Lightbridge
- Company typePublic
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersVirginia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Lightbridge firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lightbridge
- Legal name
- Lightbridge
- Website
- https://ltbridge.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lightbridge industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nuclear Fuel Technology
- akta.pro primary industry
- Advanced & Non‑LWR Fuel Manufacturing (TRISO, metallic fuels, HALEU fuels) (EUAKACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Gen IV / Advanced Reactor Systems (SFR, LFR, GFR, MSR, HTGR, Microreactors) (EUAKADAC)
Keywords
Where Lightbridge is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Virginia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lightbridge business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Nuclear Fuel Licensing and Commercial Deployment: Lightbridge is pre-revenue, developing its Lightbridge Fuel technology for eventual licensing to nuclear utilities. The company plans to commercialize its fuel technology for pressurized water reactors and CANDU-type heavy water reactors, with commercialization expected around 2033-2035.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Lightbridge product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lightbridge Corporation is developing Lightbridge Fuel™, a proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology based on an enriched uranium-zirconium alloy designed for current pressurized water reactors, CANDU-type heavy water reactors, and next-generation small modular reactors. The fuel operates approximately 1000°C cooler than standard fuel and features a spirally twisted, multi-lobed fuel element with three radial zones manufactured via additive manufacturing, targeting commercialization through licensing to nuclear utilities around 2033–2035.
Product overview
Lightbridge Corporation is an advanced nuclear fuel technology company developing a single proprietary product: Lightbridge Fuel™. This next-generation nuclear fuel technology is designed for both existing and future reactor designs (including pressurized water reactors and CANDU-type heavy-water reactors). The technology aims to enhance reactor economics, proliferation resistance, and safety characteristics. The company operates at pre-commercial stage with ongoing irradiation testing at Idaho National Laboratory as part of its regulatory licensing pathway toward commercial deployment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lightbridge Fuel™: Proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology for current and future reactors that enhances economics, proliferation resistance, and safety of nuclear power.
Products and services
- Lightbridge Fuel™ A proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology for current and future reactors, designed to enhance economics, proliferation resistance, and safety by operating approximately 1000°C cooler than standard fuel. Built on an enriched uranium-zirconium alloy with a spirally twisted, multi-lobed fuel element design featuring three radial zones, manufactured via additive manufacturing. Intended for nuclear utilities operating pressurized water reactors, CANDU-type heavy water reactors, and next-generation SMR developers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1000°C cooler operating temperature than standard fuel
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Lightbridge
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lightbridge technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Lightbridge partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.
- Penn State UniversitycoreSelected to serve on Industry Advisory Board of $6 million DOE-funded nuclear materials research project (BTN2M2). The four-year project establishes a multi-university consortium to study nuclear materials at micro-scale. Lightbridge focuses on studying irradiation behavior of cladding materials relevant to its Lightbridge Fuel technology.
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL)corePublic-private partnership with Idaho National Laboratory for irradiation testing of Lightbridge Fuel samples at the Advanced Test Reactor. INL conducted the FAST (Fission Accelerated Steady-state Testing) irradiation method. The first batch of irradiated fuel samples was successfully removed on May 6, 2026, marking a key validation milestone.
- Oklo Inc.strategicSigned Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration on co-locating a fuel fabrication facility and recycling nuclear waste. The collaboration aims to improve nuclear energy sustainability and reduce operational costs through used fuel recycling and reprocessing.
- Stern LaboratoriescoreEngineering contract signed March 17, 2026, to evaluate thermal and hydraulic performance of Lightbridge Fuel for light water reactors. Phase 1 work expected to take approximately one year at Stern's Ontario facility, supporting U.S. regulatory licensing efforts.
- Curio Legacy VenturesminorPartnership with Curio for potential used nuclear fuel recycling and reprocessing collaboration, in addition to Curio's NuCycle technology for waste recycling and advanced reactor solutions.
- X-Energy, Westinghouse Electric Company, Kairos PowerminorFellow advisory board members alongside Lightbridge on the Penn State DOE-funded nuclear materials research project, representing the advanced nuclear reactor ecosystem.
