Bluecore Energy announced an oversubscribed $50 million seed round just two months after emerging from stealth. Founded earlier this year by Kofi Asante, the company builds small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) on floating barges to generate clean energy for ports and infrastructure. Asante stated the portable technology, already used by the Navy for 70 years without accident, can be deployed in days rather than years.

The round included participation from Slauson & Co., Harlem Capital, and Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, who doubled down from the pre-seed. New investors included Collab Capital, Kevin Hart's Hart Beat Ventures, and angels from Tesla, Uber, Amazon, and Google. Silverton Partners led the seed round, which closed in eight weeks.

Upon emerging from stealth in July, Bluecore Energy became the first nuclear company headquartered at a major port: the Port of Long Beach. The startup has since launched two floating barges and partnered with the Department of Transportation Maritime Division, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the U.S. Coast Guard. The company is currently undergoing regulatory review with the NRC and Coast Guard to certify its floating nuclear power plant.

The fresh capital will fund product development, regulatory work, nuclear fuel purchases, and hiring. Asante anticipates supply chain challenges in securing hardware to build portable electricity infrastructure at pace with demand. Bluecore Energy has seen inbound interest from multiple ports, AI data centers, and communities needing clean energy and water.

Asante, whose team comes from SpaceX, Rivian, and Toyota, stated the company has already secured barges and a reactor and is preparing to order nuclear fuel from a national nuclear lab. The mission remains to democratize access to clean energy and clean water as a human right.