Powering America’s Next Era of Growth: America’s economic future depends on abundant, reliable, and affordable energy. From artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing to biotechnology and defense technologies, the nation’s most innovative industries require growing supplies of power. 

VC-backed companies are developing the next generation of energy technologies, including advanced nuclear, geothermal, energy storage, grid technologies, advanced materials, and industrial innovation. To maintain U.S. leadership, policymakers must create an environment where these technologies can be built, scaled, and deployed. 

Startup Spotlight: Radiant Nuclear, NVCA’s 2026 Startup Innovator Award winner, is developing portable nuclear microreactors designed to provide reliable power for remote communities, military installations, and industrial facilities. The company exemplifies how venture-backed innovation can help meet growing energy demand while strengthening U.S. competitiveness, energy security, and technological leadership. Policies that accelerate permitting, commercialization, and infrastructure development are critical to helping companies like Radiant bring breakthrough energy technologies to market. 

By the Numbers: $9.6 billion – VC investment in energy in 2025, its highest level in more than a decade. The rise was driven by investments in grid infrastructure, power generation, and the data center buildout created by AI compute demand

Policy Priorities

Permitting Reform: Lengthy and uncertain permitting processes delay investment, increase costs, and slow deployment of critical infrastructure. Meeting future energy demand will require faster, more predictable approval processes for energy, transmission, and manufacturing projects. 

NVCA supports reforms that streamline permitting, establish clear timelines for agency decisions, and improve coordination across federal agencies. 

Energy Infrastructure and Grid Modernization: A growing economy requires a modern, reliable, and resilient energy system. 

NVCA supports policies that expand transmission capacity, modernize grid infrastructure, improve reliability, and accelerate deployment of innovative grid and energy storage technologies. 

Commercialization and Innovation: The United States leads the world in energy innovation, but too often breakthrough technologies face barriers to commercialization. 

NVCA advocates for polices that strengthen technology transfer, expand pilot and demonstration opportunities, support domestic manufacturing, and accelerate the path from research to deployment. 

Meet The Policy Expert

Christina Martin
Chief Operating Officer