Kofi Asante is the Founder and CEO of Bluecore Energy, a pioneering maritime nuclear energy company developing compact small modular reactors (SMRs) deployed on floating barges to deliver zero-emission power to ports, data centers, and coastal infrastructure.

Asante built his career across high-growth technology and deep-tech ventures, serving on launch teams at Uber Freight, autonomous aircraft developer Elroy Air, and electric boat manufacturer Arc, before founding Bluecore Energy in 2025.

Making history as the first Black founder of a nuclear energy company in the United States, Asante was inspired by his work with Port of Long Beach leadership on zero-emission infrastructure and his wife's work as a pediatrician highlighting the impact of clean air on communities.

Bluecore Energy raised a $10M oversubscribed pre-seed round led by Slauson and Co., with participation from Harlem Capital, Precursor Ventures, Hartbeat Ventures, Capital Factory, and angel investors from Tesla, Uber, Amazon, and Google.

In under six months, Bluecore secured a port terminal, acquired a barge, obtained a test pressure vessel, and began reactor construction, becoming the first SMR developer headquartered inside a major U.S. port, with its initial 10 MWe system designed to power the equivalent of 15,000 homes.