NANO Nuclear Strengthens Nuclear Regulatory Licensing Team with Appointment of Michael Montecalvo as its Licensing Director 

Rhea-AI Summary

NANO Nuclear (NASDAQ: NNE) appointed Michael Montecalvo as Licensing Director on January 28, 2026, strengthening its regulatory and licensing team. Montecalvo brings over 30 years of military, government and industry nuclear experience, including prior roles at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and senior positions with advanced reactor developers.

He will lead licensing strategy for NANO’s KRONOS, LOKI and ZEUS modular microreactors, supporting engineering design, safety analysis, environmental review, and stakeholder engagement toward demonstration and commercial deployment.

Positive

• Adds 30+ years of nuclear regulatory and industry experience
• Direct NRC experience to lead KRONOS licensing pathway
• Strengthens regulatory team with prior advanced-reactor developer experience

Negative

• No quantitative timeline or binding licensing milestones disclosed

News Market Reaction

-1.51%

61 alerts

-1.51% News Effect

-10.3% Trough in 25 hr 2 min

-$26M Valuation Impact

$1.70B Market Cap

0.5x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, NNE declined 1.51%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction. Argus tracked a trough of -10.3% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 61 alerts that day, indicating high trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $26M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $1.70B at that time.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Industry experience: over 30 years

1 metrics

Industry experience over 30 years Michael Montecalvo’s nuclear field experience across military, government, industry

Market Reality Check

Price: $27.71 Vol: Volume 1,758,442 is about...

normal vol

$27.71 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,758,442 is about in-line with the 20-day average of 2,185,717 (relative volume 0.8). normal

Technical Trading above the 200-day MA at 34.14 while shares trade near 35.08.

Peers on Argus

NNE gained 6.98% while close peers were mixed with relatively small moves (e.g.,...

1 Down

NNE gained 6.98% while close peers were mixed with relatively small moves (e.g., GRC up 1.57%, TNC down 1.14%). Momentum scans flagged only RR moving down over 5%, suggesting today’s move in NNE is stock-specific rather than sector-driven.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 15 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 15	Lunar reactor RFI	Positive	-2.9%	RFI to find partners for LOKI MMR in NASA lunar reactor programs.
Jan 13	South Korea MOU	Positive	-3.1%	MOU with DS Dansuk to localize and deploy MMR systems in South Korea.
Jan 12	Ameresco MOU	Positive	+4.5%	MOU with Ameresco to explore KRONOS, ZEUS, LOKI deployments on multiple sites.
Jan 09	Conference participation	Neutral	+4.5%	Participation and presentation at Needham’s 28th Annual Growth Conference.
Jan 09	Lawsuit dismissal	Positive	-3.1%	Federal securities class action dismissed against company and defendants.

Pattern Detected

Recent company-specific news often showed mixed or negative next-day reactions, even on seemingly positive strategic and legal developments.

Recent Company History

Over the past few weeks, NANO Nuclear has reported multiple strategic updates, including MOUs for microreactor deployment, a Request for Information related to lunar surface reactor programs, conference participation, and dismissal of a securities lawsuit. Price reactions were mixed, with some positive news followed by declines (e.g., MOUs and lawsuit dismissal) and others aligning with gains. Today’s appointment of an experienced NRC professional to lead licensing fits this pattern of building commercial and regulatory foundations for its microreactor portfolio.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf · $900,000,000

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2026-01-27

$900,000,000 registered capacity

An effective S-3/A shelf filed on 2026-01-27 would allow the company to offer up to $900,000,000 of securities over time, including a $400,000,000 at-the-market common stock program and resale of up to 8,490,767 shares. This provides substantial financing flexibility but also introduces potential future equity and debt issuance.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement underscores NANO Nuclear’s emphasis on building regulatory strength by appointing ...

Analysis

This announcement underscores NANO Nuclear’s emphasis on building regulatory strength by appointing an experienced former NRC professional as Licensing Director. The move complements recent MOUs and program initiatives around its KRONOS, LOKI, and ZEUS microreactors, and comes alongside an amended shelf registration of up to $900,000,000. Investors may watch how this hire shapes progress through NRC licensing milestones and supports eventual demonstration and commercial deployment efforts.

