Ties to UCI for fusion energy developer continue via local hiring plans

TAE Technologies Inc. was founded out of the University of California, Irvine, and maintains “a deep and ongoing relationship with the UC system.”

“This is a company born of UCI,” said TAE Chief Marketing Officer Jim McNiel told the Business Journal on Nov. 21.

As TAE looks to double its current headcount, which is heading toward 500 people, it will be keeping an eye on graduates from the university.

“UCI is certainly a great feeder,” McNiel said. “We need to build an army of really well-trained people that can build careers in fusion.”

Co-founder and CEO Michl Binderbauer received his Ph.D. in physics from UCI in 1996. Binderbauer’s mentor and the co-founder of TAE Technologies was UCI Professor Norman Rostoker, who inspired the name “Norman” for the company’s current reactor.