TerraPower
Facts
- HQ
- Bellevue, WA, US
- Sectors
- Nuclear Electric Power Generation
- Employees
- 1082
- Founders
- Bill Gates, Nathan Myhrvold
Microsoft names Aneesh Raman chief economic opportunity officer and promotes Jenny Lay‑Flurrie; DAT CPO Brian Gill resigns
Microsoft promoted Jenny Lay‑Flurrie to corporate vice president of its Trusted Technology Group and named Aneesh Raman chief economic opportunity officer; Zillow appointed a new policy lead while departures occurred at Oracle, Hiya and DAT Freight & Analytics, including DAT’s CPO Brian Gill resigning.
Seattle’s ‘Third Act’: VCs Say Local Superstars Are Deep-Tech Startups Building Rockets, Geothermal Plants and Autonomous Vehicles
Two Seattle venture capitalists argue that the city’s next wave of superstar startups are already here but focus on deep tech—intelligent machines and physical products like rockets, geothermal plants and autonomous off-road vehicles—rather than pure software. They frame this shift as Seattle’s "Third Act," building on maritime/aerospace roots (Act I) and the software/cloud boom (Act II) to combine hardware and software using local infrastructure and talent.
Former Amazon VP Hannah McClellan Richards named Lime COO; MicroVision appoints CFO Christine Chambers; Slalom hires Dan Garrison as chief AI officer
Hannah McClellan Richards left Amazon after 15+ years to become COO of micromobility company Lime, serving remotely; MicroVision named Christine Chambers CFO effective Aug. 27 after recent layoffs, and Slalom hired Dan Garrison as chief AI officer, while other executives moved between firms. The article highlights several C-suite and leadership changes across tech and consulting companies, including Microsoft departures to Crusoe and Gartner.
Echodyne Opens $40 Million, 86,350-Square-Foot Radar Manufacturing Plant in Woodinville
Radar company Echodyne opened an 86,350-square-foot manufacturing plant in Woodinville with a $40 million investment, aiming to employ 200 people within two years. The company plans to produce over 30,000 radars annually as it expands its position as a global leader in the industry.
TerraPower Opens UK Subsidiary and Launches Regulatory Process for Next-Gen Nuclear Plant
TerraPower has opened a subsidiary office in the UK to pursue its first international next-generation nuclear power plant, having officially started the UK regulatory approval process. The company is building the Natrium demonstration plant in Wyoming, featuring advanced nuclear technology aimed at safer, more affordable, and faster nuclear energy deployment.
Zap Energy Adds Nuclear Fission to Fusion Effort, Names Zabrina Johal CEO to Lead Dual-Track Power Strategy
Zap Energy is expanding its nuclear power efforts by adding traditional fission to its fusion technology, appointing Zabrina Johal as CEO to lead the combined approach. The company aims to integrate both nuclear methods to accelerate development and reduce risks amid growing demand for carbon-free energy.
GeekWire Names Helion, OCOChem, TerraPower, Ravel, and IUNU as 2026 Sustainable Innovation Award Finalists
The finalists for GeekWire's 2026 Sustainable Innovation Award are energy companies Helion, OCOChem, TerraPower; fashion recycler Ravel; and agtech startup IUNU, recognized for their work combating climate change and sustainability challenges. The award, sponsored by Amazon, highlights Pacific Northwest leaders and culminates in a May 7 celebration in Seattle, with public voting open until April 16.
TerraPower Receives First U.S. Federal Permit for Next-Gen Nuclear Reactors, Plans Eight Reactors with Meta by 2035
Bill Gates-backed TerraPower became the first company to receive U.S. federal approval to build a next-generation nuclear power plant, with construction permits granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The company recently signed an agreement with Meta to build up to eight advanced Natrium reactors in the U.S., aiming for the first two to be operational by 2032.
Carta: Seattle Ranked No. 6 in 2025 U.S. Cities for Startup Capital Raised with Nearly $2 Billion
Carta’s 2025 city rankings show Seattle remained sixth in the U.S. for startup capital raised with nearly $2 billion (2.9% of Carta-tracked funding), similar to its 2024 position. Major Seattle-area rounds included TerraPower ($650M), Stoke Space ($510M), Helion Energy ($425M), and others across software, AI, hardware, and fintech.
Seattle Startups Stoke Space, Group14, TerraPower, and Helion Raise Over $2 Billion in Venture Capital for Space, Fusion, and Battery Technologies
Seattle-area startups in space, fusion energy, and battery technology have attracted significant venture capital recently, with companies like Stoke Space Technologies, Group14 Technologies, TerraPower, and Helion Energy raising hundreds of millions. This shift marks a move from the region's traditional focus on software toward hardware-driven innovation.
TerraPower, Group14 Technologies, and Helion Energy Secure Over $1.5 Billion in Pacific Northwest Climate Tech Funding in 2025
The three largest investment rounds in the Pacific Northwest in 2025 have all gone to climate tech companies: TerraPower, Group14 Technologies, and Helion Energy, totaling over $1.5 billion. Despite political and economic challenges, clean energy firms in the region attracted nearly 40% of total investment funding so far this year.
Seattle Lags Behind San Francisco in Top AI Startup Funding Deals in 2025 Despite Strong Talent Pool
Despite Seattle's strong AI talent and institutions, no Seattle-area startups rank among the top 100 AI funding deals in 2025, as investors favor San Francisco-based companies for large funding rounds. The city has potential but currently lacks a defining AI startup comparable to Anthropic or OpenAI.
