Since opening in 2001, Culham Innovation Centre – managed by Oxford Innovation Space and based within the UKAEA’s Culham Campus in Oxfordshire – has been instrumental in nurturing hightech start-ups and strengthening the UK’s fusion supply chain. Among its many success stories over the last 25 years, Tokamak Energy stands out as one of its most remarkable alumni.
When Tokamak Energy began life in 2009 as a bold spin-out from the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), fusion power was still considered a distant scientific ambition. Yet from its first modest office at Culham Innovation Centre, the three person team set out on a mission to accelerate the commercialisation of fusion energy. Since moving into the centre in 2010, the company has become a global leader in fusion energy, driving the development of cutting-edge fusion and high temperature superconducting (HTS) technologies.
Today, Tokamak Energy employs over 300 people, operates from two buildings at Milton Park, has offices in Japan and the United States, and has raised more than $350 million (over £250 million). But the foundations of its success were laid at Culham Innovation Centre, where the company was supported by Oxford Innovation Space.
David Kingham, Founder and Senior Advisor of Tokamak Energy, explains:
“Culham Innovation Centre was the ideal location for the early growth of Tokamak Energy when the company emerged as a spin-out from UKAEA – it was the perfect place to start a bold, hard-tech company. We wanted to remain on the same site for the first few years as one of our founders was still employed by UKAEA – and we benefitted from the flexibility of the Innovation Centre as we grew.”
“We wanted all the services provided by the Centre, so that we could concentrate on growing the business, tackling our technical challenges and hitting our milestones,” adds David. “We graduated from the Centre after three years and now, more than 10 years later, we employ over 300 people, nearly all in Oxfordshire.”
The proximity to UKAEA meant that the company could remain closely linked to UK’s fusion research expertise, while the campus environment offered invaluable credibility with early investors and potential partners. Just as importantly, Culham Innovation Centre offered a comprehensive yet flexible package of services, space and support designed for start-ups.
Alongside flexible facilities, in-house experts and a collaborative community of fellow tech innovators, Oxford Innovation Space was also able to connect the company into the wider support ecosystem via its sister companies. For example, Tokamak enrolled on a Growth Accelerator programme delivered by Oxford Innovation Advice. Through the programme, the team received specialist one-to-one support from mentor David Hawksworth, former Managing Director of Siemens Magnet Technology.
Meanwhile, Tokamak successfully raised external investment through Oxford Innovation Finance’s Oxford Investment Opportunities Network (OION) – one of the largest and most active angel networks in the UK.
David explains: “The OION angel network contributed to our earliest fundraising and the publicity from that investment round helped us attract other investors. It really helped to get the ball rolling.”
Reflecting on those early days, David continues: “We wouldn’t be where we are now without the early-stage support we received. The Culham Innovation Centre helped us tap into available programmes and grants in addition to providing us with flexible space and in-house support. Plus, the centre’s labs enabled us to build a small tokamak just across the corridor from our offices.”
Since graduating from the centre in 2013, Tokamak has continued to grow and innovate at pace. The company has designed, built, and now operates two of the world’s most advanced fusion devices: ST40, the highest magnetic field spherical tokamak, and Demo4, a world-first HTS fusion magnet system. Its pioneering work in compact, HTS magnet technology is widely recognised as a critical enabler for commercial fusion energy.
Recognising the broader potential of its technology, Tokamak Energy launched its TE Magnetics division in 2024 to take its HTS magnet systems into new markets. These range from power distribution to electric motors for zero emission flights. In 2025, the company was recognised with a prestigious Institute of Physics Business Innovation Award.
Culham Innovation Centre’s combination of flexible space, shared labs, tailored business support and a vibrant community of peers has proven its value for ambitions science and engineering companies and the local economy. The centre continues to nurture businesses that are not only driving regional economic growth, but also advancing solutions to global challenges.
As David Kingham concludes: “Fusion is a huge challenge and it can’t be solved by a single company alone. Culham Innovation Centre plays an important role in building the cluster, the ecosystem and the supply chain needed to make fusion a reality. For us, it was the perfect place to start.”
For more information on Tokamak Energy, visit www.tokamakenergy.com