A few years ago, the idea that Florida would compete for the global headquarters of an advanced nuclear energy company might have sounded unlikely.
Today, it has become a reality.
AMPERA, an advanced nuclear energy company, has decided to lead its worldwide operations from Palm Beach Gardens, placing South Florida at the center of a conversation usually dominated by national labs and legacy energy hubs.
The company’s new home sits inside the Gardens Innovation Center at PGA National Commerce Park, where AMPERA will occupy two buildings totaling nearly 100,000 square feet. The site will house research and development, engineering, additive manufacturing, assembly, and administrative teams, all under one roof. AMPERA aims to have 100 employees in South Florida by the end of 2026.
“This facility isn’t just a location – it’s a launchpad for AMPERA’s mission to deliver the world’s safest, most compact nuclear energy systems,” Brian Matthews, CEO and founder of AMPERA, shared in a statement.
“At this innovation hub, we’ll advance and commercialize truly transformative energy technology,” Matthews continued. “Our ultra-safe, mobile micronuclear reactors will be at customer locations by 2030.”
Matthews is a British scientist and serial entrepreneur, having built various deeptech businesses across nuclear engineering, metal additive manufacturing, and strategic defense systems.
That ambition is closely tied to the moment AMPERA has chosen to go public. In November, the company announced it had emerged from stealth mode, unveiling new technology designed to deliver compact, emission-free, autonomous power.
Why this product, and why now? AI data centers, defense installations, and industrial facilities are all facing the same problem: massive and constant energy demand paired with grid systems that are not built for it.
“Artificial intelligence and national defense require a new class of power – one that’s clean, compact, and endlessly scalable,” Matthews explained. “AMPERA exists to amplify clean energy for the AI era – redefining how nations and industries power the future.”
AMPERA’s systems are designed to operate continuously, with configurations aimed at both defense and commercial use. The company says its reactors produce no long-lived waste and require no refueling, a claim that sets it apart from traditional nuclear models.
According to the company, AMPERA is supported by a Fortune 500 global technology leader in AI, cloud, and data-center infrastructure, with operations in more than 100 countries. While the partner remains unnamed, the reference could signal that this is not a speculative science project, but a company building with large-scale deployment in mind.
Palm Beach Gardens emerged as the right base for that next phase. The company cited access to engineering talent, proximity to a growing technology and financial sector, and the practical benefits of multiple nearby airports. Quality of life also played a role, an increasingly common factor as deep-tech firms compete for specialized talent that can work almost anywhere.
The Florida headquarters will anchor a broader international footprint. As part of its global expansion, AMPERA has said it plans to open a regional headquarters in London, strengthening ties across the U.S., U.K., and Europe. In that context, Palm Beach Gardens is not a satellite office. It is positioned as the nerve center of the company’s operations.
AMPERA is already hiring locally, including for engineers, as it builds out the new HQ, signaling that the Palm Beach Gardens campus is meant to grow alongside the technology itself.
Pictured at top of this post: AMPERA’s fully containerised nuclear reactor system
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