Micro-reactor startup Antares just raised $96M to fire up its first test reactor by mid-2026. (Axios)
The funding includes $71M in new equity and $25M in debt, plus $12M+ in federal contracts, including from the Defense Innovation Unit—a sign the Pentagon sees micro-nukes as a future power source for remote bases and off-grid missions.
Antares is building 100 kW to 1 MW micro-reactors cooled with sodium heat pipes and fueled by TRISO particles—a three-layered nuclear fuel that’s engineered to trap radioactive material even under meltdown-level stress.
Antares, one of 11 companies tapped for DOE’s fast-track test reactor program, is planning a grid-producing micro-reactor by late 2027 if next year’s demo reactor proves out.