{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"20698","rtpr_id":"nBw3Tw6TCa","ticker":"HVII","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["HVII"],"title":"Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII Announces Initiation of Analyst Coverage by Benchmark Company and May 6th Fireside Chat","author":"Business Wire","published_at":"2026-05-05T11:00:01.016Z","article_body":"Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII Announces Initiation of Analyst Coverage\nby Benchmark Company and May 6(th) Fireside Chat\n\nExecutives from ONE Nuclear and Hennessy VII to participate in fireside chat\non May 6, 2026, hosted by Benchmark Company\n\nHennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII (NASDAQ: HVII) (\"Hennessy VII\") and ONE\nNuclear Energy LLC (\"ONE Nuclear\"), an independent developer of large-scale\nenergy solutions powered by natural gas and advanced nuclear technologies,\ntoday announced that The Benchmark Company, LLC, a subsidiary of StoneX Group\nInc. (“Benchmark”), has initiated coverage of Hennessy VII in connection\nwith its proposed business combination with ONE Nuclear, with a “Buy”\nrating and a price target of $17.00 per share.\n\nThe initiation was published by Benchmark’s senior energy analyst, Subash\nChandra, CFA, on April 28, 2026.\n\nThe report, titled “Recips (& Nukes) To The Rescue As Power Emerges As\nPrimary AI Constraint,” is available to eligible investors through\nBenchmark’s research distribution channels.\n\nBenchmark Equity Research is the research division of Benchmark, providing\ninstitutional-quality equity research across multiple sectors including Energy\nTransition, Technology, Healthcare, and Financial Services.\n\nRichard Taylor, CEO of ONE Nuclear, commented: “Benchmark’s positive\nindependent assessment reinforces the compelling value of our long-term\napproach to fast-track gas and nuclear energy. The report recognizes the\nsignificant opportunities ahead for ONE Nuclear to develop own and operate\nbaseload energy solutions, behind the meter and grid connected, with our\nstrong relationships and access to multiple technologies. Benchmark has\ncaptured both the near-term prospects for our business and the long-term\npotential of our differentiated model in the evolving gas and nuclear\nlandscape. We look forward to discussing this further at the Fireside Chat on\n6 May.”\n\nFireside Chat Scheduled for May 6, 2026 (12:00pm ET)\n\nExecutives from Hennessy VII and ONE Nuclear, including Daniel J. Hennessy,\nChairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hennessy VII, and Richard Taylor,\nCo-Founder and CEO of ONE Nuclear, will participate in a fireside chat hosted\nby Benchmark. The event is scheduled for 12:00pm ET on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.\n\nPlease e-mail onenuclear@icrinc.com (mailto:onenuclear@icrinc.com) at least 30\nminutes before the event begins to receive instructions on how to access the\nevent.\n\nAdditional information can be found at ONE Nuclear’s investor website at\nwww.onenuclearenergy.com/investors\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onenuclearenergy.com%2Finvestors&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=www.onenuclearenergy.com%2Finvestors&index=1&md5=f2d2b30d8c9e5a5ce2208ffec3d78e1d)\n.\n\nAbout the Business Combination\n\nHennessy VII entered into a business combination agreement with ONE Nuclear on\nOctober 23, 2025, pursuant to which, following consummation of the proposed\ntransaction, the combined company is expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the\nticker symbol \"ONEN\". Completion of the proposed transaction is subject to\napproval by Hennessy VII's shareholders, the registration statement relating\nto the proposed transaction being declared effective by the SEC, and other\ncustomary closing conditions.\n\nONE Nuclear is an independent developer of large-scale energy parks powered by\nnatural gas and advanced nuclear small modular reactor (SMR) technologies. ONE\nNuclear's platform is designed to deliver reliable, baseload power at scale to\nenergy-intensive customers, including data centers, industrial users, and grid\ninfrastructure.\n\nThe proposed transaction is expected to provide up to approximately $210\nmillion in gross proceeds, from a combination of anticipated PIPE proceeds and\nup to $195 million of cash held in Hennessy VII's trust account, before\naccounting for potential redemptions and transaction expenses. Proceeds are\nexpected to be used to support ONE Nuclear's development activities and to\nfund transaction-related costs.\n\nAbout Hennessy VII\n\nHennessy VII (NASDAQ: HVII) is a blank check company formed for the purpose of\neffecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase,\nreorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses or\nentities, with a focus on identifying and acquiring companies in the\nindustrial technology and energy transition sectors. For additional\ninformation, please visit www.hennessycapital7.