Hadron Energy Aligns Valuation for Business Combination to $600M, Signaling Long Term Market Discipline After GigCapital7 Form S-4 Registration Statement Declared Effective

Revised previously announced Pro-Forma Equity Valuation of Hadron Energy to $600 Million Reflects Disciplined Market Alignment and Investor Responsiveness; Hadron Energy Completes approximately $7.5 Million in Pre-IPO Equity Round via bridge SAFE Notes with Full Conversion Protections Preserved; SEC Declared GigCapital7-Hadron Energy Form S-4 Registration Statement Effective on April 15, 2026; GigCapital7 Special Shareholders meeting to take place on May 7, 2026; Hadron Energy Continues to Advance Supplier Partnerships, Customer Pipeline, and Licensing Milestones

NEW YORK, NY––April 20, 2026––Hadron Energy, Inc. (“Hadron” or the“Company”), a developer of advanced nuclear microreactor (MMR) technology, today announced two significant milestones on its path to becoming a publicly traded company to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol “HDRN.” First, Hadron and GigCapital7 have agreed to updated transaction terms reflecting a modified pro-forma equity valuation of Hadron of approximately $600 million to align with current public market conditions and the Company’s commitment to entering the public markets from a position of credibility and long-term strength. Second, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) declared the Form S-4 registration statement of GigCapital7 Corp. (Nasdaq: GIG) (“GigCapital7”), for which the Company is a co-registrant, effective on April 15, 2026, enabling GigCapital7 to proceed with its special shareholders meeting to seek approval by its shareholders of the proposed business combination on May 7, 2026.

In connection with the updated transaction terms, Hadron also announced the successful completion of a $7.5 million pre-IPO equity financing round conducted via Simple Agreements for Future Equity (“SAFE”) notes. The round was anchored by a number of strategic investors with deep alignment to Hadron’s commercial and technology roadmap, reinforcing institutional confidence in the Company’s fundamentals and long-term trajectory ahead of its public listing.

A Market-Aligned Valuation Built for Strength, Not Sentiment

The advanced nuclear and small modular reactor sector has experienced a meaningful valuation recalibration since the market peak in Q4 2025. Publicly traded peers, including companies with NRC design approvals and multi-billion-dollar market capitalizations, have seen equity values decline from their late-2025 highs.

Rather than proceed with a transaction structure anchored to a prior market environment, Hadron and GigCapital7 have elected to proactively realign the transaction valuation of Hadron to reflect the objective realities of today’s capital markets. This decision is the product of extensive dialogue with a broad cross-section of institutional investors and strategic capital partners over the past four months of SAFE bridge and deSPAC PIPE funding roadshows.

“We are building Hadron for the long term, and that means making decisions that prioritize credibility over optics,” said Sam Gibson, Founder & CEO of Hadron Energy. “The advanced nuclear market has undergone a healthy and necessary value reset. We believe the right response is not to resist that reset but to lead through it. By entering the public markets at a valuation that reflects current conditions and an attractive entry point, we are sending a clear signal to investors: Hadron is fully attuned to market realities, disciplined in its capital planning, and focused on execution.”

The revised $600 million valuation of Hadron is designed to achieve three core objectives: first, to materially reduce redemption risk and maximize the cash available to the Company at close; second, to attract quality institutional capital that will serve as a foundation for the Company’s public float; and third, to position the Company for a credible, supported aftermarket that builds investor trust from day one.

GigCapital7 Reaffirms Commitment to Hadron and the Transaction

“With the Form S-4 now effective and a clear path to closing in front of us through the shareholders meeting that is scheduled for May 7, 2026, GigCapital7 holds its excitement of the opportunity to be part of the MMR industry and remains fully committed to Hadron through the deSPAC and in supporting the Company’s long-term success in the public markets,” said Dr. Avi Katz, Chairman & CEO of GigCapital7. “This valuation adjustment is a strategic decision that reflects our collective commitment to delivering a transaction that closes with strength, raises the capital the Company needs, and establishes a foundation of trust with long-term institutional investors. We are sure that proceeding to a final prospectus/proxy statement and realigning the valuation of Hadron in the same window sends a simple, decisive message to the market.”

