Advanced nuclear startup X-energy just snagged a fresh $700M to build the reactors Big Tech is desperate for. (Axios)
The backers: The massive Series D round was led by trading firm Jane Street, with participation from ARK Invest—a signal that “smart money” is betting big on SMRs to solve the AI power crunch.
The pipeline: X-energy says it already has orders for more than 11 GW of capacity (roughly 144 reactors), including high-profile commercial commitments to power facilities for Amazon and Dow.
The secret sauce: A high-temp, gas-cooled design that runs on proprietary fuel—a combo intended to let X-energy mass-produce reactors in factories and avoid the budget-busting construction nightmares of traditional nuclear.