Former Uber Freight executive Kofi Asante’s startup, Bluecore Energy, raises $10M pre-seed to build floating nuclear reactors.
A former Uber executive is bringing nuclear power onto the water in a bold bid to solve growing clean energy shortages across global supply chains. Bluecore Energy, a maritime nuclear startup, announced a massive $10 million pre-seed funding round to construct portable, barge-mounted nuclear reactors. Founded by Kofi Asante, a former leader at Uber Freight, the young company aims to deploy small modular reactors on floating barges, docking them near ports, coastal infrastructure, and energy-hungry data centers. The milestone investment is among the largest pre-seed rounds ever raised by a maritime nuclear startup, underscoring growing confidence in floating clean-energy alternatives as traditional power grids struggle with surging electricity demand.
The technology leverages decades of established, water-cooled reactor designs originally perfected by naval fleets, scaled down into modular units. Bluecore’s initial floating system will produce 10 megawatts of zero-emission electricity, enough to supply approximately 15,000 homes or power a major commercial shipping hub. Because the reactors sit atop maritime barges, they can be towed across oceans and connected directly into onshore electrical grids via subsea cables. Each reactor unit requires refueling only once every few years, offering an adaptable, self-contained power source that can relocate whenever local energy requirements shift. Beyond powering ports, the startup envisions providing dedicated off-grid power to artificial intelligence data centers, which require immense electrical capacity and cooling water without draining municipal supplies from surrounding residential neighborhoods.
The operational and strategic heart of the project is anchored at the Port of Long Beach in California. By establishing its headquarters inside the country’s second-busiest container port, Bluecore became the first small modular reactor firm physically based within a major United States commercial harbor. The location provides direct access to testing facilities, maritime infrastructure, and local leadership eager to meet aggressive zero-emission goals. Long Beach officials noted that achieving full decarbonization will require hundreds of megawatts of new clean power, making floating nuclear platforms a viable alternative to land-constrained solar and wind installations.
The historic $10 million pre-seed funding announcement was officially made on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The financial backing comes just seven months after the startup’s initial founding, reflecting rapid progress in assembling test equipment and securing maritime assets. Bluecore has already delivered its first test barge and an electric reactor pressure vessel to its Long Beach terminal, where engineers are simulating fluid dynamics and safety mechanisms as they work through federal licensing procedures.
The underlying drive behind Bluecore’s rapid rise is the urgent global need for reliable, zero-carbon baseload electricity that does not rely on fossil fuels or unpredictable weather conditions. While land-based nuclear power plants face long construction timelines and intense public opposition over land use, floating reactors offer a flexible solution that can be manufactured in specialized shipyards and deployed immediately to coastal regions. By combining naval nuclear principles with modern modular engineering, the company aims to eliminate emissions at busy commercial ports while laying the groundwork to eventually power heavy cargo ships directly, tackling one of the hardest-to-abate sectors in global trade.
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The landmark $10 million round was led by venture firm Slauson & Co., with additional backing from Harlem Capital, Precursor Ventures, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, and actor Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Ventures, alongside angel investors from Tesla, Amazon, Google, and Uber. With new capital secured, Bluecore plans to accelerate component testing, hire nuclear and naval engineers, and work closely with regulatory authorities to bring portable maritime nuclear power to reality.