SEC Declares Form S-4 Registration Statement Effective; Path to Nasdaq Listing Cleared

On April 15, 2026, the SEC declared GigCapital7’s Form S-4 registration statement, of which Hadron was a co-registrant, effective, completing a critical milestone in the path to closing the proposed business combination. GigCapital7 has commenced distribution of the final prospectus/proxy statement/prospectus to its shareholders in advance of the May 7, 2026 special meeting to vote on the proposed business combination.

“Filing and mailing the final prospectus/proxy statement to GigCapital7’s shareholders is a decisive moment,” said Sam Gibson, Founder & CEO of Hadron. “With the Form S-4 now effective, Hadron is positioned to complete its transition to the public markets on a known and executable timeline. Combined with our recalibrated valuation and continued commercial and technical progress, we are entering this final phase of the deSPAC process with clarity, momentum, and the full confidence of our partners and investors.”

$7.5 Million Pre-IPO Equity Round Reinforces Investor Confidence

Hadron’s successful completion of a $7.5 million equity financing via bridge SAFE notes demonstrates continued investor appetite for the Company’s differentiated position in the advanced nuclear market. The round was conducted alongside the ongoing deSPAC roadshow process and reflects investor conviction in Hadron’s technology, team, and go-to-market approach. The pre-IPO capital further strengthens Hadron’s balance sheet as it enters the public markets and provides near-term working capital to support continued commercial development, supplier engagement, and licensing activities.

Commercial and Technical Momentum Continues to Accelerate

The updated valuation reflects market conditions, not a change in the Company’s fundamentals or commercial trajectory. Hadron continues to advance across every dimension of its business, with significant recent milestones that underscore the strength and credibility of its technology and go-to-market strategy:

Supplier Ecosystem Development: In March 2026, Hadron announced a strategic collaboration with Paragon Energy Solutions, a Mirion Technologies Company, for the design, development, and implementation of the Instrumentation & Control (I&C) architecture for the Halo Micro-Modular Reactor (MMR). This collaboration encompasses safety and non-safety I&C platform integration, control logic development, human-machine interface support, and cybersecurity architecture representing a critical subsystem milestone on the path to commercial deployment. Paragon’s proven supply chain capability, backed by Mirion’s global nuclear technology platform, validates the manufacturability and commercial readiness of Hadron’s reactor design.

Customer Pipeline and Commercial Traction: Hadron has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Smartland Energy, LLC, establishing a portfolio-scale framework for the potential deployment of the Halo MMR across up to five qualified Smartland behind-the-meter power projects over time. Smartland is developing approximately 150 MWe per project, with 12 projects targeted for completion by 2035, representing aggregate capacity demand of approximately 1.8 GWe. In connection with the MOU, Smartland made an initial strategic investment in Hadron, reflecting long-term conviction in the platform’s commercial viability.

Accelerating Market Demand: Industrial and digital infrastructure operators are facing unprecedented load growth, multi-year grid interconnection queues, and increasing urgency around reliable, on-site firm power. Behind-the-meter nuclear microreactors represent one of the most compelling solutions to this structural supply-demand imbalance. The U.S. Department ofEnergy and major hyperscale technology companies continue to signal strong support for advanced nuclear reactors deployment, and Hadron’s 10 MWe light-water Halo MMR is purpose-designed for this market—factory-fabricated, truck-transportable, and deployable on commercially relevant timelines.

Licensing and Regulatory Progress: Hadron continues to advance its regulatory engagement with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as it progresses toward licensing milestones for the Halo MMR. The Company’s light-water reactor design leverages the most mature, well-understood, and extensively regulated reactor technology in the world, supported by decades of operational data, an established fuel supply chain, and the deepest bench of regulatory precedent in the nuclear industry.

Transaction Overview

With the Form S-4 registration statement declared effective by the SEC on April 15, 2026, the business combination between Hadron Energy and GigCapital7 Corp. is expected to close in May, subject to remaining customary closing conditions, including approval by GigCapital7 shareholders at the upcoming special shareholders meeting and satisfaction of customary Nasdaq listing requirements. Upon closing, Hadron is expected to trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol “HDRN,” and is expected to be the first publicly traded company focused on light-water micro-modular reactor (MMR) technology.

The revised transaction reflects a pro-forma equity valuation Hadron of approximately $600 million and is structured to maximize net cash to the combined company at close, support a healthy public float, and position the stock for institutional ownership and long-term value creation.

See the full press release here: BusinessWire