Maritime nuclear energy startup Bluecore Energy announced Tuesday the close of a $10 million pre-seed funding round led by Slauson & Co.

Established seven months ago by Kofi Asante, a former Uber Freight executive, Bluecore develops small modular reactors mounted on floating barges to deliver clean electricity to ports and adjacent facilities. The reactors heat water to create steam that powers a generator and turbine. A closed-loop water cooling system manages heat, Asante noted.

Power from the barges can be relocated by vessel with zero transport emissions, Asante stated. The nuclear system requires refueling only once every few years.

Barges may dock near communities and connect to grids through subsea cables. The target is to supply electricity for roughly 15,000 homes or fulfill needs at a major port, he told TechCrunch.

"We utilize proven water-cooled nuclear technology operating for over 70 years," he said. "A production line of small modular reactors deployable on water creates a path to clean energy across much of the country."

Bluecore will apply the capital to product deployment. It has already obtained a port terminal, barge, and test reactor pressure vessel. The test vessel simulates water flow for cooling. Hardware and software testing together validate the design foundation, Asante added.

The startup collaborates with regulators to integrate maximum safety into its first product. Multiple layers of safety and redundancy include uranium cladding inside a thick steel pressure vessel, concrete shielding, and steel lining.

Asante sees potential to address rising power demand from data center growth. AI data center leaders have expressed interest in independent electricity sources and sea-based water access to avoid straining local communities, he said.

Additional investors include Harlem Capital, Precursor Ventures, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, Kevin Hart's HartBeat Ventures, and several angel backers.