Helion Energy Stock: Will there be an IPO (or Actual Energy)?

Explore potential ways to acquire Helion Energy stock before the IPO. Invest in pre-IPO startups like OpenAI, Databricks, Anduril, and Anthropic via the Fundrise Innovation Fund. 

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Notable Helion Energy News

11/14/2024: NYT: Inside the Quest to Make Fusion a Reality
07/18/2024: $3.7 Billion Fusion Startup Leaves Scientists Puzzled
06/03/2024: OpenAI in talks to buy Helion Energy fusion power
12/04/2023: NPR: Closing in on nuclear fusion. Will it work?
Older news…

About Helion Energy

Helion Energy is a fusion research company aiming to be the first private entity to commercialize zero-carbon fusion energy.

Fusion is what powers the sun. If scientists can replicate the process by which the sun creates energy here on earth, we’ll have unlimited, inexpensive, clean energy without carbon or nuclear waste. 

Furthermore, fusion energy cannot be weaponized and doesn’t produce chain reactions which is always a risk with nuclear power. 

The company was founded in 2013 and became a Y Combinator participant in 2014. 

After a 2022 breakthrough in fusion technology at the Lawrence Livermore laboratory, fusion energy now appears to be more within reach.

Though most experts believe commercial production is still decades away despite significant progress, Helion Energy aims to produce net positive energy in 2024 and begin commercializing its technology “as soon as possible”.

The science community is skeptical and wants to peer review its data. 

Here is a video showing Helion Energy’s unique approach to creating fusion energy.

Ownership

Helion Energy is a venture-backed startup. Equity owners include founders, employees, venture capital firms, and private investors.

The company has raised more than $605 million since 2013.

The latest confirmed funding round was a Series E in November 2021. The funding round raised $500 million with an additional $1.7 billion commitment if technical milestones are met.

Prominent venture capital investors include Nucor, Mithril Capital Management, Capricorn Investment Group, Y Combinator, Dustin Moskovitz (Facebook, Asana), and Sam Altman (Y Combinator, OpenAI startup).

Helion has also received grants from the Department of Energy (DOE).

Funding Rounds

WordPress Data Table Plugin

Valuation 

The November 2021 Series E funding round led by Sam Altman set the Helion Energy valuation at $3.6 billion. Nucor invested $35 million in Helion in September 2023, but no further valuation disclosures were provided. 

IPO Potential

The Helion Energy IPO date is unknown and unlikely to occur in the next several years. 

The company is unviable and will require multiple future funding rounds to become self-sufficient. 

The latest funding round’s funds were targeted to support the 7th fusion prototype called Polaris, expected to be completed in 2024 and capable of achieving net positive energy.

The 8th iteration, Antares, is in the design phase. If Polaris achieves its intended outcomes, we can expect to see a new funding round at a higher valuation to support the completion of the 8th-generation apparatus. 

Venture capital investors expect to see progress in every prototype, building on the previous science and making improvements. Achieving intended outcomes give investors confidence in funding the next prototype and optimism for an eventual viable commercial product.

Successful milestones at each stage could mean the company will eventually produce clean, unlimited energy for broad distribution and consumption. 

Wealthy investors sometimes invest in long shots. And that’s what Helion Energy is. Investors like Sam Altman can provide millions of dollars at no personal risk, thereby enhancing the advancement of science and potentially earning an enormous reward. 

Potential investors should only expect an IPO once the company produces cost-efficient energy or generates revenue. Both may never be achieved.

An earlier IPO is possible if management and investors believe a viable commercial product is on the horizon. If the company can convince investors the future is bright, it may use an IPO to raise several billion dollars, akin to a pre-revenue biotechnology company.

Bookmark this page for the latest developments.

How to Buy Helion Energy Stock

Since Helion Energy is a private company, becoming an equity owner today is challenging, especially since its ambitions are unproven.

However, you can take action to improve your chances of early equity ownership or acquire shares later during the IPO. 

Here are three possible ways to acquire shares before and after an IPO.

1. Access shares on pre-IPO investing platforms

The author has not seen evidence of Helion Energy stock availability on pre-IPO investing platforms.

Shares may become available if early investors or employees want to cash out before an IPO if that ever occurs. 

This may become more likely if the company raises another round of venture capital. I expect another funding round if the Polaris prototype demonstrates its stated objectives. 

Check out our list of top pre-IPO investing platforms for current share availability. 

Accredited investors can watch pre-IPO investing platforms such as Equitybee, Forge Global, Hiive, Linqto, and EquityZen for Helion Energy share availability. 

If shares become available, expect to pay at least a $10,000 investment minimum. Signing up for online access to pre-IPO data and deal alerts is free.

Pre-IPO investing platforms let user indicate their interest in companies they wish to invest in.

If enough investors indicate interest in a particular company, the pre-IPO platforms may actively reach out to equity holders to try to acquire shares for accredited investors.

This could happen with Helion Energy. But it is more likely when the company further advances its technology and conducts a more significant funding round. 

Retail investors can bypass the accreditation requirement to own pre-IPO companies by owning the Fundrise Innovation Fund (review).

However, you cannot select individual pre-IPO companies, and Helion Energy stock is not in the portfolio at this time.

Please note: This is a testimonial in partnership with Fundrise. We earn a commission from partner links on AccessIPOs.com. All opinions are my own.

