Hey all,

I’m Kenton Hornbeck — the business editor at Middle Tech/LINK Media. Welcome back to The Build.

From my perspective, the most important news story across the state last week was The Nuclear Company's announcement that it wants to build a nuclear power plant in Lewis County, a rural, mountainous county on the cusp of Appalachia in northeastern Kentucky.

Pending regulatory approval, the power plant could accommodate up to six reactors capable of producing enough electricity to power 3 million homes.

As you’ll read in my story, The Nuclear Company co-founder Jonathan Webb is the former CEO of AppHarvest — one of Kentucky’s most hyped startups of the 2010s. AppHarvest filed for bankruptcy in 2023 after running out of capital. Now, Webb is back in the game, this time in the energy sector. As Naboo Senator Sheev Palpatine once said, “We shall watch your career with great interest.”

Like data center developments in many counties across the state, this project promises to boost Lewis County’s local economy. If the project comes to fruition, it could reshape eastern Kentucky’s energy landscape and change how people view the region’s energy economy.

Still, the promises are lofty, and regulatory hurdles remain. There are still questions to be answered.

You’ll be able to read all the latest updates on middletech.com.

A Lexington-based energy startup is planning what could become the largest nuclear power campus in the United States along the Ohio River in Lewis County.

Founded by former AppHarvest CEO Jonathan Webb and his business partners, The Nuclear Company plans to develop a campus featuring up to six nuclear reactors capable of generating 6.6 gigawatts of electricity.

Dubbed Prosperity One, the project remains in its preliminary stages, with construction potentially beginning in 2028, pending regulatory approvals.

Here's what we know about the project, its next steps and the entrepreneur behind it.

→ Read the full story

Artificial intelligence and humanoid robots promise to transform manufacturing, but how close are they to becoming fixtures on factory floors?

In a conversation with Middle Tech, manufacturing expert Matt Klein, chief operating officer of Lexington-based S&K Industrial, explores the challenges of adopting AI, the hype surrounding humanoid robots, and the growing importance of skilled trades.

Here's what the future of manufacturing looks like from the factory floor.

Listen to the episode on Spotify

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts

Meet the 2026 class of the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

Four Kentucky business leaders whose ventures span pharmaceuticals, technology, insurance, and retail will be inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 on Nov. 4 in Lexington.

This year's inductees include John Neace, founder of Neace Lukens; Roger Griggs, founder of Richwood Pharmaceuticals; Ervin Houchens, founder of Houchens Industries; and Purna Veer, co-founder and president of V-Soft Consulting.

Together, they represent decades of business development, innovation and job creation across the Commonwealth.

Meet the four entrepreneurs joining the Hall of Fame this year and learn how they built their businesses.

→ Read the full story

From nearly losing his healthcare technology company to rescuing a struggling premium vodka brand, PatientPoint founder Mike Collette has experienced his share of entrepreneurial ups and downs.

During Blue North's Plot Twist series, Collette reflected on the pivotal decisions that shaped his career, including a financial crisis that nearly bankrupted PatientPoint, fierce competition with a rival and his unexpected venture into the spirits industry.

Here's how Collette navigated those challenges and what he learned about entrepreneurship along the way.

→ Read the full story