- OranominorStrategic partnership referenced in context of Curio's funding, suggesting broader industry collaboration in the nuclear fuel cycle ecosystem.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lightbridge competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Westinghouse Electric Company: Westinghouse is the incumbent nuclear reactor OEM and fuel supplier, with significant market share in PWR fuel and active development of accident-tolerant fuel. It is a fellow advisory board member on the Penn State DOE project and represents the established competitor Lightbridge must displace or partner with.
- Holtec International: Holtec is a nuclear industry supplier providing spent fuel storage, transportation, and reactor decommissioning, with growing involvement in SMR development. Comparable to Lightbridge as a privately-held U.S. nuclear technology company pursuing adjacent parts of the fuel cycle.
Emerging players
- X-Energy: X-Energy is developing the Xe-100 high-temperature gas reactor and TRISO fuel. It is a fellow advisory board member on the Penn State DOE BTN2M2 project and represents an adjacent advanced fuel / advanced reactor company whose TRISO pathway partially overlaps with Lightbridge's metallic fuel ambitions.
- NuScale Power: NuScale is the leading small modular reactor developer with NRC design certification. It is comparable to Lightbridge as an advanced nuclear technology company targeting the next-generation reactor market and serves as a potential fuel customer as SMRs move toward deployment.
- TerraPower: TerraPower is developing the Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor and traveling wave reactor concepts, and is actively pursuing advanced fuel supply partnerships. It is comparable to Lightbridge as a Bill Gates-backed advanced nuclear venture with significant capital and government engagement.
- Kairos Power: Kairos Power is developing the FHR molten-salt-cooled reactor using TRISO fuel. As a Penn State advisory board peer, Kairos represents another advanced reactor developer whose fuel demand could become a customer opportunity for Lightbridge if its metallic fuel is qualified for non-PWR applications.
- Curio Legacy Ventures: Curio is developing next-generation nuclear fuel recycling and reprocessing technologies. As Lightbridge's MOU partner for used fuel recycling, Curio is a comparable emerging player focused on advanced fuel cycle innovation with similar pre-revenue, partnership-driven commercialization profile.
- Oklo Inc. Oklo is an advanced reactor developer (Aurora microreactor) and Lightbridge's MOU partner for co-located fuel fabrication and used fuel recycling. As a peer, Oklo is both a potential customer for advanced fuel and a fellow advanced nuclear technology company pursuing NRC licensing.
Direct peers
- Framatome: Framatome is a global nuclear fuel manufacturer and reactor services provider, producing UO2, MOX, and increasingly advanced fuel designs. It competes directly with Lightbridge in supplying enriched fuel to pressurized water reactor operators worldwide and is developing its own advanced fuel concepts.
- BWX Technologies (BWXT): BWXT manufactures nuclear fuel components and provides reactor services for U.S. Navy and commercial nuclear plants. It is the most direct competitor to Lightbridge in advanced nuclear fuel fabrication, particularly for metallic and non-LWR fuel forms targeting government and commercial customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lightbridge social profiles
Digital presenceLightbridge financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lightbridge leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Lightbridge funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lightbridge M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lightbridge
What does Lightbridge do?
Lightbridge Corporation is developing Lightbridge Fuel™, a proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology based on an enriched uranium-zirconium alloy designed for current pressurized water reactors, CANDU-type heavy water reactors, and next-generation small modular reactors. The fuel operates approximately 1000°C cooler than standard fuel and features a spirally twisted, multi-lobed fuel element with three radial zones manufactured via additive manufacturing, targeting commercialization through licensing to nuclear utilities around 2033–2035.
Is Lightbridge a public or private company?
Lightbridge is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Lightbridge founded?
Lightbridge was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Lightbridge based?
Lightbridge is headquartered in Virginia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lightbridge make money?
One revenue line is on record: nuclear Fuel Licensing and Commercial Deployment.
Who are Lightbridge's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Westinghouse Electric Company and Holtec International. Emerging players are X-Energy, NuScale Power, TerraPower, Kairos Power, Curio Legacy Ventures and Oklo Inc.. Direct peers are Framatome and BWX Technologies (BWXT).
Does Lightbridge have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lightbridge.
What industry is Lightbridge in?
Lightbridge's product category is Nuclear Fuel Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAKACAG, Advanced & Non‑LWR Fuel Manufacturing (TRISO, metallic fuels, HALEU fuels), with a secondary code of EUAKADAC, Gen IV / Advanced Reactor Systems (SFR, LFR, GFR, MSR, HTGR, Microreactors).