Oklo Inc.
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Nuclear technology |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Jacob DeWitte, Caroline Cochran |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Sam Altman (chairman until April 2025) |
| Products | Aurora line of compact fast reactors, radioisotopes |
| Website | oklo |
Oklo Inc. is a cutting-edge nuclear technology firm headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Established in 2013 by MIT alumni Jacob DeWitte and Caroline Cochran, Oklo specializes in the development of compact fast reactors designed to provide energy that is clean, secure, and cost-effective. Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, held the position of chairman until April 2025, when he resigned to prevent any conflicts of interest during ongoing energy supply discussions.
The company's name is inspired by the Oklo region in Gabon, Africa, notable for natural nuclear fission events that occurred approximately 1.7 billion years ago.
Oklo primarily focuses on delivering electricity through its Aurora line of powerhouse reactors. The Aurora is a small modular fast neutron reactor capable of producing between 15 and 50 MWe, utilizing Siemens or comparable power generation equipment. Originating in the 1950s, fast reactors present safety benefits compared to traditional thermal reactors. The Aurora model is intended for off-grid applications such as data centers, AI infrastructure, remote communities, industrial facilities, and military installations, offering up to a decade of operation without the need for refueling.
Beyond electricity production, Oklo aims to manufacture radioisotopes using nuclear fuel recycling combined with fast reactor technology. These isotopes serve purposes including medical imaging, cancer therapies, industrial testing, and energy solutions like nuclear batteries and fusion research support.
The Aurora reactor employs liquid metal cooling and incorporates robust negative reactivity feedback mechanisms that ensure inherent safety without requiring operator action or active control systems. This approach builds upon insights gained from the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), which operated from 1964 through 1994.
In January 2022, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) initially rejected Oklo’s combined construction and operating license application due to inadequate information; however, the company plans to submit a revised application. The inaugural Aurora unit is scheduled for deployment at Idaho National Laboratory in 2027. Oklo has entered into letters of intent with Diamondback Energy and Wyoming Hyperscale to supply power for Permian Basin operations and data center campuses under contracts extending 20 years.
The company has attracted venture capital backing from investors such as Hydrazine Capital (established by Sam Altman with Peter Thiel as a limited partner), Dustin Moskovitz, Ron Conway (SV Angel), Kevin Efrusy (Accel Partners), and Tim Draper (Draper Associates). In July 2023, Oklo revealed plans to become publicly traded via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) with a valuation of $850 million. On May 10, 2024, it completed a merger with AltC Acquisition Corp led by Sam Altman, raising $306 million in gross proceeds.
According to a May 2025 Reuters report, Oklo is among several advanced nuclear developers expediting deployments at U.S. Department of Energy facilities—including Idaho National Laboratory—to power AI data centers as part of a federal initiative.