Xcimer: Powering the Next Leap in Progress

Energy has powered every major leap in human history, from the steam engine to space exploration. Yet since the 1970s, the rising environmental costs of fossil fuels have become undeniable and stalled progress, leaving us searching for better alternatives.

Xcimer, founded by engineers Conner Galloway and Alexander Valys, is now building the foundation for a limitless, clean energy future by combining proven inertial fusion science with a new take on laser technology.

"With fusion, you're essentially manufacturing energy instead of drilling for it," says CEO and CSO at Xcimer Energy, Conner Galloway. "The total amount of fuel consumed by a gigawatt-scale fusion plant for a year could be carried in the back of a pickup truck versus many mile-long trains of coal."?

From Gov Labs to Commercial Scale

The journey to Xcimer began in a place synonymous with big scientific leaps: Los Alamos National Laboratory. Conner and Alexander absorbed decades of Cold War-era progress in inertial fusion and recognized its commercial potential.

They discovered that existing work in high-energy excimer lasers (largely shelved after the Cold War) could be revived and combined with Soviet-era pulse compression techniques. This approach lowers costs and boosts the energy delivered to the fuel pellet, overcoming the limitations that have kept fusion from leaving government labs.

The Key to Commercial Viability: Laser Design

Xcimer's innovative laser system replaces costly, complex systems used in earlier fusion experiments, like those at the National Ignition Facility (NIF).

Their system aims to use just two high-energy excimer lasers capable of delivering 12 megajoules on target, equivalent to the energy of a fully loaded 18-wheeler traveling at highway speeds. Instead of 10 to 15 pulses per second, Xcimer's approach plans to deliver one pulse every few seconds. "

This means simpler engineering, less wear on components, and lower operating costs. It's all about designing for commercial viability from the start," Alexander explains.

A Platform for Rapid Innovation

To get there fast (and keep costs in check), Xcimer has adopted a flexible, learning-first strategy. Their 70,000-square-foot Phoenix facility in Denver is a modular platform built to test multiple parameters and refine every system component. By designing Phoenix as an adaptable learning platform, the team can pivot quickly if new data shifts their understanding.

Building the Future

The Department of Energy recognized Xcimer's approach with a $9 million award under its Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, supporting pilot-scale demonstrations. Xcimer is building a team that blends scientific credentials with practical engineering know-how to manage the complexity of scaling up.?

For Xcimer's founders, commercializing fusion reflects their broader vision for humanity's future. "This is how we'll power humanity's next great leap forward and even propel ourselves to the stars,” adds Conner.

Check out Mike's Interview with Xcimer's Founders