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hennessycapital7.com&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=www.hennessycapital7.com&index=2&md5=ba4087984f18bf65f6c1d0e1bb60107d)\n.\n\nAbout ONE Nuclear\n\nONE Nuclear is an independent developer of scalable energy solutions powered\nby natural gas and advanced nuclear SMR technology. ONE’s approach seeks to\nmeet rapidly growing energy demand with a fast-to-market and fully integrated\nplatform to develop, own and operate utility-scale natural gas and advanced\nnuclear power generation to serve industrial and grid applications. ONE\nNuclear is committed to advancing clean energy deployment through innovative\nnuclear technologies and strategic site development. For additional\ninformation, please visit www.onenuclearenergy.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onenuclearenergy.com&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=www.onenuclearenergy.com&index=3&md5=4a3252a3e099a798c9bcc673564b6c58)\n.\n\nForward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements, including but not\nlimited to statements regarding ONE Nuclear’s and Hennessy VII’s\nexpectations, beliefs, intentions, strategies, and projections. All statements\nother than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are\nforward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations\nand assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause\nactual results to differ materially. Words such as “anticipate,”\n“believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,”\n“project,” “should,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended\nto identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking\nstatements contain these identifying words, and the absence of these words\ndoes not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking\nstatements include, without limitation, ONE Nuclear’s management team’s\nexpectations concerning the outlook for its business, productivity, plans,\ngrowth and capital investments, operational and cost performance, revenue\ngeneration, development timelines, potential generation capacities of specific\nsites, regulatory outlook, future market conditions, success of strategic\nrelationships, developments in the capital and credit markets, expected future\nfinancial performance, as well as demand for nuclear energy and the economic\noutlook for the nuclear energy industry.\n\nForward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and\nare based on ONE Nuclear’s and Hennessy VII’s current beliefs and\nassumptions. ONE Nuclear and Hennessy VII undertake no obligation to update or\nrevise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,\nfuture events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Actual results may\ndiffer materially due to various risks and uncertainties, including but not\nlimited to: (1) the risk that the proposed business combination (the\n“Business Combination”) may not be completed in a timely manner or at all,\nwhich may adversely affect the price of Hennessy VII’s securities; (2) the\nfailure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the Business\nCombination, including the adoption of the definitive agreements related to\nthe Business Combination by the shareholders of Hennessy VII and the receipt\nof certain regulatory approvals; (3) market risks; (4) the occurrence of any\nevent, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of\nthe Business Combination; (5) changes in transaction structure of the Business\nCombination due to regulatory or legal requirements; (6) the ability to meet\nlisting standards; (7) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the\nBusiness Combination on ONE Nuclear’s business relationships, performance,\nand business generally; (8) failure to realize anticipated benefits from the\nBusiness Combination; (9) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be\ninstituted against ONE Nuclear or Hennessy VII related to the Business\nCombination or the Business Combination; (10) ONE Nuclear’s ability to\nexecute on its business plan and to develop and maintain key strategic\nrelationships and enter into definitive agreements in connection therewith;\n(11) competition in ONE Nuclear’s industry; (12) transaction-related costs;\n(13) the risk that changes in laws or regulations adversely affect ONE\nNuclear’s business plans and operations; (14) adverse economic or\ncompetitive conditions; (15) the level of redemptions by Hennessy VII\nshareholders in connection with the Business Combination; (16) the risk that\nONE Nuclear may not be able to successfully develop its exclusive sites or\nother sites and the commercial viability of any such site; (17) the risk that\nONE Nuclear will be unable to raise additional capital to execute its business\nplan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; and (18) other\nrisks and uncertainties described in Hennessy VII’s Annual Report on Form\n10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, which was filed with the U.S.