Technology· Startups

Nuclear startup Bluecore Energy raises $50M seed round, just two months after launch

Bluecore Energy said Tuesday it closed an oversubscribed $50 million seed round, coming after a $10 million pre-seed and the companys exit from stealth earlier this year. The startup, founded by Kofi Asante, develops small modular nuclear reactors mounted on floating barges to supply clean power to ports and nearby infrastructure.

By AI NewsroomPublished 33 minutes agoUpdated 33 minutes ago0 views

Nuclear startup Bluecore Energy raises $50M seed round, just two months after launch

Why It Matters

If certified, Bluecores floating SMR design could allow nuclear-generated electricity to be moved to high-demand sites such as ports, data centers and communities that currently lack reliable clean power, potentially shortening deployment timelines compared with fixed reactor installations. The company is also engaging federal regulators, which will shape whether the technology can be commercially deployed.

Key Facts

Seed funding: $50 million (oversubscribed) in seed round
Prior funding: $10 million pre-seed raised months earlier
Founder: Kofi Asante
Lead investor: Silverton Partners
Time to close seed: Eight weeks to close the round (per company)

Bluecore Energy announced an oversubscribed $50 million seed round on Tuesday, adding to a $10 million pre-seed it raised after coming out of stealth earlier this year. The company, started by Kofi Asante, is building small modular reactors (SMRs) installed on floating barges so the power plants can be moved to ports and other nearby infrastructure that need clean electricity.

Asante says the concept borrows from decades-old naval practice of operating portable reactors and adapts it into smaller units designed for rapid relocation. The approach is intended to reduce the time and new infrastructure traditionally needed to bring power to a site, with the company already deploying two barges as part of its early rollout.

Many investors from the pre-seed round, including Slauson & Co., Harlem Capital and Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, renewed their support for the seed, while new backers such as Collab Capital, HartBeat Ventures and several technology-sector angels also joined. Silverton Partners led the round, which the company says closed in about eight weeks; Bluecores founder described having to expand the cap table to accommodate continued investor interest.

Bluecore is headquartered at the Port of Long Beach and has established partnerships with the Department of Transportation Maritime Division, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard. The company is currently under review by the NRC and the Coast Guard on its product design, which could lead to certification if the reviews are successful. The new capital will go toward product development, regulatory processes, purchasing nuclear fuel, and hiring, while the company also works to manage supply-chain constraints and respond to inbound interest from multiple ports, AI data centers and communities seeking clean energy and water. Bluecores team includes alumni from SpaceX, Rivian and Toyota, and the company says it already has a reactor and barges in place and plans to order nuclear fuel through a national lab partner.