Zeno Power

Zeno Power develops next-generation radioisotope nuclear batteries that harness the decay heat of radioactive isotopes — including strontium-90 and americium-241 — to generate years of reliable, clean electricity in extreme environments. Founded at Vanderbilt University in 2018, the company designs compact, patented radioisotope power systems (RPS) scaled from 1 to hundreds of watts for space and subsea applications. Zeno has been selected by NASA to develop a nuclear battery for lunar surface missions, enabling spacecraft to survive the two-week lunar night, and by the Pentagon to power seabed sensors and telecommunications infrastructure. The company is also establishing launch approval pathways for U.S. Space Force applications and has completed a scaled nuclear prototype demonstration at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Zeno is partnering with Westinghouse to fabricate nuclear heat sources and is targeting first product deliveries in 2027.