What's the plasma configuration of the machine? I think there's a research group at U of Washington working on merging spheromaks which create a field reversed configuration. Is this a spinoff of that group?
Yes! Prof. John Slough is the Chief Scientist at Helion and the inventor of the Fusion Engine. UW has been leading the field of 'alternates' fusion for decades.
Our 'About Us' page has a short blurb:
http://www.helionenergy.com/
edit: looks like it is - this is the group: https://www.aa.washington.edu/research/plasmaDynamics/phdx.h...