Aalo Atomics Secures Funding to Build First Reactor
Austin, Texas-based Aalo Atomics was recently identified by the US Department of Energy as one of eleven advanced reactor projects selected for initial support through its Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program. The initiative aims to provide modular nuclear energy for manufacturing operations and offer a reliable, sustainable energy source. The program seeks to achieve criticality with at least three projects within the next year.
The company also recently closed a $100 million Series B funding round led by Valor Equity Partners, with additional participation from both new and existing investors, including: Fine Structure Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, NRG Energy, Vamos Ventures, Tishman Speyer, Kindred Ventures, 50Y, Harpoon Ventures, Crescent Enterprises, Crosscut, Alumni Ventures, MCJ, Gaingels, and Nucleation Capital. Aalo, founded in 2023, has secured over $136 million in funding to date.
Aalo intends to leverage its latest investment to expand its workforce, with a focus on recruiting top-tier engineering and manufacturing talent to double its current staff of approximately 60 employees. Following the close of its Series B, Aalo CEO Matt Loszak announced that the company has sufficient capital to initiate construction of the inaugural Aalo-X plant, targeted to achieve zero-power criticality by July 4, 2026. The experimental reactor will be produced at Aalo’s 40,000 square foot pilot facility in Austin, Texas, prior to being transported to and installed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
If successful, this facility could be the first advanced nuclear power plant commissioned in the United States in several decades. Unlike typical test reactors, the Aalo-X is a commercial-scale facility intended to generate electricity. Additionally, the company plans to establish an experimental data centre adjacent to the plant, representing the first integrated deployment of a nuclear power plant and data centre, and serving as a demonstration model for future large-scale applications.
The Aalo-X reactor is a prototype for the commercial Aalo Pod, which is planned for commercial power deployment in 2029. The Aalo Pod is intended to supply power for data center applications. The 50 Megawatt Electric (MWe) Extra Modular Reactor (XMR) power plant includes five fully modular sodium-cooled reactors using low-enriched uranium dioxide fuel, chosen for safety and accessibility. The Aalo Pod distinguishes itself by not requiring an external water source. Its modular, compact design is purpose built for on-site integration with data centers and permits scalable deployment from megawatts to gigawatts efficiently.