Cambridge Nuclear Startup Lands $31 Million For Compact Reactor
CAMBRIDGE — A Cambridge-based startup spun out of MIT landed $31 million in new funding this week to develop a compact nuclear reactor, the city's most notable business news as City Hall pressed ahead with an overnight paving project set to disrupt Central Square this weekend.
TOWN HALL
The City of Cambridge will conduct overnight paving in Central Square beginning Sunday, August 23, at 8 p.m., with work expected to continue until approximately 4 a.m. Monday, August 24, according to the city's News Flash. Residents and drivers passing through the square that night should expect detours and noise.
Two deadlines tied to the September 1 State Primary are now imminent. Saturday, August 22, is the last day for Cambridge residents to register to vote, with online registration open until 11:59 p.m. that night; the deadline to submit a Vote by Mail application is Tuesday, August 25, at 5 p.m., an update on a story the city's News Flash has been tracking for weeks. Separately, Thursday, August 21, is also the application deadline for residents hoping to fill vacancies on the Commercial Parking Control Committee, the Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship, and the Police Review & Advisory Board, a continuing recruitment push the city announced earlier this month.
The city also flagged upcoming changes to its mattress and box spring recycling program: residents scheduling a pickup through UTEC will begin paying a portion of the collection cost, with the city continuing to subsidize the remainder.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"$31M boosts compact nuclear reactor with 40-fold smaller footprint," Ground News reports. The Cambridge-based startup, spun out of MIT with backing from Y Combinator, plans to use the new funding to test its reactor design, according to the outlet (read it at https://ground.news/article/31m-boosts-compact-nuclear-reactor-with-40-fold-smaller-footprint).
"These MA Communities Have The Highest, Lowest Property Tax Bills In 2026," Patch reports. Residential tax rates rose in 109 Massachusetts communities for fiscal year 2026, per Patch's Benjamin Pierce, though the item did not specify where Cambridge ranked (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/cambridge).
COMING UP
Cambridge Arts continues its free Tuesday evening concert series at Danehy Park, with the next show scheduled for Tuesday, August 25.
Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.