I believe that’s why they’re being made: Q being a function of both physical size and magnetic field strength, and the new superconductors being useful for increasing the latter so the former can be reduced.
But I have no idea if any of them are currently attempting Q_total > 1 or not: too much hopeful PR for me to know what stage they’re really at.
The Europeans are doing quite a bit of preliminary design scoping and engineering for DEMO, a 'demonstration' reactor which is supposed to come after ITER and generate net electricity, but there's not been a site selected, for example. Similarly, Chinese researchers are working on their CFETR, 'Chinese Fusion Engineering Test Reactor'.
I’m not talking about that category.
I’m talking about private sector stuff by groups which claim developments in superconductors means they can do it privately for much less, e.g.: https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/09/mit-backed-fusion-st...
I lack the knowledge to tell real projects in this sector from snake oil.
If the gain of the system overall is greater than Q-plasma, you’ve invented some other energy source in there somewhere and should throw away your reactor and focus on that thing. :D
Edit: one might think Q-plasma > 1 is just an internal milestone, not a public goal, but it’s not. Fusion startups are all going to be forced to make a public fuss over Q-plasma > 1 because the amount of funding you need to get from there to Q-total > 1 is MASSIVE and that milestone will be an investor aphrodisiac.