Zeno Power Advances Strontium-90 Nuclear Batteries with Full-Scale Demo Set for 2026 and Commercial Launch in 2027
Zeno Power is developing scalable nuclear batteries using strontium-90 at their Seattle facility, aiming for full-scale demonstration in 2026 and commercial delivery by 2027. These batteries are designed for long-term power in extreme environments including oceans, the Arctic, and lunar missions.
GeekWire Week in Review: Bill Gates Pledges $200B, Statsig Hits $1.1B Valuation, Seattle Startups Raise Millions in May 2025
This GeekWire Week in Review highlights top tech stories including Bill Gates' $200 billion philanthropy pledge, Seattle startups raising significant capital, and the emergence of new AI-driven unicorn Statsig valued at $1.1 billion. It also covers local news like a controversial Washington EV tax and cultural moments involving Seattle figures.
TerraPower Plans to Deploy First Next-Gen Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming by 2030, With 10-12 More Plants Planned
TerraPower, backed by Bill Gates and receiving $2 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy, is on track to deploy its first next-generation small modular nuclear reactor in Wyoming by 2030 and plans to have 10 to 12 additional plants under construction by then. The company is ahead of schedule on permitting and benefits from bipartisan political support and international competitiveness in nuclear technology.
2025 GeekWire Awards Finalists: Lassen Peak, Lumotive, Microsoft, Starfish Space, and TerraPower Compete for Innovation of the Year
The 2025 GeekWire Awards Innovation of the Year finalists include Lassen Peak, Lumotive, Microsoft, Starfish Space, and TerraPower, featuring advancements in nuclear power, quantum computing, weapon detection, and sensor technology. These innovations highlight emerging technologies that could significantly impact future living and work.
TerraPower Isotopes’ Chris Dunckley Leads Team Extracting Ultra-Rare Actinium-225 from Cold War Waste for Cancer Therapy
Chris Dunckley, director of chemistry and engineering at TerraPower Isotopes, leads a multidisciplinary team extracting the ultra-rare radioisotope actinium-225 from Cold War nuclear waste to develop promising cancer therapies. His leadership and scientific expertise help transform radioactive weapons waste into potentially life-saving medical treatments.
Bill Gates-Backed TerraPower Isotopes Begins Commercial Production of Cancer-Treating Actinium-225 from Cold War Weapons Waste
TerraPower Isotopes, backed by Bill Gates, became the first commercial-scale producer of actinium-225, a rare radioactive isotope used for precise cancer therapy, sourced from Cold War weapons waste. The company operates its facility in Everett, Washington, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to recover thorium-229 for medical use.
Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures Raises $839 Million New Fund for Climate Innovation
Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures is raising a new $839 million fund focused on climate innovations across electricity, transportation, manufacturing, buildings, and agriculture. Since its 2015 launch with industry leaders like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, the initiative has invested nearly $2 billion in over 100 companies.
Bill Gates-Backed TerraPower Starts Construction of First U.S. Sodium-Cooled Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming
Bill Gates-backed nuclear company TerraPower began construction on a sodium-cooled Natrium reactor facility near a retiring coal plant in Wyoming, aiming to start power production by 2030. This project, the first coal-to-nuclear transition globally, is awaiting U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval for its advanced reactor design.
Bill Gates-backed TerraPower to Submit NRC Application and Break Ground on Natrium Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming in 2024
TerraPower, backed by Bill Gates, is advancing the development and deployment of its Natrium small modular nuclear reactor, with plans to submit a certification application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission this month and begin construction of a demonstration plant in Wyoming this spring. The company is positioned to be the first to bring next-generation nuclear technology to the U.S. and is exploring potential large-scale sales internationally.
Pacific Northwest Startup Funding Drops 35% in 2022, TerraPower Leads Top Rounds with $750M Investment
Venture capital investment in Pacific Northwest startups dropped 35% in 2022, with funding decreasing over 50% in the year's second half amid economic cooling and rising interest rates. Despite this slowdown, some startups like Bellevue-based TerraPower secured significant funding, with its $750 million round leading the top 10 deals that accounted for 44% of total investment in the region.
Bill Gates-Backed TerraPower Partners with PacifiCorp for Feasibility Study on Five Next-Gen Nuclear Reactors Deployable by 2035
TerraPower, backed by Bill Gates, announced a feasibility study with PacifiCorp to explore up to five next-generation nuclear reactor sites potentially deploying by 2035. They are also working jointly on a $4 billion demonstration plant in Wyoming, expected to start operation by 2028.
TerraPower, co-founded by Bill Gates, raises $750M to develop advanced nuclear reactors and medical tech
TerraPower, co-founded by Bill Gates, raised $750 million in one of Seattle's largest private funding rounds to develop safer nuclear reactors and medical applications. The company is partnering with GE-Hitachi and funded partly by the U.S. DOE for a 500 MW demonstration reactor planned for Wyoming by 2028.
Modern Electron files for $30M raise to scale heat-to-electricity converters, led by CEO Tony Pan and CTO Max Mankin
Modern Electron, an Intellectual Ventures spinoff, is raising $30 million per an SEC filing to commercialize its heat-to-electricity converters that capture wasted heat from furnaces, hot water tanks and industrial sources. The Bothell, Washington startup previously raised about $40 million including backing tied to Bill Gates, and is led by co-founders CEO Tony Pan and CTO Max Mankin.
People
-
Bill Gates Co-founder and Microsoft Co-founder
-
Julien Clayton Senior AI Product Manager
