Wishing on star power

I believe if Tony Stark was a real person, he would be rather excited these days.

I also think he would try to crack the quantum and nuclear fusion puzzle.

Tony Stark, from Iron Man (Marvel comics), is a quite interesting character. His intelligence and drive actually mirror what’s happening in global labs and startups today: pushing the boundaries of technology, rethinking old problems, and leveraging every new tool at our disposal.

He is seen as controversial by some, and in my opinion, he is quite alike other tech moguls that live among us in 2025, such us Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos. All of them trying to find the next 'superpower' through technology.

In Iron Man 2, Tony created a new element to power his arc reactor, providing it with limitless energy. In the movie, this arc reactor was pure entertainment—yet it spotlighted a dream for many today: limitless, clean, safe energy.

This dream, thanks to global research efforts in nuclear fusion and tools like quantum computers, might be closer than ever these days.

Nuclear fusion and its importance

Let's start by (trying to) understanding nuclear fusion.

Nuclear fusion occurs when two light atomic nuclei (like hydrogen) fuse into a heavier one (like helium), releasing a colossal amount of energy. It’s the process that makes our sun shine. Unlike existing nuclear fission reactors—which split heavy atoms—fusion generates:

• No long-lived radioactive waste
• An almost inexhaustible fuel supply using hydrogen from seawater
• Intrinsic safety (if something goes wrong, the fusion reaction simply stops)

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), fusion could provide a clean, abundant energy source with minimal environmental impact. However, controlling a sun-like reaction on Earth is extremely challenging, as we can all imagine.

Researchers must deal with plasma temperatures hotter than the core of the sun, find materials that can handle punishing conditions, and carefully design reactors to contain and stabilize the fusion process (peanuts, righ?).

Some recent fusion breakthroughs you need to know

• China’s so-called “artificial sun” has once again eclipsed its own world record for sustaining super-hot plasma, a vital milestone in the pursuit of near-limitless clean energy. On January 20, 2025, the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) kept a stable, highly confined loop of plasma—often called the fourth state of matter—running for an impressive 1,066 seconds. According to Chinese state media reports, this more than doubles its prior best of 403 seconds, showcasing significant progress in harnessing nuclear fusion for future power needs.
• The United States hit a historic turning point at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in December 2022, when researchers announced the first-ever net energy gain from a controlled fusion reaction. Additionally, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) claims to be the world’s first company to develop plans to build a grid-scale fusion plan. CFS says their reactor, known as ARC, will generate around 400 MW of electricity for the grid, enough to power 150,000 homes. The company expects to generate at this capacity by the early 2030s.
• India continues to ramp up its fusion energy program, reaffirming its plans to build its first major tokamak reactor. By developing homegrown facilities and collaborating on international projects like ITER, India aims to emerge as a key global player in fusion research.

Quantum + Fusion: fast tracked star power

We know that nuclear fusion research is packed with complex calculations and massive datasets.

Traditional supercomputers are powerful, but certain fusion problems are so intricate—requiring simulations of quantum-scale phenomena—that even the fastest supercomputers can struggle. Quantum computing offers a fast-track approach to solving these issues, and could be one of the keys to a faster fusion transformation.

Key question: Will fusion-rich countries form a new “energy elite,” controlling access to this technology?

Fusion energy promises clean, abundant, and nearly limitless power, potentially breaking the geopolitical stranglehold of fossil fuels. If successfully commercialized, fusion could weaken the influence of major oil and gas exporters and empower countries that lead in fusion technology.

These are my views:

1. Major oil-exporting nations (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Russia, UAE, Iran) could see their geopolitical leverage decline as fusion becomes viable.
2. Countries heavily dependent on energy imports (e.g., Europe, Japan, India) could achieve energy independence, reducing their reliance on politically unstable regions.
3. Nations leading in fusion research, like U.S., China, EU, and Japan, could set the terms for global energy policies.
4. Access to fusion technology could become a bargaining chip in international diplomacy, similar to how nuclear energy technology is restricted today.
5. Fusion energy could disrupt global markets by lowering energy costs, making manufacturing and industrial production cheaper in fusion-powered economies.
6. Energy-exporting countries might need to diversify quickly or risk economic collapse.

What's NEW in the world of Quantum, Post-Quantum & Tech this week?

1. US nuclear fusion start-up backed by Sam Altman and Peter Thiel secures $425mn - https://www.ft.com/content/b146c6f4-2045-4b7a-a444-94bdd8bbfe2d
2. Researchers make leap in quantum computing - https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/01/researchers-make-leap-in-quantum-computing-molecules/
3. ZuriQ is rewriting the rules of quantum computing by letting qubits fly - https://thenextweb.com/news/zuriq-quantum-computing-startup-funding
4. D-Wave Announces New Leap Quantum LaunchPad? Program to Fast-track Deployment of Quantum Computing Applications -https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250122232294/en/D-Wave-Announces-New-Leap-Quantum-LaunchPad%E2%84%A2-Program-to-Fast-track-Deployment-of-Quantum-Computing-Applications

Stay curious, stay safe and see you next week!

All the best,

Marta

Welcome to my newsletter and thanks for reading!

I began my career in sales, and short after, I changed to consulting.

I am that 'hybrid profile' who combining a background in business and a master’s degree in cybersecurity, I’ve been fortunate to work across diverse regions, including Spain, the UK, the Netherlands, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and South America.

Today, I’m based in Dubai, UAE, where I lead Cysuite Group, a forward-thinking cybersecurity firm specializing in consulting and Post-Quantum Security solutions.