Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This week on the show, we're sharing the debut of Positive Charge (geekwire.com/positivecharge/) , a new GeekWire podcast from reporter Lisa Stiffler and producer Laura Scott about the innovations that could help save the planet.
In this episode, they dig into the high-stakes race to harness the power of the sun and make fusion energy real, visiting two Seattle-area startups chasing this dream, and asking whether limitless clean power is finally within reach.
Also out this week: their debut episode (geekwire.com/2026/forever-chemicals-are-everywhere-but-these-companies-are-out-to-destroy-them/) on the "forever chemicals" in our water and the companies figuring out how to destroy them. Follow Positive Charge wherever you get your podcasts, or at geekwire.com/positivecharge (geekwire.com/positivecharge/) .
Positive Charge is presented with support from Amazon Sustainability.
Sources and references
• David Kirtley (linkedin.com/in/david-kirtley-490b8230/) , Helion Energy, CEO and co-founder
• Manav Singh (linkedin.com/in/manavsingh0/) , Helion Energy, director of electrical engineering
• Matthew Thompson (linkedin.com/in/drmatthewthompson/) , Zap Energy, senior vice president of fission technology and former vice president of systems engineering and pulsed power
• Laura Berzak Hopkins (pppl.gov/people/laura-berzak-hopkins) , Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, associate laboratory director for Strategy and Partnerships, and deputy chief research officer
GeekWire’s related coverage:
• Helion gives behind-the-scenes tour of secretive 60-foot fusion prototype as it races to deployment (geekwire.com/2025/helion-gives-behind-the-scenes-tour-of-secretive-60-foot-fusion-prototype-as-it-races-to-deployment/)
• Helion makes big bet on ‘Tiny Merge’ fusion testbed to meet aggressive Microsoft timeline (geekwire.com/2026/helion-makes-big-bet-on-tiny-merge-fusion-testbed-to-meet-aggressive-microsoft-timeline/)
• Inside Zap: Fusion pioneer tries to build ‘a star in a jar’ to unlock abundant clean energy (geekwire.com/2025/go-inside-zap-a-seattle-area-company-trying-to-build-a-star-in-a-jar-to-unlock-abundant-clean-energy/)
• Zap Energy’s nuclear double play: Fusion startup adds traditional fission to its lineup, in industry first (geekwire.com/2026/zap-energys-nuclear-double-play-fusion-startup-is-the-first-to-add-traditional-atomic-power-to-its-lineup/)
See omnystudio.com/listener (omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
This week on the show, we're sharing the debut of Positive Charge (geekwire.com/positivecharge/) , a new GeekWire podcast from reporter Lisa Stiffler and producer Laura Scott about the innovations that could help save the planet.
In this episode, they dig into the high-stakes race to harness the power of the sun and make fusion energy real, visiting two Seattle-area startups chasing this dream, and asking whether limitless clean power is finally within reach.
Also out this week: their debut episode (geekwire.com/2026/forever-chemicals-are-everywhere-but-these-companies-are-out-to-destroy-them/) on the "forever chemicals" in our water and the companies figuring out how to destroy them. Follow Positive Charge wherever you get your podcasts, or at geekwire.com/positivecharge (geekwire.com/positivecharge/) .
Positive Charge is presented with support from Amazon Sustainability.
Sources and references
• David Kirtley (linkedin.com/in/david-kirtley-490b8230/) , Helion Energy, CEO and co-founder
• Manav Singh (linkedin.com/in/manavsingh0/) , Helion Energy, director of electrical engineering
• Matthew Thompson (linkedin.com/in/drmatthewthompson/) , Zap Energy, senior vice president of fission technology and former vice president of systems engineering and pulsed power
• Laura Berzak Hopkins (pppl.gov/people/laura-berzak-hopkins) , Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, associate laboratory director for Strategy and Partnerships, and deputy chief research officer
GeekWire’s related coverage:
• Helion gives behind-the-scenes tour of secretive 60-foot fusion prototype as it races to deployment (geekwire.com/2025/helion-gives-behind-the-scenes-tour-of-secretive-60-foot-fusion-prototype-as-it-races-to-deployment/)
• Helion makes big bet on ‘Tiny Merge’ fusion testbed to meet aggressive Microsoft timeline (geekwire.com/2026/helion-makes-big-bet-on-tiny-merge-fusion-testbed-to-meet-aggressive-microsoft-timeline/)
• Inside Zap: Fusion pioneer tries to build ‘a star in a jar’ to unlock abundant clean energy (geekwire.com/2025/go-inside-zap-a-seattle-area-company-trying-to-build-a-star-in-a-jar-to-unlock-abundant-clean-energy/)
• Zap Energy’s nuclear double play: Fusion startup adds traditional fission to its lineup, in industry first (geekwire.com/2026/zap-energys-nuclear-double-play-fusion-startup-is-the-first-to-add-traditional-atomic-power-to-its-lineup/)
See omnystudio.com/listener (omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
