OpenStar lands $35m govt loan aimed at NZ fusion hub
A loan through the Regional Infrastructure Fund is backing OpenStar’s next fusion facility, as ministers bet infrastructure can anchor a new deep tech cluster in New Zealand.
What’s at stake? The Government wants frontier energy capability built in New Zealand and sees infrastructure as a way to anchor talent, capital, and future companies.
Background: Cabinet signs off a concessional $35m loan via the Regional Infrastructure Fund to support a specialised facility for OpenStar’s next fusion machine.
Main players: Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, OpenStar founder Dr Ratu Mataira, Cabinet, and officials administering the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
The Government is backing fusion energy startup OpenStar Technologies with a loan worth up to $35 million, positioning the decision as an infrastructure play designed to keep high-value engineering and research capability in New Zealand while the company scales globally.
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Key points
What’s at stake? The Government wants frontier energy capability built in New Zealand and sees infrastructure as a way to anchor talent, capital, and future companies.
Background: Cabinet signs off a concessional $35m loan via the Regional Infrastructure Fund to support a specialised facility for OpenStar’s next fusion machine.
Main players: Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, OpenStar founder Dr Ratu Mataira, Cabinet, and officials administering the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
