Prometheus II / Neoteric Research

Prometheus II, also operating under the corporate identity Neoteric Research, was an advanced research and development enterprise established by physicist Paul Koloc to pursue the proprietary PLASMAK magnetoplasmoid concept. Operating at the intersection of private energy innovation and defense-oriented physical sciences, the organization focused on generating stable, self-confined plasma configurations termed spheromaks or compact toroids. Historical antecedents to this work trace back to the declassification of controlled fusion under Project Sherwood declassified at Geneva Conference and early magnetic geometry programs such as the Christofilos Astron experiment at LLNL. Prometheus II / Neoteric Research explored these plasmoids as potential pathways toward compact fusion power, advanced propulsion, and high-energy-density physics applications. The company sought to position its PLASMAK architecture as a transformative solution capable of sustaining high plasma beta regimes without the massive footprint required by conventional tokamak reactors managed by institutions like PPPL. Over several decades, the entity interacted with federal agencies and national laboratories, contributing theoretical frameworks and experimental prototypes to the broader field of magneto-inertial fusion.