Why Fusion Energy is Closer Than Ever
Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau host TechMates, the NZVC podcast. The guest on this episode is Ratu Mataira, Founder and CEO of OpenStar, and it went out on 7 June 2025.
Ratu Mataira, founder and CEO of OpenStar, went from struggling undergraduate physics student to leading a New Zealand fusion startup that reached first plasma using superconducting magnet technology. He draws on his grandmother's work reviving the Maori language, explains levitated dipole fusion reactors, and discusses the timeline for commercial fusion and why New Zealand suits deep tech.
- Breakthrough superconducting magnets.
- Levitated dipole fusion reactors explained.
- Milestone: achieving first plasma at OpenStar.
- Timeline for fusion commercialization.
OpenStar, fusion energy, superconductors, deep tech, clean energy, New Zealand tech