Key Terms

nuclear regulatory commission (nrc), micro modular reactor (mmr), resident inspector, senior reactor operator, +1 more

5 terms

nuclear regulatory commission (nrc) regulatory

"previous experience with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)"

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent government agency that sets and enforces safety and security rules for civilian uses of nuclear energy and radioactive materials, including power plants, medical and industrial applications. Its licenses, inspections and decisions act like a referee and rulebook: they shape costs, timelines, legal risks and public confidence, so NRC actions can materially affect the value and operational outlook of companies tied to nuclear activity.

micro modular reactor (mmr) technical

"a leading advanced nuclear micro modular reactor (MMR) and technology company"

A micro modular reactor (MMR) is a small, factory-built nuclear power unit designed to deliver a few to a few dozen megawatts of electricity, like a compact, plug-and-play power plant that can be added to a local grid. Investors care because MMRs promise lower upfront cost, faster deployment, and scalable revenue from power or industrial heat, but they also carry regulatory, construction and public-acceptance risks that affect returns.

resident inspector regulatory

"Resident Inspector, and Senior Reactor Analyst supporting technical reviews"

A resident inspector is a government regulator placed long-term at a manufacturing or clinical facility to monitor safety, quality and legal compliance on an ongoing basis. For investors this matters because that onsite oversight can both reduce the chance of surprise problems—like a house inspector who checks a home regularly—and also signal intensified regulatory scrutiny that could lead to production slowdowns, recalls, fines or reputational impact.

senior reactor operator technical

"previously NRC-licensed PWR Senior Reactor Operator and Shift Technical Advisor"

A senior reactor operator is the licensed person who oversees and controls a commercial nuclear reactor’s day-to-day operations, safety systems, and emergency procedures, effectively acting as the plant’s captain. Investors care because this role directly affects a plant’s safety, regulatory standing and operational reliability—factors that influence production, legal risk and the company’s reputation; a skilled operator reduces the chance of costly shutdowns or fines.

risk-informed performance-based regulation regulatory

"involved in furthering advancement of risk-informed performance-based regulation"

A regulatory approach that focuses on outcomes and allocates oversight based on where the greatest risks lie, rather than prescribing detailed rules for every activity. Think of it as a safety inspector who checks the most dangerous parts of a factory and measures whether targets are met, so companies have flexibility in how they achieve results while investors can better gauge regulatory exposure and potential costs from fines, compliance changes or operational shifts.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Michael Montecalvo joins NANO Nuclear following Senior Licensing Manager role at other advanced reactor developers and previous experience with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

New York, N.Y., Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear micro modular reactor (MMR) and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced that it has appointed former NRC professional, Michael Montecalvo as its Licensing Director.

Mr. Montecalvo’s appointment strengthens NANO Nuclear’s already experienced regulatory and licensing capabilities as NANO Nuclear continues to develop its suite of proprietary modular nuclear microreactors, including the KRONOS MMR^TM, LOKI MMR^TM and ZEUS^TM, through U.S. licensing pathways. NANO Nuclear’s existing regulatory personnel already includes senior veterans from the U.S. government, including U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

In this role, Mr. Montecalvo will leverage his experience with the NRC and other advanced reactor developers to lead NANO Nuclear’s licensing strategy and regulatory engagement, supporting the progression of NANO Nuclear’s products in development and technologies toward key licensing, demonstration, and eventual commercial deployment milestones.

“As NANO Nuclear progresses toward the deployment of commercially-ready modular microreactor systems and other technologies, regulatory engagement and approvals are of course critical. Michael’s appointment marks another important step in strengthening our regulatory capabilities,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear. “Michael brings extensive experience from his time with the NRC and a deep understanding of regulatory frameworks for advanced reactor designs from his role at other advanced reactor developers. With this regulatory and commercial experience, I am confident Michael will support our progress through the licensing process in a timely and disciplined manner while maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance.”

Mr. Montecalvo has over 30 years of experience in the nuclear field including military, government, and industry. He began his nuclear career in the U.S. Navy as a Submarine Electrician, was an instructor at the S8G prototype and ended his enlistment aboard the USS Greeneville (SSN-772).

