COMPANY INFO
Valar Atomics, officially known as Valar Atomics Inc., was founded in 2023. The company is led by founder and CEO Isaiah Taylor. It operates in the energy exploration industry, focusing on scaling nuclear energy for heavy industrial power and clean hydrocarbon fuel production. Valar Atomics uses high-temperature gas reactor (HTGR) technology to produce hydrogen, data center power, industrial power, and clean fuels independent of the traditional grid. The company has about 8 to 20 employees and is headquartered in El Segundo, California. Its website is https://www.valaratomics.com. Valar Atomics aims to create abundant and cheap gas and energy from atmospheric elements using atomic energy, enabling clients to leverage energy density and existing infrastructure for reliable and scalable power solutions.
Valar Atomics is an innovative energy technology company focused on deploying industrial-scale nuclear solutions for decarbonizing heavy industry, data centers, and clean hydrocarbon fuel production. Founded in 2023 and headquartered in El Segundo, CA, Valar Atomics leverages advanced high-temperature gas reactor technology to deliver grid-independent, scalable, and reliable power solutions.
The Valar Atomics leadership team combines deep expertise in nuclear energy, mechanical engineering, business operations, and industrial project management. The company’s executives and management team include veterans of cutting-edge nuclear deployments, entrepreneurial founders, and multidisciplinary specialists who align to accelerate nuclear innovation and scale atomic energy for industrial applications. This strong blend of backgrounds and technical skills has enabled Valar Atomics to rapidly prototype, secure significant funding, and pioneer new models for energy deployment.
As CEO and Founder, Isaiah Taylor has defined Valar Atomics’ industrial-scale nuclear vision, driving major initiatives such as closing a $19 million seed round, developing the Ward 0 thermal prototype, and conceptualizing the gigasite model, which clusters standardized small modular reactors (SMRs) to drive down site costs and accelerate mass deployment. Isaiah Taylor’s leadership has set the pace for Valar Atomics’ growth, strategic direction, and market positioning, establishing the company as a disruptive force in the energy sector.
Taylor, a self-taught software engineer and accomplished entrepreneur, started his career after dropping out of high school at age 16. Inspired by his great-grandfather’s involvement in the Manhattan Project, Taylor dove into energy systems research from first principles. He funded his first startup at 17, and his hands-on technical approach and deep curiosity propelled him to assemble a world-class engineering team able to deliver a full-scale thermal prototype in just ten months for $12 million—years ahead of larger industry players.
As Chief Nuclear Officer (CNO), Mark Mitchell oversees all nuclear operations at Valar Atomics, directing efforts in regulatory compliance, licensing, reactor manufacturing planning, and the execution of client technical support services. His leadership is central to fast-tracking prototype deployment and upholding global nuclear safety standards, furthering the company’s mission of using advanced reactors for clean energy independence.
Mitchell is a mechanical engineer with over two decades of experience in advanced nuclear energy. He founded and led the Ultra Safe Nuclear Micro Modular Reactor program and played a significant role in pioneering TRISO-based HTGR component design. Additionally, Mitchell has contributed to the development of industry construction standards through his service on the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Committee and began his career with South Africa’s esteemed Pebble Bed Modular Reactor project.
As Head of Mechanical Engineering, Willem van Rooyen leads mechanical systems design for reactor hardware, optimizing key components of high-temperature helium-cooled reactors and innovating factory-scale manufacturing techniques for gigasite deployment. His impact ensures the efficiency, scalability, and reliability of Valar Atomics’ core technologies.
van Rooyen’s background includes working in South Africa on the world’s first HTGR deployment team at the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor. He later advanced modular reactor designs at Ultra Safe Nuclear and is recognized for his expertise in reactor mechanics and novel manufacturing approaches for small reactor fleets.
Jim Lucas directs mechanical design and engineering at Valar Atomics, guiding the development of advanced reactor components, integrating feedback from prototype testing, and optimizing systems for safety and performance. His leadership enables fast iteration cycles and robust component reliability critical for rapid scaling.
Lucas holds a Master’s degree from Biola University and brings 14 years of product development consulting from i-elf, complemented by technical sales engineering and project management roles at Diamond Technologies and Posey Company. His cross-industry experience in engineering and product design makes him a versatile contributor to the Valar Atomics management team.
Joseph Lillard leads instrumentation and controls for Valar Atomics, responsible for control system design, automated safety protocol implementation, and real-time monitoring across prototype and production reactors. His work ensures operational excellence and regulatory compliance through advanced controls and safety automation.
Lillard holds a BS in Computer Engineering from Brown University and boasts experience as Head of Growth at Markit Social, a board member at Ivy Space Coalition, and President of Rocketry @ Brown. He specializes in embedded software and control systems, bringing a multidisciplinary, entrepreneurial mindset to the Valar Atomics leadership team.
Elijah Froh manages business operations at Valar Atomics, aligning product development, administrative processes, and strategic objectives across the company. He streamlines workflows to support prototype scaling and effective team collaboration as Valar Atomics expands its gigasite footprint.
Froh studied at New Saint Andrews College and founded Froh Concepts LLC, bringing previous experience as a Web Development Intern at Emsi and Data Analyst at Acadia Property Management. His strengths include data-driven decision making, operational strategy, and building scalable business infrastructure.
As Head of Operations, Kip Mock is responsible for day-to-day site operations at Valar Atomics’ gigasite facilities. He develops and implements maintenance protocols, manages supply chain logistics, and prepares operational readiness plans to ensure reactors operate at maximum efficiency.
Mock’s career foundation is in large-scale industrial operations management, with prior experience in energy sector manufacturing plants. His core competencies include maintenance optimization, site logistics, and process efficiency—crucial for underpinning Valar Atomics’ gigasite ambitions.
Max Ukropina supports project planning and deployment for gigasites at Valar Atomics. He coordinates engineering, regulatory, and construction teams to deliver key milestones on schedule, playing a vital role in translating Valar Atomics’ nuclear innovation into real-world installations.
Ukropina brings a solid background in infrastructure and renewable energy project management, previously holding roles in energy consulting where he specialized in project development and stakeholder engagement.
The Valar Atomics management team blends visionary founders, nuclear industry pioneers, and experienced operators to accelerate the company’s mission in the energy sector. With a lean structure, the leadership prioritizes rapid prototyping, efficient operations, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, positioning Valar Atomics’ executives to drive innovation and scale. The founding leadership and core executive team maintain close coordination, ensuring alignment between technical breakthroughs and business strategy as Valar Atomics expands its footprint in nuclear energy.
Websets is a powerful natural language search and data enrichment tool that helps you research executive teams for any company. Whether you're analyzing the Valar Atomics leadership team or exploring management structures at other organizations, Websets provides comprehensive insights into executive backgrounds, roles, and team dynamics.
With Websets, you can access detailed executive team profiles, management structures, and leadership insights through intuitive natural language queries. Sign up now to enhance your executive team research capabilities.