Bluecore Energy secures $10M pre-seed for maritime nuclear reactors
Founded by former Uber Freight executive Kofi Asante, Bluecore Energy has raised capital to deploy water-cooled nuclear technology on barges, aiming to provide clean energy to ports and AI infrastructure without straining local resources.
Maritime nuclear energy startup Bluecore Energy has raised $10 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Slauson & Co. The capital injection will support the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) mounted on floating barges, a venture founded seven months ago by Kofi Asante, formerly of Uber Freight. The company aims to deliver clean power to ports and nearby infrastructure, with a target capacity to supply approximately 15,000 homes or scale for major port operations.
The technology utilises a closed-loop, water-cooled system, a method Asante notes has been in operation for over 70 years. Within the reactor, heated water transfers steam to a generator to spin a turbine, producing electricity. The system is designed for minimal maintenance, requiring refuelling only once every few years. Bluecore claims the barges can be transported by ship to new locations with zero emissions involved in the move, offering a flexible energy solution that can be docked near communities and connected to the grid via subsea cables.
Bluecore has already secured a port terminal, a barge, and a test reactor pressure vessel to advance its prototype. The test vessel is currently being used to simulate water flow, allowing the team to combine hardware with software testing to validate the cooling system’s design. Asante stated that the company is working with regulatory agencies to ensure safety standards are embedded in the first product, incorporating multiple layers of redundancy such as uranium clad in a thick steel pressure vessel, padded with concrete shielding and steel lining.
The initiative responds to rising power demand driven by the ongoing data centre buildout, particularly for artificial intelligence operations. Asante reported that executives from AI data centres have expressed interest in the solution, noting it would allow them to avoid drawing water or energy from local communities. Instead, the maritime reactors would provide their own source of electricity and access to water provided at sea.
The funding round saw participation from Harlem Capital, Precursor Ventures, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, and Hartbeat Ventures, alongside several angel investors. Bluecore plans to use the fresh capital to deploy its product, asserting that a production line of small modular reactors rapidly deployed on water could provide a pathway to deliver clean energy to a significant portion of the country.
