The Nuclear Comeback with James Walker, CEO, Nano Nuclear Energy

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence right now. But almost no one is asking the most important question: Where is all the power going to come from? AI data centers are incredibly energy-intensive. The infrastructure being built to support this technology is going to require massive, reliable, and uninterrupted electricity. And that brings us to a surprising conclusion… Nuclear energy is quietly becoming one of the most important investment themes of the next decade. Over the last few weeks, we had the chance to sit down with James Walker, CEO of Nano Nuclear Energy (NASDAQ: NNE), and one thing became very clear: The nuclear story isn’t just about AI. It’s much bigger than that. In fact, the original opportunity had nothing to do with AI at all. It started with a simple observation: Money was flowing out of wind and solar, but global demand for power kept rising. Before AI, before data centers, before the hype—there was already a massive gap forming between energy supply and real-world demand. And nuclear sits in a unique position. It produces enormous amounts of power, runs for years without interruption, and, despite popular belief, has one of the best safety records of any energy source on a “deaths per unit of energy” basis. That’s not an opinion, that’s just math. But here’s where it gets interesting from an investment standpoint. Most people think about nuclear as these massive, one-off power plants that take a decade to build. That’s the old model. The new model looks very different. Instead of one giant reactor, companies like Nano Nuclear are focused on small, modular reactors, essentially portable power plants that can be deployed almost anywhere. And that changes everything. Because now the opportunity isn’t just powering large cities or feeding into traditional power grids. It’s about going places where energy has never been reliable or cost-effective before. Think: Remote communities in Canada or Africa running on expensive diesel Island economies in Southeast Asia importing fuel daily Industrial sites without access to consistent power Data centers that can’t afford downtime These are markets measured in gigawatts of unmet demand. And the economics are compelling. Diesel is not only expensive, it’s unreliable. Fuel has to be shipped in constantly, and disruptions are common. A small nuclear system, on the other hand, can run for years once installed. This doesn’t just lower costs—it creates something far more valuable: Energy independence. From a financial planning perspective, this is where the story connects directly to your portfolio. We are entering a period where global infrastructure is being rebuilt in real time. Electrification is accelerating AI is increasing demand exponentially Emerging markets are still underpowered That combination creates long-duration investment opportunities. But it also creates risk. Because these types of businesses don’t follow traditional timelines. They require: Large upfront capital Long development cycles Regulatory approvals before revenue scales Which means the path won’t be linear. This is why we always come back to the same principle: You don’t bet the farm on a single idea (aka a single stock), but you don’t ignore transformational trends either. Nuclear falls squarely into that category. It’s not a short-term trade. It’s a potential secular tailwind that could play out over decades. Another key insight that came out of our conversation: The biggest opportunity may not even be AI. It may be emerging markets. There are hundreds of millions of people globally who still lack access to reliable energy. Without power, there is no productivity. Without productivity, there is no economic growth. Nuclear—specifically smaller, scalable systems—has the potential to unlock that trapped economic capacity. And when that happens, entire regions move up the economic ladder. So what does this mean for investors today? It means you should start thinking differently about where future growth will come from. The next decade won’t just be about semiconductors and compute. It will also be about the hard assets that make the AI revolution possible: Energy Commodities Infrastructure Emerging Markets These are all themes we hold in our current investment models. The bottom line is simple. We are at the early stages of an energy transformation that most investors are underestimating. Nuclear is no longer just a legacy power source. It’s becoming a solution to some of the biggest constraints in the global economy. And whether it’s AI, industrial demand, or emerging markets… All of it comes back to one thing: power.