Los Angeles, CA – Isaiah Taylor, the 26-year-old founder and CEO of Valar Atomics, is rapidly advancing his vision for a new era of nuclear energy, driven by a profound belief in human agency as the sole source of wealth. His company, Valar Atomics, aims to mass-manufacture small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to deliver abundant, affordable, and clean power, directly challenging conventional economic and energy paradigms.
Taylor recently articulated his philosophy on social media, stating, > "The natural state of things militates against survival, and man’s agency creates what you call 'wealth.'... The socialist refuses to acknowledge this. It is easier to define everything that is as natural, so that the question becomes, 'how much of this pie is my natural right?'" He emphasized that just governments should focus on "preventing theft, and encouraging more of the thing that allows for the creation of wealth, i.e., the mobility and agency of man."
This perspective underpins Valar Atomics' aggressive strategy to revolutionize the nuclear industry. The company is developing container-sized SMRs, designed for rapid manufacturing and deployment, a stark contrast to the decades-long construction timelines of traditional nuclear plants. Valar’s approach focuses on building multiple identical reactors, aiming to reduce costs through economies of scale and iterative development, similar to SpaceX's model in aerospace.
Valar Atomics recently unveiled a thermal prototype in Los Angeles, achieving this milestone in just 10 months from its inception. This prototype, which simulates a nuclear reaction without uranium, demonstrates the company's commitment to swift hardware development. The ultimate goal is to establish "gigasites" – industrial power campuses housing hundreds or even thousands of these reactors, capable of powering data centers, advanced manufacturing, and even producing carbon-neutral liquid fuels by reversing combustion.
The company has already forged partnerships, including one with the Philippines Nuclear Research Institute, and is pursuing a pilot advanced reactor project in Utah, aiming for operation by July 4, 2026. This ambitious timeline aligns with recent executive orders from the Trump administration, which Taylor credits for fostering a "nuclear golden age" by streamlining regulations and prioritizing American dominance in nuclear technology. Taylor views these policy shifts as crucial in unleashing the human agency necessary to build and innovate at speed.
Taylor's vision for Valar Atomics extends beyond electricity generation. By producing synthetic hydrocarbons from atmospheric carbon dioxide and water, powered by nuclear energy, Valar aims to create a renewable source of fuels for transportation and industry. This innovative approach seeks to decouple hydrocarbon production from fossil fuels, offering a sustainable path for energy-intensive sectors and underscoring his belief that human ingenuity can overcome perceived natural limitations.