Eric Lander's High-Stakes Bet on Fusion: Can Pacific Fusion Bring Clean Energy to Reality?

Renowned scientist Eric Lander has set his sights on a new frontier—clean fusion energy—as CEO of Silicon Valley startup Pacific Fusion. Known for his contributions to the Human Genome Project and his founding role at the Broad Institute, Lander is now spearheading efforts to develop pulsed magnetic fusion technology, a method that compresses fuel with electrical pulses to achieve fusion energy. His team includes elite scientists from Lawrence Livermore, Sandia Labs, and other tech giants like Alphabet and Tesla.

Despite fusion energy remaining an elusive goal, Pacific Fusion believes recent scientific breakthroughs, such as achieving "target gain," mark a pivotal shift. Venture capital backing, led by Hemant Taneja of General Catalyst, supports the company’s bold timeline to produce a full-scale demonstration by the 2030s. Alongside Lander, company leadership remains energized by the mission's challenge, seeing it as a monumental, long-term commitment.

The potential of fusion energy is vast, with a promise of unlimited clean power that could reshape global energy and support growing tech demands, including AI. However, the journey ahead is filled with challenges—scientific, engineering, and financial. For Lander, success with Pacific Fusion could cement his legacy beyond his previous public sector stumbles.