Webinar
The Race to Criticality
Alumni Ventures’ Drew Wandzilak and Mason Hale led an in-depth exploration of the U.S. Strategic Tech Fund’s nuclear energy investments and why advanced nuclear is becoming critical infrastructure for America’s AI-driven future.
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In this session, Drew and Mason examined “The Race to Criticality” — the urgent competition to deploy advanced nuclear reactors to meet exploding energy demand from AI data centers, advanced manufacturing, and electrification. They walked through why the U.S. Strategic Tech Fund has been investing in nuclear innovation since before the recent policy acceleration, and how the DOE’s historic Reactor Pilot Program compressed deployment timelines from years to months.
The conversation covered the fundamental shift happening in U.S. energy infrastructure: AI doesn’t run on intermittent electrons — it runs on firm power. With AI data centers now driving multi-gigawatt load growth and hyperscalers signing 10–20 year power purchase agreements, nuclear’s 24/7 baseload generation and 90% capacity factor make it uniquely suited to meet this demand. Attendees heard about AV portfolio companies Radiant Nuclear, Aalo Atomics, and Valar Atomics — three of the ten companies selected for the DOE’s ambitious goal to achieve criticality by July 4, 2026.
Whether you were a current investor or exploring opportunities in strategic technology, this webinar offered valuable insight into one of the most transformative infrastructure buildouts of our time. Watch the recording to learn why the infrastructure that powers our ambitions tomorrow is being built today — and how the U.S. Strategic Tech Fund is backing the companies racing to make it happen.
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Key Takeaway
- HomeUnderstand why AI-driven energy demand is creating a structural shift toward nuclear power
- HomeLearn about the DOE's historic Reactor Pilot Program and its July 4, 2026 criticality target
- HomeDiscover how AV portfolio companies Radiant, Aalo, and Valar are building the future of American energy infrastructure
Alumni Ventures is America’s largest venture capital firm for individual investors.
About your presenters
Drew has worked in high-growth industries as both an investor and operator, focusing on how people and technology interact within organizations. As a long-time investor with Alumni Ventures, he has worked across multiple funds and internal initiatives. He has worked on National and State level political campaigns, focusing on Small Business and Entrepreneurial policy. Drew holds a BS from Northwestern University in Education and Social Policy, specializing in Learning & Organizational Development. He also served as an Ambassador for Northwestern’s Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and was recognized in Chicago Inno’s 25 under 25.
Before joining Chestnut Street Ventures, Mason attended Waseda Business School in Tokyo, Japan where he earned an MSc in Finance and wrote a master’s thesis linking founders’ attributes and strategic partnerships to firm performance in new ventures. While attending Waseda Business School, Mason was selected as a G51 Venture Scholar and participated in the Global Venture Catalyst where he served as a graduate startup advisor. Mason also holds a BA in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin.