Nuclear startup Clean Core raises $15.5 million for thorium fuel from Sumant Sinha, Deepak Parekh, others

Clean Core Thorium Energy, a US nuclear fuel startup, raised $15.5 million in funding over two rounds, with the latest closing in December 2024. The funds support commercialization of its ANEEL fuel for use in India's reactors, in partnership with NTPC Ltd and L&T, pending regulatory approvals.

Nuclear startup Clean Core raises $15.5 million for thorium fuel from Sumant Sinha, Deepak Parekh, others
US-based nuclear fuel startup Clean Core Thorium Energy has raised $15.5 million in funding from prominent industry leaders over two rounds of funding, the latest of which was closed in December 2024, Mehul Shah, CEO and founder of Clean Core told ET. The investments were led by a Singapore-based family office, along with Indian industry leaders such as Sumant Sinha , CEO and founder ReNew, Deepak Parekh , former chairman HDFC Bank , and Lakshmi Narayanan, former CEO, Cognizant Technologies, among others.

In the latest round of fund raising, the company accumulated $10 million.

It had raised about $5.5 million in 2022, which was led by Narayanan.

The Oak Brook-headquartered company plans to go for another round of fund-raising in the ongoing calendar year, Shah said, without giving details of the amount to be raised.

Shah, a non-resident Indian, founded Clean Core in 2017, after spending three decades in manufacturing business in emerging markets.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program The capital raised is being used to fund the commercialization of the company's Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life (ANEEL) fuel, blend of thorium & High Assay Low-Enriched Uranium, which can be used in India's locally made reactors, Shah said.

Shah did not disclose the share of individual contributions.

With plans to commercialise its fuel in 2026, the capital is funding the company's technical partnerships such as with irradiation test and qualification at Idaho National Labs.

The company plans to work with state-run NTPC Ltd and L&T to deploy the technology in India.

However, the move will need regulatory approvals from the US and Indian governments.

It entered a strategic partnership with NTPC in December to explore the development and deployment of the fuel.

It also signed a memorandum of understanding in October with engineering major L&T to provide efficient solutions in clean energy globally.

Related Fuel News

More updates you might want to read next.

Kanpur-Kabrai NH-34 Highway Cleared At Rs 7,145 Crore: Why The BOT Toll Corridor Matters For Freight

The Cabinet has approved a Rs 7,145.14 crore, 117.7-km access-controlled greenfield highway between Kanpur and Kabrai on NH-34 in Uttar Pradesh. The BOT toll project is designed to cut travel time from 3.5 hours to 1.5 hours, strengthen links to the Kabrai mining belt and Bundelkhand corridor, and lower logistics friction for freight, construction material and agricultural movement.

India Resets Export Duty On Petrol, Diesel And ATF From July 1: Why Refiners, Airlines And Fuel Users Should Watch It

India has reset windfall-linked export duties from July 1, 2026 by raising the levy on petrol exports to Rs 4 per litre while cutting diesel and aviation turbine fuel export duties to Rs 8.50 and Rs 7.50 per litre respectively. The move matters because it changes refining economics, export incentives and the downstream pressure points that can eventually shape domestic fuel availability, airline costs and broader transport pricing.

Commercial LPG Down Rs 183.50, ATF Cheaper By Rs 5: What July Relief Means

State-run oil companies cut the 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder price by Rs 183.50 from July 1, 2026 and reduced aviation turbine fuel by Rs 5 per litre to about Rs 110 in Delhi. The move offers relief to restaurants, hotels and airlines, but household LPG, petrol and diesel users are still waiting.