As companies mature, gain more shareholders, and delay their IPO due to macro conditions, more equity holders may seek liquidation before the IPO. 

2. Buy Nucor Stock

Steelmaker Nucor (NUE) invested $35 million in Helion Energy, a deal announced in September 2023. Nucor is a public company, so investors can buy Nucor stock for a small amount of investment exposure to Helion. 

A partnership between Nucor and Helion Energy aims to develop a 500-megawatt fusion power plant at a Nucor steel mill by 2030.

3. Participate in the Helion Energy IPO

I believe the Helion Energy IPO is several years away. When the time comes, or if investors are interested in other IPOs, there are ways to position yourself to be able to participate in IPOs if the strategy can help you meet your investment objectives. 

But it takes some upfront homework. 

IPO access has become more attainable to retail investors in the past few years. 

The following online brokers give customers free access to IPOs, even with low account balances:

• TradeStation 
• Robinhood 

Brokers negotiate exclusive IPO share allocations to make available to retail investors.

Access to specific high-demand IPOs is usually limited by which brokerage accounts you have and what broker gets exclusive access. 

TradeStation has a longer track record of accessing more than 300 IPOs and secondary offerings via its partnership with ClickIPO. 

But Robinhood has the advantage of Silicon Valley networks and a history of getting allocations for high-profile IPOs.

Check out this list of best brokers for IPO investing to learn more about IPO access for retail investors.

4. Buy Helion stock after the IPO

Waiting for the IPO requires patience. Helion Energy’s IPO may never happen or be a decade away.

Therefore, pre-IPO investing may be the best path for investors eager to own the potential of fusion energy. 

But there are advantages to waiting until after the IPO before owning stocks. 

IPOs allow investors to review financials via the S-1 filing. Pre-IPO investing has limited financials available. 

An IPO is a sign that the company is viable for the long term. Helion Energy has not yet demonstrated its ability to be a sustainable company. 

IPO stock prices typically rise with high-demand companies. You can benefit if you’re in early and sell when the price overheats.

Many IPOs rise in early trading, then fall once quarterly earnings reports become available.

In 2021, for example, both Rivian and Robinhood became high-flying IPO stocks. But six months after the IPO, both stocks were more than 80% below their price peak. 

Stock price declines after IPOs can be excellent entry points.

Avoid buying overvalued shares immediately after the IPO. Shares often fall after the IPO due to lockup expirations and quarterly earnings disappointments. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Helion Energy Publicly Traded?

No. Helion Energy is not publicly traded. 

What is the Helion Energy Stock Price?

There is no public Helion Energy stock price yet. The company is private. 

The November 2021 Series E funding round completed at $41.81 per share. That remains the last confirmed Helion Energy stock price. 

Transactions on the Hiive pre-IPO marketplace indicate shares traded hands at around $60 per share in early January 2024, suggesting a higher valuation. 

What is the Helion Energy Stock Symbol?

Helion Energy is a private company and is expected to be for some time. There is no Helion Energy stock symbol yet. 

Companies release their stock symbols along with their public SEC filings. 

Here are a few Helion Energy ticker suggestions that appear to be available in the U.S.: 

• HELI
• HELN
• FSN

Where is the Helion Energy S-1 Filing?

Helion Energy will not likely start the IPO process in the next five years. So you will not find any SEC filings. 

When the company makes progress with its technology and is capable of generating revenue, it may choose the public route.

If Helion Energy ever submits an S-1 filing and releases it to the public, we’ll post it here. 

In the meantime, you can check out the most recent S-1 filings in our S-1 filings feed. 

Helion News Archive

09/27/2023: A Futuristic Plan to Make Steel With Nuclear Fusion
06/03/2023: BI: Altman-backed startup betting on fusion energy
05/10/2023: WSJ: MSFT Bets Fusion Is Closer Than Many Think
05/10/2023: Helion’s fusion purchase agreement with Microsoft
04/23/2023: WSJ: Tech Billionaires Bet on Fusion 
12/13/2022: Fusion breakthrough: What happened and what it means
05/04/2022: Can fusion-powered Helion Energy change the world?
11/05/2021: Helion Raises $500 Million
06/22/2021: Helion Energy Achieves 100M Degrees C Fusion Fuel Temp
09/23/2020: Helion Energy Closes Funding Round at $1.25B Valuation

Conclusion

Retail investors get excited about extraordinary technologies and scientific breakthroughs like fusion energy. The press reports on the technology increase the hype and often highlight companies at the forefront of the associated innovation, including Helion and competitor Tae Technologies. 

However, buying the stock before it is public is often difficult, especially in the early stages of an unproven business model. Companies need to be more mature before shares become available on pre-IPO platforms.

Though pre-IPO investing platforms have opened more opportunities, private equity investing is still primarily reserved for accredited investors because of the added risk. Helion Energy is pre-revenue and has no viable product in sight. That decreases the potential to invest and the likelihood of share availability. 

If Helion Energy stock is on your radar, you must be patient. We may be several years away from ownership opportunities, public or private. Invest in pre-IPO and IPO companies with caution.

Read more: Climate Tech Startups in the IPO Pipeline

* Disclosure: The web page contains affiliate links from our partners. If a reader opens an account or buys a service from a link in this article, we may be compensated at no additional cost to the reader. Opening an account with a broker that provides access to IPOs does not guarantee the customer allocations of specific IPOs. The author is long RIVN, and HOOD.