FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JACKSON, WI — May 13, 2026 – Kyle Crum, President of Infinity EDM, LLC (Infinity), a precision manufacturing company based in Jackson, Wisconsin, served as moderator for a keynote panel at the 2026 Great Lakes Fusion Energy Summit, held May 5 at the Discovery Building on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. Full event coverage is available from the UW–Madison College of Engineering at Second fusion summit at UW-Madison signals the Midwest's rise as a fusion powerhouse.
The summit, organized by the 5 Lakes Institute in partnership with the UW–Madison College of Engineering, is the region's premier fusion energy industry event. Now in its second year, the 2026 summit drew more than 350 attendees from over a dozen states and several countries, including fusion scientists, engineers, investors, industry leaders, and policymakers — a testament to the growing momentum around the Great Lakes region as an emerging global hub for fusion energy development.
Crum moderated Keynote Chat #2, titled "How Nuclear Will Help Satisfy Growing Energy Demand," featuring four prominent voices from across the nuclear and energy industries: Mark Chalmers, Former President and CEO of Energy Fuels Resources Corp.; Patrick Ellis of Type One Energy; Steve Nieland, Director of Energy at Faith Technologies; and Ross Radel, Chief Technology Officer at SHINE Technologies — one of several fusion companies to spin out of UW–Madison research labs. The panel explored how fusion and nuclear energy can meet surging electricity demand driven by data centers and large-scale industrial consumers, and examined the role of public trust in fusion's path to commercialization.
Crum's selection as moderator reflects his position at the intersection of advanced manufacturing and emerging energy technology. As President of Infinity — a precision job shop specializing in EDM, small hole drilling, CNC machining, and grinding — he brings a hands-on manufacturing perspective to the supply chain challenges fusion energy will need to solve on its way to commercial scale. He also serves as a Venture Partner at Momenta Ventures, a faculty member at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and holds board positions with the 5 Lakes Institute and the Wisconsin Technology Council.
"If we're going to make this a reality, fusion energy isn't just a physics problem — it's a manufacturing problem," said Crum. "Wisconsin already has the precision machining, materials expertise, and engineering talent that fusion companies are going to need at scale. Events like this summit are how we make sure our region's manufacturers know that opportunity is coming and are ready to meet it. I was proud to represent the small and mid-sized manufacturers in this region and to help bridge the conversation between the energy industry and the shop floor."
The Great Lakes Fusion Energy Summit is a flagship event of the Great Lakes Fusion Energy Alliance, a public-private initiative building regional industrial and research capacity to support the emerging fusion energy industry. With the first grid-scale fusion power plants expected to be operational in the early 2030s and the industry projected to reach $550 billion annually by the 2050s, the Alliance aims to ensure Wisconsin and the Midwest are positioned to lead — not follow — that wave of growth.
About Infinity EDM, LLC
Infinity is a precision manufacturing job shop located in Jackson, Wisconsin, specializing in Wire EDM, Sinker EDM, CNC machining, and grinding. Founded on a tradition of family ownership, Infinity EDM serves customers across aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial markets with tight-tolerance, high-complexity part manufacturing. Learn more at www.infinityedm.com.
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