Participated · Seed · Apr 2024

Curio is developing NuCycle, a nuclear recycling technology that uses selective fluoride volatility and electrowinning to separate and recover uranium and transuranic materials from used nuclear fuel. The company is conducting laboratory‑scale validation using actual used fuel and transuranic waste in collaboration with national labs including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Savannah River National Laboratory. Curio is advancing regulatory pathways and preliminary engineering designs alongside its technical demonstrations. The firm began a DOE ARPA‑E cost‑share program in 2023 and received an additional $2.5 million award in the current phase, matched by roughly $1 million of company investment. Curio reported that the project reached key technical milestones in September 2025. The company plans to build a scaled prototype laboratory and demonstration facility capable of processing as much as 4,000 metric tons of used nuclear fuel by the end of 2027.