TechCrunch Startup News Nuclear startup Deep Fission goes public in a curious SPAC, Space DOTS raises $1.5M, and Cognition AI defied turbulence with a $400M raise at $10.2B valuation
Sep 9, 2025
Deep Fission is breaking ground by proposing small, underground nuclear reactors to tackle safety concerns. The founder of Space DOTS turned corporate exhaustion into innovation, launching a space company to tackle orbital challenges. Meanwhile, Cognition AI has skyrocketed to a $10.2 billion valuation after raising $400 million, doubling its worth in mere months, but not without facing some internal challenges. Tune in for insights on these revolutionary advancements!
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Underground Microreactors To Reduce Risk
- Deep Fission plans to bury small 15-MW reactors a mile underground to reduce meltdown and security risks.
- The approach aims to leverage submarine-style pressurized water cooling while lowering surface exposure and attack vectors.
Founder Left Corporate Space For Autonomy
- Bianca Cefalo left corporate space roles after repeated resistance to novel ideas and founded SpaceDots.
- She built hardware and software to gather in-orbit environmental data because corporate politics blocked practical innovation.
Hardware Plus Decentralized Software Stack
- SpaceDots combines proprietary in-orbit environmental sensors with decentralized software for real-time attribution and forecasting.
- The stack targets commercial, defense, and threat attribution needs across cislunar and multi-orbit operations.