- - Commercial framework identifies NANO Nuclear as Tillman's preferred nuclear technology provider;
Parties targeting 2 gigawatts ("GW") or more of advanced nuclear capacity by the mid-2030s and 6 GW or more by 2040
- - Framework also includes fully milestone-vesting warrants for
Tillman to purchase up to $100 million of NANO Nuclear Energy common
stock, with a majority of the warrants vesting upon future binding
reactor purchase commitments and a portion vesting upon achievement of
key project-development milestones
New York, New York-(Newsfile Corp. - August 24, 2026) -
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) ("NANO Nuclear" or "the Company"),
a leading advanced nuclear micro modular reactor and technology company
focused on developing next-generation energy solutions, today announced
the signing of a non-binding Strategic Commercial Framework with
Tillman Global Holdings ("TGH" or "Tillman") and its global data-center
platform, Tillman Digital Gateway ("TDG"), to advance the future
deployment of NANO Nuclear's
KRONOS MMR™ Energy Systems across Tillman's planned AI industrial zones in the United States.
The framework identifies NANO Nuclear as Tillman's anticipated preferred
nuclear technology provider and establishes a structure for the parties
to collaborate on the evaluation and development of nuclear generation
opportunities across Tillman's growing U.S. data-center pipeline, with a
parallel opportunity to expand to certain international markets.
In connection with the proposed collaboration, the parties are targeting
2 GW or more of advanced nuclear capacity by the mid-2030s and 6 GW or
more by 2040, subject to general and site-specific definitive
agreements, customer commitments, financing, regulatory approvals and
other project requirements.
Tillman, a global firm that develops, owns, and scales large-scale
digital and energy infrastructure, is advancing a multi-state pipeline
of planned AI industrial zones in the U.S. designed to support
gigawatt-scale power requirements from anticipated hyperscale and AI
tenant customers. As part of its power-first development strategy,
Tillman evaluates sites for their ability to accommodate multiple
sources of generation and intends to reserve the space to integrate
advanced nuclear power as a medium- to long-term source of reliable,
baseload generation.
Figure 1 - NANO Nuclear and Tillman Digital Gateway Sign Strategic
Commercial Framework to Advance Nuclear Power for Gigawatt-Scale U.S. AI
Industrial Zones
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11703/311012_76d0c2c274ee3872_003full.jpg
Under the framework, NANO Nuclear and Tillman intend to collaborate
across the nuclear project-development lifecycle, including site
evaluation and diligence, licensing and development planning, customer
engagement and project deployment. The contemplated structure would
combine Tillman's infrastructure development, project financing and
power-development capabilities with NANO Nuclear's advanced reactor
technology, nuclear licensing capabilities and integrated approach to
the nuclear fuel cycle.
Combining Complementary Infrastructure and Nuclear Capabilities
Tillman and its affiliated companies have significant experience
developing, financing, owning and operating large-scale digital and
energy infrastructure, including U.S. cell towers, fiber infrastructure,
in-building connectivity systems and electric vehicle charging
infrastructure, and have secured approximately $16 billion of capital
since inception. Tillman is leveraging this experience for the
development of power-first AI infrastructure designed to address the
scale, reliability and speed-to-market requirements of next-generation
computing customers.
NANO Nuclear is developing its
KRONOS MMR Energy System, a 15 MWe High-Temperature Gas-Cooled
Reactor designed to support modular and phased deployment. The parties
believe the technology's modular architecture is particularly
well-suited for staged deployment at large-scale data-center campuses as
nuclear generation becomes available over the medium and long term.
"Power availability is becoming one of the defining constraints on the
continued expansion of AI infrastructure, and addressing this challenge
will require both near-term execution and long-term planning,"
said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear Energy.
"This framework represents a milestone in our future customer
acquisition strategy, as Tillman brings deep infrastructure-development
capabilities, access to capital and relationships across the technology
ecosystem, together with a power-first approach to developing the next
generation of AI campuses. By planning for nuclear at the earliest
stages of site development, we believe we can establish a practical
pathway to introduce reliable, baseload power as these campuses scale."
"For NANO Nuclear, this framework represents an important potential
commercialization pathway that connects our technology with an
anticipated multi-gigawatt-site pipeline of power demand,"
said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy.
"Importantly, the structure is intended to align both organizations
around measurable project-development and commercial milestones as
individual opportunities progress. We believe combining Tillman's
infrastructure-development capabilities with our nuclear technology,
regulatory licensing pathway and deployment model can create a scalable
foundation for future nuclear-powered AI infrastructure."
"Meeting the extraordinary power requirements of next-generation AI
infrastructure requires us to plan not only for what our campuses need
today, but for the resilient, scalable power architecture they will
require for decades to come,"
said Sachit Ahuja, Co-President of Tillman Global Holdings. "We
view NANO Nuclear as an emerging leader in advanced nuclear whose
progress to date, commercially focused strategy and modular technology
platform make it a compelling potential solution for our medium- and
long-term power requirements. This framework combines Tillman's
infrastructure-development platform and relationships with large-scale
technology customers and NANO Nuclear's advanced nuclear capabilities,
creating a pathway to benefit from the integration of nuclear generation
into future Tillman campuses as our portfolio expands."
Potential Multi-Gigawatt Deployment Pathway
As part of the proposed collaboration, the parties are targeting 2 GW or
more of advanced nuclear capacity by the mid-2030s, with a longer-term
objective of 6 GW or more by 2040 across Tillman projects. The parties
are also evaluating opportunities to extend their collaboration to
select international markets where Tillman or its affiliates are
developing or evaluating large-scale digital infrastructure.