\nSecurities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 6, 2026, and other\nfilings with the SEC, including the registration statement on Form S-4 (the\n“Registration Statement”), the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and\nother relevant materials filed by Hennessy VII in connection with the Business\nCombination from time to time. The foregoing list is not exhaustive, and there\nmay be additional risks that neither Hennessy VII nor ONE Nuclear presently\nknow or that Hennessy VII and ONE Nuclear currently believe are immaterial.\nONE Nuclear and Hennessy VII caution you against placing undue reliance on\nforward-looking statements, which reflect current beliefs and are based on\ninformation currently available as of the date a forward-looking statement is\nmade.\n\nONE Nuclear’s Commercial Agreements are Non-Binding\n\nThis press release contains descriptions of certain non-exclusive, key\nbusiness relationships of ONE Nuclear, including with Rolls-Royce, Black &\nVeatch, FutureWorx, and other business partners. These descriptions are based\non the ONE Nuclear management team’s discussions with such counterparties,\nthe terms of certain existing non-binding collaboration agreements with such\ncounterparties, and the latest available information and estimates as of the\ndate of this press release. In each case, such descriptions are subject to\nnegotiation and execution of definitive agreements with such counterparties,\nwhich have not been completed as of the date of this press release. As a\nresult, such descriptions of key business relationships of ONE Nuclear,\nincluding with Rolls-Royce, Black & Veatch, and FutureWorx, remain subject\nto change, and there can be no assurance that definitive agreements with such\nbusiness partners will be executed or, if executed, that the terms of such\ndefinitive agreements will not vary materially from those described herein.\n\nImportant Information for Investors and Shareholders\n\nIn connection with the Business Combination, Hennessy VII has filed with the\nSEC the Registration Statement, which includes a preliminary prospectus with\nrespect to the securities to be issued in connection with the Business\nCombination and a proxy statement to be distributed to holders of Hennessy\nVII’s ordinary shares in connection with Hennessy VII’s solicitation of\nproxies for the vote by Hennessy VII’s shareholders with respect to the\nBusiness Combination and other matters described in the Registration Statement\n(the “Proxy Statement”). After the SEC declares the Registration Statement\neffective, Hennessy VII plans to file the definitive Proxy Statement with the\nSEC and to mail copies to shareholders of Hennessy VII as of a record date to\nbe established for voting on the Business Combination.\n\nThis press release does not contain all the information that should be\nconsidered concerning the Business Combination and is not a substitute for the\nRegistration Statement, Proxy Statement or for any other document that\nHennessy VII may file with the SEC. Before making any investment or voting\ndecision, investors and security holders of Hennessy VII and ONE Nuclear are\nurged to read the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement, and any\namendments or supplements thereto, as well as all other relevant materials\nfiled or that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the Business\nCombination as they become available because they will contain important\ninformation about ONE Nuclear, Hennessy VII and the Business Combination.\n\nInvestors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the\nRegistration Statement, the Proxy Statement and all other relevant documents\nfiled or that will be filed with the SEC by Hennessy VII through the website\nmaintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sec.gov&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=www.sec.gov&index=4&md5=d6425479bac7da8252407801e2cc4c18)\n. In addition, the documents filed by Hennessy VII may be obtained free of\ncharge from Hennessy VII’s website at https://www.hennessycapital7.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hennessycapital7.com&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hennessycapital7.com&index=5&md5=9b742cd90e96f4bbc3b6bce2c2a9fe03)\nor by directing an email request to info@hennessycapitalgroup.com\n(mailto:info@hennessycapitalgroup.com) . The information contained on, or that\nmay be accessed through, the websites referenced in this press release is not\nincorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.