As the problem of steep power demands resulting from artificial intelligence (AI) weighs heavily on data center operators' minds, many people have argued that nuclear power is a viable solution, leading investors to consider investments in nuclear power companies like Kairos Power.
Founded in 2016, Kairos aims to develop advanced nuclear technology that can scale across the U.S. and abroad. Its reactor design differs from traditional plants: It uses molten fluoride salt instead of water as a coolant, plus fully ceramic fuel that can withstand far higher temperatures than conventional metal-based fuels.
Is Kairos Power publicly traded?
As of September 2025, Kairos Power wasn't found on public markets, so investors on Main Street will have to look elsewhere for a nuclear energy stock to power their portfolios.
Although the company hasn't been able to raise capital through the issuance of equity, it has grown its coffers through other means. In February 2024, Kairos Power signed a Technology Investment Agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy. According to the agreement, Kairos Power will receive up to $303 million after achieving certain milestones related to the design, construction, and commissioning of the Hermes demonstration reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
When will Kairos Power IPO?
While Kairos Power has received funding from venture capital firm Terra Talent and is on the path to gain funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the company has not revealed any plans to hold an IPO.
Disappointed as investors may be to find that Kairos Power is not on the 2025 IPO calendar, there are IPO stocks that they may be interested in buying.
Is it profitable?
Since Kairos Power hasn't held its IPO, it isn't subject to the same financial reporting regulations as those companies that are publicly traded. Investors, consequently, don't have much insight into Kairos Power's financial situation, but it's fairly safe to assume that since the company hasn't commenced commercial operations, it's not generating revenue, let alone booking a profit.
It's possible -- though it's questionable how probable -- that Kairos Power can begin generating a profit as soon as 2030. According to the agreement that it signed with Google, Kairos Power will have an advanced reactor plant deployed and operational by 2030 to supply one of Google's data centers with electricity under power purchase agreements.
Alternatives to Kairos Power
Because Kairos Power hasn't held an IPO, most people are not able to power their portfolio with its stock. People who qualify as accredited investors, however, may be able to gain exposure to Kairos Power before its IPO through a platform like Forge Global (FRGE -7.08%).
For those who don't qualify as accredited investors but who are still interested in gaining nuclear energy exposure, there are other opportunities they may wish to consider.
1. Oklo
Like Kairos Power, Oklo (OKLO -2.86%) is another company developing a novel approach to nuclear power reactors. Unlike massive conventional nuclear power plants, Oklo has designed small modular reactors (SMRs) that are capable of using recycled fuel as well, helping to address the problem of nuclear waste. Backed by OpenAI's Sam Altman, Oklo has received considerable interest from data center operators.
The company also parallels Kairos Power in that both are in the pre-revenue phases of their development, so those who were keen on adding a growth stock to their portfolios with Kairos Power might gain the same thing with Oklo.
Potential investors will want to keep a close eye on the company's advancement of its first Oklo commercial facility, dubbed Aurora Powerhouse, at Idaho National Laboratory in 2027.
2. NuScale Power
Brandishing itself as "the first and only SMR to have its design certified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission," NuScale Power (SMR -2.25%) is another nuclear power upstart that will appeal to those interested in Kairos Power. NuScale Power offers its VOYGR SMR Power Plants in a variety of configurations to meet the power needs of its customers.
While the company isn't generating substantial revenues, it's still in a strong financial position. At the end of the third quarter of 2024, NuScale Power had a cash position of about $297.7 million, $123 million in short-term investments.
3. Cameco
For investors interested in broader exposure to the nuclear energy industry, Cameco (CCJ -2.82%) is certainly a stock worth further investigation. As one of the world's largest producers of uranium, Cameco has several premier assets that have the capacity to annually produce more than 30 million pounds of uranium concentrates. Questions about Cameco's future uranium production are assuaged when recognizing that the company has roughly 485 million pounds of proven and probable mineral reserves.
Besides uranium production, Cameco keeps the lights on through its uranium processing services, which include refining, conversion, and fuel manufacturing. Plus, the company has a 49% ownership position in Westinghouse -- Brookfield Renewable Partners (BEP +0.12%), which is an original equipment manufacturer of nuclear reactor technology and a provider of aftermarket products for nuclear power plants, has the remaining 51% equity stake.
How to buy stocks similar to Kairos Power
While accredited investors may access platforms that allows them access to pre-IPO stocks, retail investors who aren't accredited and find themselves motivated to pick up shares of Oklo, NuScale Power, or Cameco need to only take a few steps to become shareholders.
- Open your brokerage app: Log into your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected, and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
Should you invest in Kairos Power?
Unfortunately, for the majority of retail investors, investing in Kairos Power is not currently an option since the company hasn't held an IPO. Should the company proceed down the path of becoming a publicly traded company, though, it will be required to submit regulatory filings, providing investors with a better perspective on its financial situation. This, in turn, will allow investors to make informed decisions about whether the stock is appropriate for them.
On the other hand, accredited investors may presently have the ability to add exposure to Kairos Power. With the company still not generating sales and its financial situation poorly known, an investment in Kairos Power should only draw interest from those undaunted by the prospect of substantial risk.
The bottom line
As AI accelerates in popularity and data centers find themselves hard-pressed to keep up with the necessary power demands, it's unsurprising that growth investors are considering nuclear energy stocks like Kairos Power -- especially after it inked a noteworthy agreement with Google.
Since the company hasn't held an IPO, it, unfortunately, is not an investment option for a majority of investors. Fortunately, there are other interesting nuclear energy options to consider, such as Cameco, Oklo, and NuScale Power, as well as several ETF possibilities.
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