Isaiah Taylor, Founder & CEO, Valar Atomics via theamericanconservative.comNuclear startup Valar Atomics has raised $130 million in a fresh funding round to accelerate its work on advanced microreactors, marking one of the most significant funding milestones in the nuclear energy startup space this year.
The round was led by Snowpoint Ventures, with participation from Day One Ventures, Dream Ventures, and high-profile investors including Palmer Luckey (founder of Anduril Industries) and Shyam Sankar (Palantir CTO). The company’s total funding now exceeds $150 million.
Founded by Isaiah Taylor in 2023, Valar Atomics aims to make clean, abundant energy more accessible through its helium-cooled, TRISO-fuelled small modular reactors (SMRs). The company plans to produce high-temperature heat for hydrogen and synthetic fuel production, targeting heavy industries and data centers.
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Groundbreaking in Utah
Earlier this year, Valar broke ground on its first test reactor, the Ward 250 at the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab in Emery County. The 100 kW thermal reactor will serve as a testbed for the company’s modular gigasite concept, where multiple reactors could be deployed at one site to achieve industrial-scale energy output.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox praised the initiative, calling it a “major win for Utah’s clean energy leadership.”
Regulatory Challenges
Valar is also part of a growing movement challenging the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)’s oversight of next-gen reactors. The company has joined a coalition of U.S. states and startups in a lawsuit arguing that current NRC regulations are outdated and hinder innovation in small-scale nuclear deployment.
Despite these hurdles, Valar’s inclusion in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program -which fast-tracks test reactor construction – signals strong government interest in advancing nuclear innovation.
Industry Impact
While Valar’s approach has drawn both excitement and skepticism, analysts say the startup represents the growing private-sector push to modernize nuclear power for industrial and commercial applications. If successful, its technology could play a key role in decarbonizing sectors that rely heavily on fossil fuels.
Valar Atomics plans to complete construction of its Utah test reactor in 2026, positioning itself as a major player in the next generation of nuclear energy startups.
Back in February, Valar Atomics raised a $19 million seed round led by Riot Ventures with participation from AlleyCorp, Initialized Capital, Day One Ventures and Steel Atlas. This early-stage capital enabled Valar to emerge from stealth and move ahead with its first test reactor prototype, cementing its mission to scale nuclear energy deployment via modular “gigasite” production.
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