What does Zeno Power do?

Nuclear Batteries Powering the Frontier.

Zeno Power - Nuclear Batteries for Space & Seabed

Zeno Power develops nuclear batteries that harness radioisotope decay to generate reliable, clean energy for extreme environments. Their scalable nuclear battery systems produce 1-100s watts of power and are designed to operate for years without sunlight, refueling, or maintenance, specifically targeting applications from deep sea to deep space.

Founded in 2017 at Vanderbilt University, the company emerged when co-founders Tyler, Jonathan, and Jake initially explored whether commercial aircraft could run on nuclear power before pivoting to address the more urgent challenge of reliable power for frontier environments. Under the guidance of Dr. Steve Krahn, they identified radioisotope power systems as a promising solution and officially incorporated Zeno Power in April 2018.

Zeno Power addresses critical energy limitations that constrain exploration and operations in the most challenging environments. Their technology enables lunar missions to survive the two-week lunar night when temperatures drop to -250°C, extending mission duration from weeks to years, while also powering persistent seabed infrastructure for national security applications. By recycling nuclear waste materials into clean energy, they're creating sustainable solutions for powering humanity's most important frontier endeavors.

Zeno Power creates impact by converting nuclear waste materials into clean, reliable energy sources that enable critical missions in extreme environments where traditional power sources fail. Their business model focuses on providing nuclear batteries to NASA for space missions and to the Pentagon for seabed operations, addressing national security and scientific exploration needs.

The company's technology extends the operational lifespan of missions from weeks to years, enabling persistent operations in previously impossible conditions. They've successfully demonstrated a scaled nuclear prototype at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2023 and are targeting market delivery by 2027, with their Harmonia Radioisotope Power System advancing toward terrestrial demonstration.