Public Perception of Technological Innovations and Investment Dynamics of Startups in Nuclear and Renewable Energy: The EU Experience and Challenges for Ukraine

Abstract

The article examines theoretical and applied aspects of stakeholder management, the formation of a Social License to Operate (SLO), public perception risks, and the investment dynamics of startups in the nuclear and renewable energy sectors in the context of the contemporary energy transition. Contemporary approaches to stakeholder analysis, psychometric assessment of technological risks, and the social acceptance of energy innovations are systematized. A comparative analysis is conducted of stakeholder structures, investment and regulatory risks, specific features of venture financing, and startup models in the nuclear and renewable energy sectors. Global trends in clean-tech startups are analyzed, including the financing of small modular reactors, energy storage systems, hydrogen technologies, and the digitalization of the energy sector. The current state of the energy sectors in the European Union and Ukraine is compared. It is argued that institutional trust, procedural fairness, early public engagement, and effective stakeholder interaction are key determinants of the successful implementation of energy projects regardless of the underlying technology. It is concluded that an optimal model of energy industry in Ukraine would require a combination of the modernized nuclear energy plants, boosting capacities of decentralized energy facilities operated by renewable energy sources, massive installation of energy accumulation systems, and digitalization of energy infrastructures. Recommendations on future development of energy industry in Ukraine are given, aimed at ensuring energy security, decarbonization, enhancing investment attractiveness, and strengthening public support for innovative energy projects amid wartime challenges and post-war recovery.