Nuclear Startups are Back in Vogue With Small Reactors, and Big Challenges
Small nuclear reactors are fueling a startup boom—but can they overcome cost and safety hurdles in 2026?
Matilda
Nuclear Startups are Back in Vogue With Small Reactors, and Big Challenges
Small Nuclear Reactors Spark Big Comeback Can small nuclear reactors solve the energy crisis without repeating past mistakes? That’s the billion-dollar question driving a surge in investment and innovation across the nuclear sector in early 2026. After years of stalled projects and ballooning costs, a new wave of startups is betting that “small” is the key to reviving nuclear power—offering scalable, factory-built reactors that promise faster deployment, lower risk, and cleaner energy. Credit: XH4D / Getty Images Nuclear’s Rocky Past Meets a High-Stakes Future The legacy of traditional nuclear power in the U.S. isn’t exactly inspiring confidence. The Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in Georgia—the first new reactors built in decades—finally came online in 2023 and 2024, but only after an eight-year delay and a staggering $20 billion in cost overruns. These behemoths, each generating over 1 gigawatt of electricity, required millions of cubic feet of concrete and custom-engineered components that could…
