SOSV invests in over 25 plasma startups and launches NJ HAX Plasma Forge to drive innovation in semiconductors, fusion, and spacecraft tech.
Occasionally, an implement such as a hammer is introduced, and everything appears to be a nail. However, there are instances in which new instruments prove to be more than mere blunt-force objects.
The investors at SOSV are wagering that plasma will evolve into a sophisticated instrument that has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing process of semiconductors and facilitate the development of fusion power.
Over the next five years, it intends to invest in over 25 plasma-related businesses due to the great potential it perceives.
Additionally, it is establishing a new Hax lab facility in collaboration with the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
The most apparent location for establishing plasma startups is nuclear fusion. The potential power source operates by compressing fuel until it transforms into a dense plasma so thick that atoms begin to fuse, thereby releasing energy.
“There is an abundance of information present.” “The most innovative concepts have yet to be developed to unlock a significant amount of potential in the fusion sector,” stated Duncan Turner, general partner at SOSV, in an interview with TechCrunch.
Turner, however, asserted that fusion is only the beginning. The company has already made investments in two companies, one of which is YPlasma. This company employs plasma actuators to regulate the airflow over wind turbine blades and cool data center processors.
Turner stated that the discovery of novel applications for plasma in semiconductor manufacturing, where the state of matter already plays a role, could facilitate the development of new materials and processes.
Plasma thrusters are more fuel-efficient than conventional thrusters, which could be advantageous for spacecraft.
Additionally, the utilization of plasma could provide access to novel methods for producing compounds such as ammonia for fertilizer or fuel, or from carbon dioxide.
He stated, “When all of this was considered, we were amazed to discover that significantly more than 25 companies were present.” “There are hundreds of companies located here.”