\n\nParticipants in the Solicitation\n\nHennessy VII, ONE Nuclear and their respective directors, executive officers\nand other members of management and employees may, under the rules of the SEC,\nbe deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from Hennessy\nVII’s shareholders in connection with the Business Combination. For more\ninformation about the names, affiliations and interests of Hennessy VII’s\ndirectors and executive officers, please refer to Hennessy VII’s annual\nreport on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2026 and the Registration\nStatement, the Proxy Statement and other relevant materials filed with the SEC\nin connection with the Business Combination from time to time. Additional\ninformation regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a\ndescription of their direct and indirect interests, which may, in some cases,\nbe different than those of Hennessy VII’s shareholders generally, are\nincluded in the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement. Shareholders,\npotential investors and other interested persons should read the Registration\nStatement and the Proxy Statement carefully before making any voting or\ninvestment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents from the\nsources indicated above.\n\nNo Offer or Solicitation\n\nThis press release shall not constitute a “solicitation” as defined in\nSection 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. This press\nrelease shall not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, the solicitation of\nan offer to buy or a recommendation to purchase, any securities, or a\nsolicitation of any vote, consent or approval, nor shall there be any sale,\nissuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer,\nsolicitation or sale may be unlawful under the laws of such jurisdiction. No\noffering of securities in the Business Combination shall be made except by\nmeans of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,\nas amended, or an exemption therefrom.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260504745966/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260504745966/en/)\n\nFor Investors:\n\nCaldwell Bailey – ICR, Inc.\n\nonenuclear@icrinc.com (mailto:onenuclear@icrinc.com)\n\nFor Media:\n\nMatt Dallas – ICR, Inc.\n\nonenuclear@icrinc.com (mailto:onenuclear@icrinc.com)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nBw3Tw6TCa","title":"Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII Announces Initiation of Analyst Coverage by Benchmark Company and May 6th Fireside Chat","author":"Business Wire","ticker":"HVII","created":"2026-05-05T11:00:01.016Z","tickers":["HVII"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII Announces Initiation of Analyst Coverage\nby Benchmark Company and May 6(th) Fireside Chat\n\nExecutives from ONE Nuclear and Hennessy VII to participate in fireside chat\non May 6, 2026, hosted by Benchmark Company\n\nHennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII (NASDAQ: HVII) (\"Hennessy VII\") and ONE\nNuclear Energy LLC (\"ONE Nuclear\"), an independent developer of large-scale\nenergy solutions powered by natural gas and advanced nuclear technologies,\ntoday announced that The Benchmark Company, LLC, a subsidiary of StoneX Group\nInc. (“Benchmark”), has initiated coverage of Hennessy VII in connection\nwith its proposed business combination with ONE Nuclear, with a “Buy”\nrating and a price target of $17.00 per share.\n\nThe initiation was published by Benchmark’s senior energy analyst, Subash\nChandra, CFA, on April 28, 2026.\n\nThe report, titled “Recips (& Nukes) To The Rescue As Power Emerges As\nPrimary AI Constraint,” is available to eligible investors through\nBenchmark’s research distribution channels.\n\nBenchmark Equity Research is the research division of Benchmark, providing\ninstitutional-quality equity research across multiple sectors including Energy\nTransition, Technology, Healthcare, and Financial Services.\n\nRichard Taylor, CEO of ONE Nuclear, commented: “Benchmark’s positive\nindependent assessment reinforces the compelling value of our long-term\napproach to fast-track gas and nuclear energy. The report recognizes the\nsignificant opportunities ahead for ONE Nuclear to develop own and operate\nbaseload energy solutions, behind the meter and grid connected, with our\nstrong relationships and access to multiple technologies. Benchmark has\ncaptured both the near-term prospects for our business and the long-term\npotential of our differentiated model in the evolving gas and nuclear\nlandscape. We look forward to discussing this further at the Fireside Chat on\n6 May.”