Key Elements of the Proposed Framework
Preferred nuclear technology relationship: The framework
identifies NANO Nuclear as Tillman's proposed preferred nuclear
technology provider for potential advanced nuclear energy deployments
across Tillman's planned U.S. AI industrial zones.
Joint project development: Tillman and NANO Nuclear intend to
evaluate candidate sites for future nuclear energy deployment and
collaborate on site diligence, development and licensing planning,
customer engagement and project structuring as individual opportunities
advance.
IPP-style deployment model: For qualifying projects, the parties
contemplate an independent-power-producer-style structure under which
Tillman or its affiliates would finance, develop and own project power
infrastructure and NANO Nuclear would develop, support operations, and
supply the reactors and fuel, with specific commercial arrangements to
be negotiated on a project-by-project basis.
Milestone-Based Warrant Arrangement and $5 Million Initial Equity Grant: The
framework contemplates the proposed issuance to Tillman of fully
milestone-vesting warrants to purchase up to $100 million of NANO
Nuclear common stock. A majority of the warrants would vest only upon
future binding reactor purchase commitments. The remaining portion of
the warrants would vest only upon achievement of specified
project-development milestones.
The framework also contemplates an initial restricted common stock grant
to Tillman with a notional value of $5 million, a portion of which
would vest upon execution of definitive equity grant agreements, with
the substantial majority vesting only upon achievement of specified
project-development milestones.
Project-level equity participation: The framework also
contemplates potential rights for NANO Nuclear to participate alongside
Tillman in a portion of the equity of certain project-level entities
associated with future nuclear generation and corresponding data-center
development once qualifying nuclear projects reach specified development
milestones. Any such participation is subject to separately negotiated
project-specific terms and definitive agreements.
All of the foregoing terms remain subject to evolution based on the preparation and execution of definitive documentation.
NANO Nuclear is being advised on the transaction by EAS Advisors LLC, acting through Odeon Capital Group LLC.
About Tillman Global Holdings
Tillman Global Holdings is a U.S.-based holding company that builds and
scales leading businesses in essential digital and energy
infrastructure. Founded in 2013 by Sanjiv Ahuja, the firm operates with a
long-term, operator-led approach, leveraging deep expertise and
disciplined capital allocation to address evolving customer and
connectivity needs. Tillman applies its hands-on management model to
create robust infrastructure platforms that support economic growth and
deliver long-term value across the territories in which it operates.
Tillman's current portfolio companies operate premier fiber networks,
mobile tower platforms, hyperscale data centers, in-building
connectivity systems, and energy infrastructure. For more information,
visit
tillmanglobal.com.
About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is a North American
advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a
commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company
across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other
microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel supply chain, (iii) nuclear
fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v)
nuclear industry consulting services.
Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear's reactor products in development include the proprietary
KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature
gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application
engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration
with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign,
"ZEUS", a portable solid core battery reactor, and the space focused, portable
LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in energy
solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear
microreactors.
Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear
subsidiary, bolstered by the May 2026 acquisition of Secured
Transportation Services (STS), is led by former executives from the
largest transportation company in the world and provides nuclear
engineering and materials transport services in the U.S. and globally.
Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented
high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major
U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of
Energy.
HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is
focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a
High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for
NANO Nuclear's own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear
reactor industry.
NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is
exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear's
developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on
applications such as the
LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial
projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion
technology for long haul space missions. NNS' initial focus will be on
cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending
from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon's surface.
For more corporate information please visit:
https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/
For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:
Email:
IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
Business Tel: (212) 634-9206
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear's management and
collaborators in connection with this news release contain or may
contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context,
forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events,
which may impact our expected future business and financial performance,
and often contain words such as "contemplated", "expects",
"anticipates", "intends", "explore," "plans", "aim," "goal," "believes",
"potential", "will", "should", "could", "would" or "may" or derivations
of these words and other words of similar meaning about the future,
although these are not the exclusive terms that denote forward-looking
statements. In this press release, forward-looking statements include
those relating to (i) the Company's potential commercial collaboration
with Tillman, which is presently only subject to a non-binding written
framework and remains subject to the preparation, negotiation and
execution of both general and project specific definitive agreements and
(ii) the Company's and Tillman's business and operational development
plans in general. These and other forward-looking statements are based
on information available to us as of the date of this news release and
represent management's current views and assumptions. Forward-looking
statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results
and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular
risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to
differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements
include but are not limited to, the risk that the Company and Tillman
may never advance beyond the exploratory stage and reach definitive
documentation (on the terms set forth herein, or at all) or an actual
investment by Tillman in the Company, as well as the following: (i)
risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE"), U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission ("NRC"), Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
("CNSC") or related state or other U.S. or non-U.S nuclear licensing
submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced
technology and the acquisition of complementary technology or
businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost
overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of
competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain key vendor,
technology and customer contracts and the significant funding necessary
to execute on our business plan, (iv) risks related to uncertainty
regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy
a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the
timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of
U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing
requirements, including by the DOE, and the NRC, including those
associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act and the May 23, 2025
Executive Orders seeking to streamline nuclear regulation, and (vi)
similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating a
developing business a highly regulated, competitive and rapidly evolving
industry, including that our plans may change and we may use our cash
on hand faster or in different ways than anticipated as our business
requires. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news
release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause
actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking
statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review
other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the
SEC, which are available for review at
www.sec.gov and at
https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings.
Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a
predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may
arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.