s nuclear diplomacy, where it has simultaneously advocated for disarmament while relying on the US nuclear umbrella for security, creating what experts call a “middle-power nuclear paradox” 2.

The Nuclear Disarmament Party’s emergence in 1984 further demonstrates how deeply nuclear concerns have penetrated Australian political consciousness, capturing 7.23% of the Senate vote with its anti-nuclear platform 3.

This historical context helps explain why, as McKenzie notes, “no one wants to touch anything nuclear with a barge pole in Australia”—the country’s nuclear trauma remains unresolved in public policy and perception.

2️⃣ The global fusion race is accelerating while Australia sits on the sidelines

While HB11 Energy looks to the US for support, a global race to commercialize fusion energy is intensifying with massive investments that Australia is not participating in.