\n\nFireside Chat Scheduled for May 6, 2026 (12:00pm ET)\n\nExecutives from Hennessy VII and ONE Nuclear, including Daniel J. Hennessy,\nChairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hennessy VII, and Richard Taylor,\nCo-Founder and CEO of ONE Nuclear, will participate in a fireside chat hosted\nby Benchmark. The event is scheduled for 12:00pm ET on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.\n\nPlease e-mail onenuclear@icrinc.com (mailto:onenuclear@icrinc.com) at least 30\nminutes before the event begins to receive instructions on how to access the\nevent.\n\nAdditional information can be found at ONE Nuclear’s investor website at\nwww.onenuclearenergy.com/investors\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onenuclearenergy.com%2Finvestors&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=www.onenuclearenergy.com%2Finvestors&index=1&md5=f2d2b30d8c9e5a5ce2208ffec3d78e1d)\n.\n\nAbout the Business Combination\n\nHennessy VII entered into a business combination agreement with ONE Nuclear on\nOctober 23, 2025, pursuant to which, following consummation of the proposed\ntransaction, the combined company is expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the\nticker symbol \"ONEN\". Completion of the proposed transaction is subject to\napproval by Hennessy VII's shareholders, the registration statement relating\nto the proposed transaction being declared effective by the SEC, and other\ncustomary closing conditions.\n\nONE Nuclear is an independent developer of large-scale energy parks powered by\nnatural gas and advanced nuclear small modular reactor (SMR) technologies. ONE\nNuclear's platform is designed to deliver reliable, baseload power at scale to\nenergy-intensive customers, including data centers, industrial users, and grid\ninfrastructure.\n\nThe proposed transaction is expected to provide up to approximately $210\nmillion in gross proceeds, from a combination of anticipated PIPE proceeds and\nup to $195 million of cash held in Hennessy VII's trust account, before\naccounting for potential redemptions and transaction expenses. Proceeds are\nexpected to be used to support ONE Nuclear's development activities and to\nfund transaction-related costs.\n\nAbout Hennessy VII\n\nHennessy VII (NASDAQ: HVII) is a blank check company formed for the purpose of\neffecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase,\nreorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses or\nentities, with a focus on identifying and acquiring companies in the\nindustrial technology and energy transition sectors. For additional\ninformation, please visit www.hennessycapital7.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hennessycapital7.com&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=www.hennessycapital7.com&index=2&md5=ba4087984f18bf65f6c1d0e1bb60107d)\n.\n\nAbout ONE Nuclear\n\nONE Nuclear is an independent developer of scalable energy solutions powered\nby natural gas and advanced nuclear SMR technology. ONE’s approach seeks to\nmeet rapidly growing energy demand with a fast-to-market and fully integrated\nplatform to develop, own and operate utility-scale natural gas and advanced\nnuclear power generation to serve industrial and grid applications. ONE\nNuclear is committed to advancing clean energy deployment through innovative\nnuclear technologies and strategic site development. For additional\ninformation, please visit www.onenuclearenergy.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onenuclearenergy.com&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=www.onenuclearenergy.com&index=3&md5=4a3252a3e099a798c9bcc673564b6c58)\n.\n\nForward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements, including but not\nlimited to statements regarding ONE Nuclear’s and Hennessy VII’s\nexpectations, beliefs, intentions, strategies, and projections. All statements\nother than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are\nforward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations\nand assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause\nactual results to differ materially. Words such as “anticipate,”\n“believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,”\n“project,” “should,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended\nto identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking\nstatements contain these identifying words, and the absence of these words\ndoes not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking\nstatements include, without limitation, ONE Nuclear’s management team’s\nexpectations concerning the outlook for its business, productivity, plans,\ngrowth and capital investments, operational and cost performance, revenue\ngeneration, development timelines, potential generation capacities of specific\nsites, regulatory outlook, future market conditions, success of strategic\nrelationships, developments in the capital and credit markets, expected future\nfinancial performance, as well as demand for nuclear energy and the economic\noutlook for the nuclear energy industry.