Zeno Power
Founded 2018 Β· 112 employees on LinkedIn Β· 17 known investors
Zeno develops nuclear batteries that convert heat from decaying radioisotopes into electricity for extended-duration applications in space and deep-sea environments where conventional power sources are inadequate. The batteries are designed for frontier missions requiring reliable power without refueling or maintenance for years.
Also known as Zeno Power Systems
Founders & leadership
Zeno Power was founded in 2018 by Tyler Bernstein.
Investors Β· 17
Also in the syndicate Β· 1
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements- Undisclosed amountSeries BMay 2025 Β· 2 sources
Hanaco Ventures (lead)
Source β - Undisclosed amountSeries AApr 2022Source β
Source: company announcements and press reports β follow each round's link for the claim.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Zeno Power develops nuclear batteries - radioisotope power systems (RPS) - that convert heat from decaying radioisotopes into electricity and usable heat for missions operating far from conventional power infrastructure. The company describes its systems as scalable from 1 watt to hundreds of watts, capable of years of consistent output in extreme environments, and based on a patented compact design that recycles nuclear waste materials into energy.
The company is pursuing two principal product lines. For space, it is building an americium-241 fueled radioisotope Stirling generator intended to power NASA lunar surface missions, addressing the two-week lunar night when temperatures fall to approximately -250C and current missions can survive only weeks. For maritime and defense applications, it is building a strontium-90 fueled radioisotope Stirling generator to support persistent seabed operations such as maritime sensors and telecommunications cables, positioned around the need for resilient seabed infrastructure. Zeno is also working to establish launch approval pathways for radioisotope power systems for U.S. Space Force applications.
Technical progress reported by the company includes demonstration of a scaled nuclear prototype at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2023, completion of a demonstration of its first strontium-90 radioisotope heat source, and completion of a final design review for the Harmonia Radioisotope Power System developed under NASA's Artemis Tipping Point initiative, which is advancing toward a terrestrial demonstration in early 2027.
Business model
Zeno develops and manufactures radioisotope power systems for delivery to government and commercial customers, with initial RPS deliveries stated for 2026. Work to date includes government contracts and awards, such as a U.S. Navy contract under the DEPTHS program and a NASA Tipping Point-funded lunar nuclear battery development effort.
Revenue is derived from government contracts and awards for nuclear battery development and demonstration and from delivery of radioisotope power systems to defense, space and commercial customers, with first deliveries stated for 2026.
Traction
Reported milestones include a scaled nuclear prototype demonstration at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2023, completion of the first Sr-90 radioisotope heat source, completion of the final design review for the Harmonia space nuclear battery, selection by NASA to lead a Tipping Point team for a lunar nuclear battery, a $7.5M U.S. Navy DEPTHS contract, a manifest on Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar mission, and a $50M Series B round.
Latest developments
Zeno announced it is industrializing nuclear battery production at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Sunol, California, partnering with NorthStar to restore hot cell infrastructure; completed the final design review for its Harmonia space nuclear battery ahead of a terrestrial demonstration in early 2027; signed a strategic agreement with Orano for priority access to americium-241; and was onboarded by Firefly Aerospace onto a Blue Ghost lunar mission to demonstrate operation through the lunar night. It also appointed former NASA Chief Technologist A.C. Charania as SVP of Space Business Development and added Adm. John Richardson to its board alongside its $50M Series B.
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, geography
Market position
Zeno positions its nuclear batteries as an alternative to conventional power sources for long-endurance missions on the lunar surface and the seabed, where solar and battery power are insufficient, and is aligned with U.S. government space and defense programs.
The company cites a compact, patented radioisotope Stirling generator design, scalability across 1 to hundreds of watts, multi-year operation in extreme environments, and the use of recycled nuclear waste materials as fuel. It has secured priority access to americium-241 through an agreement with Orano and Sr-90 fuel from a recycled legacy RPS (the BUP-500) through the DOE.
Technology
Radioisotope Stirling generators (nuclear batteries) that convert decay heat from radioisotopes into electricity and heat. Two fuel lines are described: americium-241 for space/lunar applications and strontium-90 for seabed applications. The company states systems produce from 1 to hundreds of watts, run for years in any environment, use a patented compact design, and recycle nuclear waste materials into energy. A scaled nuclear prototype was demonstrated at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2023, and a first Sr-90 radioisotope heat source demonstration has been completed.
Go-to-market
Zeno works through government contracts and awards (NASA Tipping Point, U.S. Navy DEPTHS) and through partnerships across the nuclear and space supply chain, including Westinghouse for heat source fabrication, the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and Orano for fuel supply, NorthStar for hot cell infrastructure restoration, and Firefly Aerospace for a lunar flight demonstration.
U.S. government and defense customers including NASA, the Pentagon/U.S. Navy and the U.S. Space Force, plus commercial space and subsea infrastructure operators such as lander providers and telecommunications cable and maritime sensor operators.
Geography
U.S.-based operations, including a nuclear battery manufacturing facility being established at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Sunol, California.
Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources β announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β not independently audited.
Founder mafia
3 people who came through Zeno Power went on to found or lead other companies.
Competitors Β· 3
by search overlap
Companies competing with Zeno Power for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Timeline Β· 13
launches, deals, and filingsZeno was awarded a $7.5 million contract under the DEPTHS program to demonstrate a nuclear battery designed for seabed operations for use by the U.S. Navy.
$7.5M source β
Under a NASA Tipping Point initiative, Zeno leads a team developing a nuclear battery intended to extend lunar surface missions from weeks to years.
Zeno Power announced a nuclear battery manufacturing facility at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Sunol, California, partnering with NorthStar to restore specialized hot cell infrastructure for producing nuclear batteries for defense, space and commercial missions.
Zeno Power announced a $50 million Series B round led by Hanaco Ventures; former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson joined the board.
$50M source β
Former NASA Chief Technologist A.C. Charania joined Zeno Power as SVP of Space Business Development to drive growth in the space sector.
Former Navy chief Adm. John Richardson joined Zeno Power's board in connection with the Series B announcement.
Zeno completed the final design review for the Harmonia Radioisotope Power System under NASA's Artemis Tipping Point, advancing toward a terrestrial demonstration in early 2027.
Zeno completed a demonstration of its first Sr-90 radioisotope heat source, a milestone toward delivering radioisotope power systems to customers in 2026.
Zeno Power and the DOE's Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management will recycle a legacy Sr-90 RPS, the BUP-500, into fuel for Zeno's first 10+ radioisotope power systems.
Zeno Power's payload will fly on Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander to demonstrate radioisotope technologies capable of operating through extreme cold lunar night temperatures.
A strategic agreement with Orano gives Zeno priority access to Am-241 recovered from Orano's used nuclear fuel recycling to fuel space nuclear batteries.
Zeno partnered with Westinghouse to build the nuclear hardware for its first 10+ nuclear batteries.
Zeno successfully demonstrated a scaled nuclear prototype at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
βΈResearch sources Β· 1
primary sources listed
- Zeno Powerzenopower.com Β· web
1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Zeno Power do?
- Zeno Power builds radioisotope nuclear batteries that deliver heat and electricity for lunar, space and seabed missions.
- Who founded Zeno Power?
- Zeno Power was founded by Tyler Bernstein in 2018.
- Who are Zeno Power's investors?
- Zeno Power's investors include 7percent Ventures, AIN Ventures, Balerion Space Ventures, Beyond Earth Ventures, DCVC (Data Collective), Evolution VC Partners, Hanaco Venture Capital, Invariantes Fund and 8 more.