While SpaceX continues to capture headlines with its ambitious endeavors, including lowering the cost of space launches and planning a human colony on the moon, its current valuation has prompted some analysts to look elsewhere for significant growth opportunities. Ryan Vanzo, writing for The Motley Fool on June 29, 2026, posits that despite being a “huge fan of SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) as a business,” the company’s staggering $2 trillion market cap may offer limited long-term upside for growth investors. Instead, Vanzo identifies two companies, Rivian and NuScale Power, as potentially more compelling investments for those seeking substantial future returns.
The SpaceX Valuation Conundrum
SpaceX has undeniably established an “incredible track record of lowering the cost of launching payloads into space,” according to Vanzo. Its growth initiatives, which range from “launching data centers into space to establishing a human colony on the moon,” are described as “nothing less than jaw-dropping.” However, the core of Vanzo’s argument against SpaceX as a top growth pick right now lies in its current market capitalization. At $2 trillion, the analyst expresses skepticism regarding “how much long-term upside there is to the stock at this point.” This perspective suggests that while SpaceX’s innovation is undeniable, its already immense valuation might cap future exponential gains compared to earlier-stage, high-potential companies.
Rivian: Targeting the Trillion-Dollar Robotaxi Market
For investors seeking exciting growth, Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN) emerges as a prominent recommendation. Vanzo names Rivian as “one of my top growth stocks for 2026,” highlighting its current trading position at a “deep discount to other EV stocks such as Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA).” The electric vehicle manufacturer is poised for significant expansion this year, specifically by “scaling its first affordable vehicle – its R2 SUV with a starting price under $50,000.”
Beyond vehicle production, Rivian’s strategic investments in “AI and autonomous driving” are key to its long-term potential. These advancements are expected to enable the company to target the burgeoning robotaxi market, an opportunity that “some experts believe will be a $10 trillion opportunity.” With a market cap hovering around $20 billion, Rivian’s valuation is presented as significantly lower than its potential, offering a more attractive entry point for growth-focused investors compared to the established giants in the EV sector.
NuScale Power: Powering Data Centers with Small Modular Reactors
The second stock highlighted for its substantial long-term potential is NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR). This company operates in the nuclear energy sector, an industry that experts value at a “$10 trillion opportunity long term.” NuScale Power’s market cap stands at a comparatively modest $3.7 billion, making its potential upside particularly appealing in the context of such a vast market.
The demand for energy, particularly for data centers, is surging due to the “rapid adoption of AI technologies.” This trend is “fueling a surge in data center construction,” which in turn requires “massive amounts of additional energy generation capacity to come online.” NuScale’s innovative “small modular (nuclear) reactors (SMRs)” are positioned as a “promising solution” to this escalating energy demand. While acknowledging that “execution risk is high here, considering the limited real-world adoption of SMRs currently,” Vanzo emphasizes that NuScale’s “tiny market cap offers plenty of upside potential” should its technology gain broader acceptance and deployment.
Investment Context and Analyst Disclosures
It is important to note the context of these recommendations. Ryan Vanzo states having “no position in any of the stocks mentioned.” The Motley Fool, the publisher of the analysis, has positions in and recommends Tesla, and also recommends NuScale Power. However, The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team, a separate entity within the organization, did not include Rivian Automotive in its list of the “10 best stocks for investors to buy now.” This highlights the varied perspectives within financial analysis, even from a single source.
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor has a track record of identifying high-growth stocks, citing examples such as Netflix, where a $1,000 investment on December 17, 2004, would have grown to $398,052, and Nvidia, where the same investment on April 15, 2005, would have yielded $1,181,688. The service’s total average return is reported as 892%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500’s 205% average return as of June 29, 2026.
Ultimately, while SpaceX commands significant attention and admiration for its groundbreaking work, the analysis suggests that its current valuation may limit its appeal for growth investors seeking substantial future returns. Instead, companies like Rivian, with its focus on affordable EVs and the robotaxi market, and NuScale Power, with its innovative nuclear energy solutions for data centers, present compelling, albeit higher-risk, opportunities for considerable long-term growth from their comparatively smaller market capitalizations.