\n\nForward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and\nare based on ONE Nuclear’s and Hennessy VII’s current beliefs and\nassumptions. ONE Nuclear and Hennessy VII undertake no obligation to update or\nrevise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,\nfuture events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Actual results may\ndiffer materially due to various risks and uncertainties, including but not\nlimited to: (1) the risk that the proposed business combination (the\n“Business Combination”) may not be completed in a timely manner or at all,\nwhich may adversely affect the price of Hennessy VII’s securities; (2) the\nfailure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the Business\nCombination, including the adoption of the definitive agreements related to\nthe Business Combination by the shareholders of Hennessy VII and the receipt\nof certain regulatory approvals; (3) market risks; (4) the occurrence of any\nevent, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of\nthe Business Combination; (5) changes in transaction structure of the Business\nCombination due to regulatory or legal requirements; (6) the ability to meet\nlisting standards; (7) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the\nBusiness Combination on ONE Nuclear’s business relationships, performance,\nand business generally; (8) failure to realize anticipated benefits from the\nBusiness Combination; (9) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be\ninstituted against ONE Nuclear or Hennessy VII related to the Business\nCombination or the Business Combination; (10) ONE Nuclear’s ability to\nexecute on its business plan and to develop and maintain key strategic\nrelationships and enter into definitive agreements in connection therewith;\n(11) competition in ONE Nuclear’s industry; (12) transaction-related costs;\n(13) the risk that changes in laws or regulations adversely affect ONE\nNuclear’s business plans and operations; (14) adverse economic or\ncompetitive conditions; (15) the level of redemptions by Hennessy VII\nshareholders in connection with the Business Combination; (16) the risk that\nONE Nuclear may not be able to successfully develop its exclusive sites or\nother sites and the commercial viability of any such site; (17) the risk that\nONE Nuclear will be unable to raise additional capital to execute its business\nplan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; and (18) other\nrisks and uncertainties described in Hennessy VII’s Annual Report on Form\n10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, which was filed with the U.S.\nSecurities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 6, 2026, and other\nfilings with the SEC, including the registration statement on Form S-4 (the\n“Registration Statement”), the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and\nother relevant materials filed by Hennessy VII in connection with the Business\nCombination from time to time. The foregoing list is not exhaustive, and there\nmay be additional risks that neither Hennessy VII nor ONE Nuclear presently\nknow or that Hennessy VII and ONE Nuclear currently believe are immaterial.\nONE Nuclear and Hennessy VII caution you against placing undue reliance on\nforward-looking statements, which reflect current beliefs and are based on\ninformation currently available as of the date a forward-looking statement is\nmade.\n\nONE Nuclear’s Commercial Agreements are Non-Binding\n\nThis press release contains descriptions of certain non-exclusive, key\nbusiness relationships of ONE Nuclear, including with Rolls-Royce, Black &\nVeatch, FutureWorx, and other business partners. These descriptions are based\non the ONE Nuclear management team’s discussions with such counterparties,\nthe terms of certain existing non-binding collaboration agreements with such\ncounterparties, and the latest available information and estimates as of the\ndate of this press release. In each case, such descriptions are subject to\nnegotiation and execution of definitive agreements with such counterparties,\nwhich have not been completed as of the date of this press release. As a\nresult, such descriptions of key business relationships of ONE Nuclear,\nincluding with Rolls-Royce, Black & Veatch, and FutureWorx, remain subject\nto change, and there can be no assurance that definitive agreements with such\nbusiness partners will be executed or, if executed, that the terms of such\ndefinitive agreements will not vary materially from those described herein.