Valar Atomics became the first SMR startup to achieve a controlled chain reaction (criticality) at very low power and has broken ground on its Ward 250 reactor in Utah. The company's Gigasite model integrates high-temperature gas reactors into massive industrial campuses for hydrogen production, data centre power, and synthetic fuels — bypassing utility procurement by owning and operating reactors directly. Valar closed a $130 million Series A to fund its aggressive commercial deployment strategy.
Private investors