Since its inception, ITER has been a marker for global scientific collaboration through fusion energy. The process of building and designing ITER has helped train generations of scientists, engineers, and specialists worldwide in cross-cutting fields enabling fusion science. The organization’s impact on showing the fusion ecosystem that it can build big things is important. Today, however, a new momentum is building – within and around the private fusion industry. Over $7 billion has now been invested in private fusion companies. Public-private partnerships are moving ahead, national strategies are launching, international partnerships are forming, regulatory activity is advancing. ITER’s role should evolve in this new fusion energy economy.