Ignition Research recently sat down with Oded Gour-Lavie, CEO and Co-Founder of nT-Tao, to discuss his company’s work and the future of fusion energy.

Oded is a retired Rear Admiral in the Israeli Navy, where he commanded both the Israeli Submarine Fleet and the Israeli Sea Command. He holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering (Cum Laude) from the Technion in Haifa, an MPA from Harvard’s Kennedy School (Wexner Fellow), and has studied at MIT Sloan.

In 2019, Oded co-founded nT-Tao in Hod Ha’Sharon, Israel, alongside Doron Weinfeld (Chief Scientist) and Boaz Weinfeld (Chief Technical Officer). Doron and Boaz bring deep expertise in plasma and experimental physics. Today, the company has about 30 employees, including a strong core of PhDs, focused on developing affordable, compact, and scalable fusion energy systems for both on- and off-grid applications.

1. What inspired the founding of nT-Tao?

We knew clean baseload energy was the only way to power the future, and fusion energy is the cleanest and safest type baseload power to do the job. Our goal from day one has been to build an affordable, compact fusion energy solution, not only to connect to the grid, but also to serve off-grid needs. We’re developing high-density, compact, scalable systems that can bring reliable and safe power to places where it’s often unavailable: on-site data centers, shipping, islands, mining operations, off-grid installations, industrial facilities, and defense applications. We’re leveraging Israel’s dynamic high-tech ecosystem to move fast and innovate toward these goals.

2. Who are nT-Tao’s investors, and why are they backing your company?

Our investors are visionary. Many recognize how safe, compact, distributed energy will reshape the global energy market. Some also have investments in other fusion companies, but they’re drawn to nT-Tao because of our team’s capabilities, our ability to iterate quickly, and the transformational impact our solutions can have on global energy access.

3. What makes your approach to fusion energy unique?

nT-Tao is one of very few companies focused on small modular fusion systems. We are targeting a 20 MW (MWe) output fusion machine that can fit into a few standard shipping containers. To put that in perspective: ITER’s vacuum vessel is 19.4 meters in diameter; our current prototype is just 1.5 meters, with the final version projected at about 3.5 meters in diameter. The full system, packaged as “Tao Energy Boxes”, will house our compact fusion core, known as the “Tao Core.”

4. Who are your target customers?

Our goal is to deliver complete fusion energy systems to customers needing clean, safe, high-density, deployable power. Data centers are an obvious market, as are off-grid industrial applications such as mining, offering solutions akin to, but smaller than, SMRs. Other use cases include powering remote villages with critical infrastructure like healthcare facilities and desalination plants. Our systems can scale for either grid-connected or standalone off-grid applications.

5. What is your biggest supply chain challenge?

Our design is based on a quasi-symmetric stellarator with a high aspect ratio, optimized for compact deployment. The biggest supply chain challenge lies in power electronics for plasma heating, these must perform reliably even in environments where cooling is difficult. Additionally, thermal blankets for energy capture and tritium breeding remain an industry-wide challenge, but we’re optimistic that strong solutions will emerge.

6. When will fusion begin powering the grid?

We expect commercially available fusion energy in the mid-2030s, with broader scaling through the late 2030s and 2040s. Our own conservative estimate for deploying a full nT-Tao pilot is in the early 2030s.