Valar Atomics, a three-year-old startup focused on small modular nuclear reactors, is reportedly in discussions to secure fresh capital at a valuation near $6 billion. The round is expected to total about $1 billion, with Sequoia said to be leading the process.
Based in El Segundo, California, the company has already raised $450 million in earlier financing, including equity and debt, at a $2 billion valuation. The new talks reflect how advanced energy startups are attracting major investor attention as demand for reliable power accelerates.
Valar recently demonstrated that its reactor could supply a small amount of electricity to an Nvidia AI chip, and the company has also announced a partnership with Nvidia to explore nuclear energy for future AI data centers. Its reactor design uses a helium-cooled, high-temperature gas system, with long-term plans to deploy hundreds of SMRs for industrial use.
The startup is part of a broader wave of companies developing next-generation nuclear solutions for technology infrastructure, alongside names such as Kairos Power, TerraPower, and NuScale Power. As data centers expand, compact nuclear systems are emerging as a potential bridge between clean energy ambition and rising compute demand.
If this momentum continues, SMRs could become a defining piece of the energy architecture supporting the next era of digital growth.
