Relentless #23 - Isaiah Taylor, Founder & CEO of Valar Atomics
Jun 11, 2025
Isaiah Taylor, the visionary Founder and CEO of Valar Atomics, discusses the cutting-edge developments in small modular nuclear reactors. He sheds light on why nuclear innovation has stalled, citing regulatory hurdles and the need for hands-on prototyping akin to SpaceX's approach. Isaiah details the ambitious Ward Zero prototype and a fast-tracked partnership with the Philippines. He emphasizes the importance of building capabilities over just securing funding and shares his vision for making nuclear energy the cheapest in the world by 2026.
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Innovation Stopped; Testing Must Return
- The U.S. lost nuclear momentum by stopping test reactors and innovation after splitting the AEC into DOE and NRC.
- Isaiah argues reviving rapid hardware iteration is essential to regain leadership in nuclear technology.
Geopolitics Will Decide Reactor Builders
- Nation-state competition will decide who builds the world's reactors: Russia, China, or Valor Atomics.
- Recent executive orders aim to make it easier for American companies like Valor to compete globally.
Build Fast, Prototype Real Hardware
- Build the simplest, fastest physical prototype you can to gather real-world data and iterate rapidly.
- Isaiah built a non-nuclear thermal prototype in 12 months to learn materials, leaks, and failure modes before adding uranium.