Figure 1 - NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. Appoints Experienced NRC Professional Michael Montecalvo as its Licensing Director.

Thereafter, Mr. Montecalvo transitioned to the commercial nuclear industry with positions in Operations, Maintenance, Work Control, and Human Performance. He served as the Technical Assistant to two Chief Nuclear Officers and is a previously NRC-licensed PWR Senior Reactor Operator and Shift Technical Advisor. While at the NRC, he was a qualified Technical Reviewer, Risk and Reliability Analyst, Resident Inspector, and Senior Reactor Analyst supporting technical reviews and risk assessments for the operating reactor fleet. He was also involved in furthering advancement of risk-informed performance-based regulation. He has experience with advanced reactor licensing for both power reactors and non-power utilization facilities.

Mr. Montecalvo holds a B.S. degree in Applied Arts and Sciences from Rochester Institute of Technology and a B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Excelsior College. He is also a former World Nuclear University Summer Institute Fellow.

“As NANO Nuclear advances its business plans forward, licensing becomes increasingly important, and Michael’s leadership will offer crucial support to our regulatory engagement,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear. “His experience will be instrumental to NANO Nuclear as we navigate the full scope of the NRC’s licensing process, including engineering design, safety analysis, environmental review, and stakeholder engagement. We are pleased to welcome Michael to NANO Nuclear as we enter this important next phase of development and growth.”

“Michael’s appointment comes at a pivotal stage as we prepare to initiate the formal licensing process for the KRONOS MMR^TM Energy System,” said Florent Heidet, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer and Head of Reactor Development of NANO Nuclear. “Michael’s extensive experience will support a disciplined, timely, and financially responsible approach to our regulatory engagement. Advancing our KRONOS MMR^TM technology into regulatory review represents an important milestone for us and further positions NANO Nuclear as a leading participant in the U.S. microreactor market.”

About NANO Nuclear Energy Inc.

NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is a North American advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include its lead project, the patented KRONOS MMR^™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), ZEUS^™, a solid core battery reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR^™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are modular, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micro nuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR^™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon's surface.

For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:
Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:
NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN
NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE
NANO Nuclear Energy X PLATFORM

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release in this press release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “aim,” “seek,” “believe”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements include those related to the anticipated benefits of Mr. Montecalvo’s joining the Company, as well as the Company’s business plans in general, as described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management's current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”), Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (“CNSC”) or related state or other U.S. or non-U.S nuclear licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complementary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE, and the NRC, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act and the May 23 and December 18, 2025 Executive Orders seeking to streamline nuclear regulation, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated, competitive and rapidly evolving industry, including that our plans may change and we may use our cash on hand faster or in different ways than anticipated as our business requires. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

Attachment

• NANO Nuclear Energy Inc.

FAQ

Who is Michael Montecalvo and what role did NNE appoint him to on January 28, 2026?

Michael Montecalvo is a nuclear professional appointed as Licensing Director at NANO Nuclear (NNE). According to the company, he brings over 30 years of military, NRC, and industry licensing experience to lead regulatory strategy for its microreactor programs.

How will Michael Montecalvo support NNE's KRONOS MMRTM licensing process?

He will lead licensing strategy, regulatory engagement, and technical reviews for KRONOS MMRTM. According to the company, his NRC and advanced-reactor experience will guide engineering design, safety analysis, environmental review, and stakeholder interactions toward regulatory submission.

What specific NNE technologies will Montecalvo work on after his appointment?

Montecalvo will support licensing for NANO Nuclear's KRONOS, LOKI and ZEUS modular microreactors. According to the company, he will focus on progressing these products through U.S. licensing, demonstration, and commercial deployment pathways.

Does Montecalvo have prior NRC experience relevant to NNE's regulatory needs?

Yes, he previously worked at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in roles including resident inspector and technical reviewer. According to the company, that NRC background includes risk analysis and advanced reactor licensing knowledge applicable to NNE's programs.

What does Montecalvo's appointment mean for NNE shareholders and licensing timelines?

The appointment strengthens NNE's regulatory capabilities but no concrete licensing timeline was provided. According to the company, Montecalvo's leadership aims for a disciplined, timely, and financially responsible regulatory engagement toward commercialization.