Failed 2025

    Liqid (Nuclear Microreactors)

    Nuclear microreactors face 10-15 year regulatory timelines that are incompatible with VC funding cycles.

    Founded → Closed

    2020 → 2025

    Funding Raised

    $50M

    Industry

    Energy/Nuclear

    Country

    USA

    IdeaProof AI Failure Score

    58/100
    Market Fit RiskBurn Rate RiskFounder Risk
    Market Fit Risk
    55
    Burn Rate Risk
    70
    Founder Risk
    15

    Full Analysis

    Several nuclear microreactor startups raised venture funding in 2020-2023, promising clean energy from small modular reactors. But nuclear regulatory approval takes 10-15 years minimum — far longer than the 5-7 year VC return cycle. Multiple startups in this space burned through their funding before achieving regulatory milestones. The technology may be viable but the funding model was wrong.

    Could This Failure Have Been Prevented?

    IdeaProof's AI validates market demand, competitive positioning, and business model viability in minutes — catching the exact issues that sank Liqid (Nuclear Microreactors).