\n\nImportant Information for Investors and Shareholders\n\nIn connection with the Business Combination, Hennessy VII has filed with the\nSEC the Registration Statement, which includes a preliminary prospectus with\nrespect to the securities to be issued in connection with the Business\nCombination and a proxy statement to be distributed to holders of Hennessy\nVII’s ordinary shares in connection with Hennessy VII’s solicitation of\nproxies for the vote by Hennessy VII’s shareholders with respect to the\nBusiness Combination and other matters described in the Registration Statement\n(the “Proxy Statement”). After the SEC declares the Registration Statement\neffective, Hennessy VII plans to file the definitive Proxy Statement with the\nSEC and to mail copies to shareholders of Hennessy VII as of a record date to\nbe established for voting on the Business Combination.\n\nThis press release does not contain all the information that should be\nconsidered concerning the Business Combination and is not a substitute for the\nRegistration Statement, Proxy Statement or for any other document that\nHennessy VII may file with the SEC. Before making any investment or voting\ndecision, investors and security holders of Hennessy VII and ONE Nuclear are\nurged to read the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement, and any\namendments or supplements thereto, as well as all other relevant materials\nfiled or that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the Business\nCombination as they become available because they will contain important\ninformation about ONE Nuclear, Hennessy VII and the Business Combination.\n\nInvestors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the\nRegistration Statement, the Proxy Statement and all other relevant documents\nfiled or that will be filed with the SEC by Hennessy VII through the website\nmaintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sec.gov&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=www.sec.gov&index=4&md5=d6425479bac7da8252407801e2cc4c18)\n. In addition, the documents filed by Hennessy VII may be obtained free of\ncharge from Hennessy VII’s website at https://www.hennessycapital7.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hennessycapital7.com&esheet=54528965&newsitemid=20260504745966&lan=en-US&anchor=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hennessycapital7.com&index=5&md5=9b742cd90e96f4bbc3b6bce2c2a9fe03)\nor by directing an email request to info@hennessycapitalgroup.com\n(mailto:info@hennessycapitalgroup.com) . The information contained on, or that\nmay be accessed through, the websites referenced in this press release is not\nincorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.\n\nParticipants in the Solicitation\n\nHennessy VII, ONE Nuclear and their respective directors, executive officers\nand other members of management and employees may, under the rules of the SEC,\nbe deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from Hennessy\nVII’s shareholders in connection with the Business Combination. For more\ninformation about the names, affiliations and interests of Hennessy VII’s\ndirectors and executive officers, please refer to Hennessy VII’s annual\nreport on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2026 and the Registration\nStatement, the Proxy Statement and other relevant materials filed with the SEC\nin connection with the Business Combination from time to time. Additional\ninformation regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a\ndescription of their direct and indirect interests, which may, in some cases,\nbe different than those of Hennessy VII’s shareholders generally, are\nincluded in the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement. Shareholders,\npotential investors and other interested persons should read the Registration\nStatement and the Proxy Statement carefully before making any voting or\ninvestment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents from the\nsources indicated above.\n\nNo Offer or Solicitation\n\nThis press release shall not constitute a “solicitation” as defined in\nSection 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. This press\nrelease shall not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, the solicitation of\nan offer to buy or a recommendation to purchase, any securities, or a\nsolicitation of any vote, consent or approval, nor shall there be any sale,\nissuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer,\nsolicitation or sale may be unlawful under the laws of such jurisdiction. No\noffering of securities in the Business Combination shall be made except by\nmeans of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,\nas amended, or an exemption therefrom.