Founded in 2021 by Dr. Ratu Mataira, out of his Mt Victoria flat in Wellington, OpenStar is pioneering commercial fusion energy through developing an intrinsically-stable, simple and modular fusion energy concept, the levitated dipole.

This approach uses magnetic fields to confine superheated plasma with a single, levitating magnet. Their nature-inspired design simplifies fusion dramatically, removing many technical and economic barriers that have historically held fusion back.

On October 31, 2024, OpenStar achieved first plasma, confining superheated plasma at 300,000°C for 20 seconds in their Marsden Class device, demonstrating the viability of their nature-inspired reactor design in just three years.

OpenStar aims to deliver power-positive Hasegawa Class devices to the grid by the early 2030s, eliminating the need for fossil fuels and ushering in an age of energy abundance.