newcleo

newcleo is a nuclear technology company founded in September 2021 by Stefano Buono, Luciano Cinotti and Elisabeth Rizzotti and headquartered in Paris. It develops small modular lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs) fuelled with mixed oxide (MOX) fuel made from reprocessed spent fuel, an approach it says reduces the need for new uranium mining and helps manage long-lived waste. The company had raised more than EUR 537 million by the end of 2024 and employs about 1,000 people across several European countries.

Its main designs are the 30 MWe LFR-AS-30, planned as a demonstration unit in France around 2031, and the 200 MWe LFR-AS-200. For shipping, newcleo has worked with Fincantieri and RINA since July 2023 on the feasibility of nuclear naval propulsion. In May 2025 newcleo, Fincantieri and Pininfarina showed the TL-40, a lead-cooled reactor concept for large ships, at the Venice Architecture Biennale.

In August 2026 a newcleo-led consortium with Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore and ABMI Groupe received Bpifrance funding for n-Floating, a floating LFR-AS-200 power plant concept for ports, islands and coastal industry. Observers note that the marine designs are still at an early conceptual stage.