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260504745966/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260504745966/en/)\n\nFor Investors:\n\nCaldwell Bailey – ICR, Inc.\n\nonenuclear@icrinc.com (mailto:onenuclear@icrinc.com)\n\nFor Media:\n\nMatt Dallas – ICR, Inc.\n\nonenuclear@icrinc.com (mailto:onenuclear@icrinc.com)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-05-05T11:00:02.059258139Z","server_sent_at_ms":1777978802059},"received_at":"2026-05-05T11:00:02.114Z","source_url":"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260504745966/en/"},"analysis":{"id":"17445","press_release_id":"20698","analysis_json":{"industry":null,"redFlags":["Commercial agreements with Rolls-Royce, Black & Veatch, and FutureWorx are non-binding and subject to execution of definitive agreements.","Transaction completion is subject to shareholder approval and SEC declaration of effectiveness of the registration statement."],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Benchmark Company initiated coverage of Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII with a Buy rating and a $17 price target, supporting the proposed business combination with ONE Nuclear.\n\nThe transaction is expected to deliver up to approximately $210 million in gross proceeds, combining anticipated PIPE financing with the $195 million currently held in the trust account.\n\nExecutives from both companies will host a fireside chat on May 6, 2026, to discuss the merger and the strategic outlook for gas and nuclear energy solutions.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Analyst Buy rating and $17 PT support the $210M nuclear energy SPAC merger."},"keyFigures":{"dealValueUsd":210000000,"customDimensions":{"rating":"Buy","price_target":17,"pro_forma_ticker":"ONEN","trust_account_cash":195000000}},"quotedText":"Benchmark’s positive independent assessment reinforces the compelling value of our long-term approach to fast-track gas and nuclear energy.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Subash Chandra","role":"Senior Energy Analyst, Benchmark Company"},{"name":"Richard Taylor","role":"CEO of ONE Nuclear"},{"name":"Daniel J. 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While the transaction details ($210M gross proceeds) are material, the event is an analyst note and fireside chat rather than a closing or regulatory decision, limiting the immediate market impact."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"HVII"},"globalImportance":25,"audienceRelevance":20,"eventTypeSecondary":["partnership"],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"spac_pre_deal","eventGravity":"analyst_initiation","proceedsSize":"$210M","sectorWeight":"energy_transition"}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":["partnership"],"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"Benchmark Company initiated coverage of Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII with a Buy rating and a $17 price target, supporting the proposed business combination with ONE Nuclear.\n\nThe transaction is expected to deliver up to approximately $210 million in gross proceeds, combining anticipated PIPE financing with the $195 million currently held in the trust account.\n\nExecutives from both companies will host a fireside chat on May 6, 2026, to discuss the merger and the strategic outlook for gas and nuclear energy solutions.","key_figures":{"dealValueUsd":210000000,"customDimensions":{"rating":"Buy","price_target":17,"pro_forma_ticker":"ONEN","trust_account_cash":195000000}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Subash Chandra","role":"Senior Energy Analyst, Benchmark Company"},{"name":"Richard Taylor","role":"CEO of ONE Nuclear"},{"name":"Daniel J. Hennessy","role":"Chairman and CEO of Hennessy VII"}],"products":[],"companies":[{"name":"The Benchmark Company, LLC","relationship":"analyst"},{"name":"ONE Nuclear Energy LLC","relationship":"target"},{"name":"StoneX Group Inc.","relationship":"parent company of Benchmark"},{"name":"Rolls-Royce","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"Black & Veatch","relationship":"partner"},{"name":"FutureWorx","relationship":"partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$17.00","context":"Benchmark price target per share"},{"amount":"$210 million","context":"expected gross proceeds from PIPE and trust"},{"amount":"$195 million","context":"cash held in Hennessy VII's trust account"}]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:1a3f9f8af9328a99","schema_hash":"sha256:dc6ca59cd3b6e100","created_at":"2026-05-06T18:10:59.859Z","global_importance":25,"audience_relevance":20,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"spac_pre_deal","eventGravity":"analyst_initiation","proceedsSize":"$210M","sectorWeight":"energy_transition"}},"durationMs":null,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}