Profiles of the supply chain panelists
John Elling
Dr. Elling is the CEO of Molten Salt Solutions based in Santa Fe, NM. Molten Salt Solutions was formed in 2018 to develop the unique materials and isotopes that will be needed in the next generations of nuclear power reactors. He came to New Mexico to work at Los Alamos National Laboratory as Technical Staff Member and returned years later as a Visiting Entrepreneur. He is well versed in the process of licensing and commercializing technology from national laboratories. John is an active member of the New Mexico Angels and a general partner at Phase One Ventures with investments in several of their portfolio companies. Dr. Elling received his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin and received his MBA from the Anderson School of Business at the University of New Mexico.
Yifei Zhang
Dr. Zhang joined SuperPower in 2010. At SuperPower, he works on product development, manufacturing technology development, and business development. He is also the primary contact person responsible for the technical support to our customers to address their specific requirements. Before joining SuperPower, Dr. Zhang worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the High Temperature Superconductivity for Electric Systems Program. He has over 25 years of experience in the R&D, manufacturing, and applications of 2G HTS wires.
Bibake Uppal
Bibake Uppal leads KF America, Kyoto Fusioneering’s (KF) Seattle-based U.S. arm, spearheading strategic growth and key partnerships across North America. Under his leadership, KF has launched a novel public-private joint venture in Canada, expanded its U.S. commercial and strategic relationships, established research agreements with U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories, and grown its North American investor base.
KF is a private company pioneering the technology and integrated systems for commercial fusion energy. With a global presence across Japan, the U.S., the U.K., Germany, and Canada, KF collaborates with fusion ecosystems worldwide to accelerate the practical path to fusion energy deployment.
Maxim Monange
Max Monange leads the U.S. arm of Japanese laser fusion company EX-Fusion, where he directs reactor systems engineering for the company’s pilot plant program. He also manages collaborations with U.S. national laboratories, the DOE, universities, and industry partners. Max holds a B.Sc. in Physics (First Class Honours) from King’s College London and an M.Eng. in Nuclear Engineering from UC Berkeley. His prior experience includes work with Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC-Tech) and EDF Inc., covering both fission and fusion reactor design, licensing, and systems integration.