News: Optoelectronics
17 December 2025
NUBURU secures $25m financing to complete acquisitions
NUBURU Inc of Centennial, CO, USA — which was founded in 2015 and developed and previously manufactured high-power industrial blue lasers — has entered into a securities purchase agreement with YA II PN Ltd pursuant to which it will receive a gross cash infusion of $23.25m in exchange for the issuance of a $25m unsecured debenture and related warrant packages.
The financing will strengthen NUBURU’s capital position and enable it to accelerate execution of its acquisition and integration roadmap, advancing its transformation into a vertically integrated, multi-domain defense & security platform. NUBURU says it will be positioned to move from strategy into execution across its target industries — defense-grade laser and photonics systems, mission-critical software, advanced UAV platforms, and specialized defense mobility solutions. Closing is subject to customary closing conditions.
Strategic plan implementation
The financing will support NUBURU’s transformation plan, including allowing it to hire key personnel and advisers, develop existing intellectual property, and continue to pursue key acquisitions and investments.
Transaction update
NUBURU is pursuing key transactions, including the following:
Orbit acquisition — mission-critical software & operational resilience
Through Nuburu Defense LLC, NUBURU is advancing toward full control of Orbit Srl, a mission-critical SaaS platform supporting operational resilience, crisis management, and situational-awareness use cases.
Orbit will serve as the digital backbone of NUBURU’s platform, delivering real-time data fusion, decision support, and end-to-end operational visibility across highly regulated industries and critical-infrastructure environments.
Lyocon acquisition & photonics expansion
On 1 December, NUBURU entered into binding heads of terms to acquire Lyocon Srl, an Italian photonics and laser-engineering company with advanced cleanroom and precision-manufacturing capabilities.
The Lyocon acquisition is anticipated to revitalize NUBURU’s blue laser business by establishing a European manufacturing footprint and enhancing its potential, subject to future developments, to support the delivery of defense-grade photonics systems at scale.
Tekne strategic-interest program — defense mobility & systems integration
NUBURU confirms that the first €2m tranche of its €15m strategic support program for Tekne was executed during fourth-quarter 2025. It anticipates that, subject to ongoing negotiations and the satisfaction of agreed commercial stipulations, it may fund the remaining €13m convertible shareholder loan in combination with the acquisition of an initial 2.9% equity stake in Tekne and commence operations under a network contract (Contratto di Rete) between the two companies. Conversion of the Tekne loan, as well as any further strategic investment in Tekne that could result in the acquisition of a controlling interest, remain subject to applicable regulatory approvals, including ‘Golden Power’ authorization from the Italian government.
Tekne would add specialized defense mobility, armored vehicle and electronic systems capabilities to NUBURU’s expanding platform.
Maddox Defense joint venture — advanced UAV platforms
Nuburu Defense is pursuing a controlling interest in a joint venture with Maddox Defense Inc, which will focus on next-generation — dual-use — UAV solutions, through deployable additive-manufacturing pods rather than single-platform systems.
Key development areas include:
- containerized mobile additive-manufacturing pods utilizing multi-printer hybrid fleets (SLS and continuous-fiber composite systems) capable of producing structural, mission-critical defense components in forward or austere environments;
- EM3D/advanced additive manufacturing for defense, enabling rapid production of UAS components, ground systems parts, mission payload housings, tooling, and spares without reliance on centralized supply chains;
- defense manufacturing-as-a-service models, allowing allied forces and government customers to deploy production capacity where and when needed;
- ISR-enabling platforms and mission hardware, produced, repaired and iterated directly within theater;
- training, certification and sustainment programs, including deployed Master Trainer teams and remote operational support;
- field deployment, lifecycle sustainment, and after-sales services, creating recurring revenue through consumables, upgrades, and support contracts.
The Maddox JV’s 2026–2028 business plan prioritizes the assessment and development of military and defense-oriented drone applications, while also evaluating commercial and civil-sector deployments, leveraging NUBURU’s core blue laser platform, enabled by Lyocon’s advanced manufacturing and engineering capabilities, together with the Orbit operational-resilience system and Tekne’s defense-mobility suite.
Financing structure and additional capital upside
Under the securities purchase agreement, in exchange for a capital infusion of $23.25m, NUBURU will issue a $25m unsecured debenture, together with four series of warrants with per-share exercise prices of $0.01 (for 80 million shares), $0.25 (for 100 million shares), $0.375 (25 million shares), and $0.47 (25 million shares), respectively. The debenture will bear 8% annual interest, begin monthly amortization in March 2026, and mature in December 2026, subject to extension at the holder’s option.
If all warrants are exercised for cash, NUBURU may receive up to about $46.9m in additional gross proceeds, providing potential incremental liquidity to support future strategic and growth initiatives. The warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis until such time as the underlying shares have been registered for resale with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Full details of the transaction will be disclosed in a Form 8-K to be filed within the applicable reporting period.
“This financing represents a pivotal execution milestone for NUBURU,” says executive chairman & co-CEO Alessandro Zamboni. “We have the capital we need to continue our acquisition roadmap, honor our strategic commitments, and accelerate the integration of laser, photonics, software, mobility, and UAV capabilities into a unified defense & security platform,” he adds.
“Entering 2026 with this strengthened capital position allows us to scale with speed and precision across multiple defense domains,” says Dario Barisoni, co-CEO of NUBURU and CEO of Nuburu Defense. “Our strategy is intentionally integrated — software informing hardware, photonics enhancing mobility and UAV platforms. This financing ensures we can execute without delay.”
NUBURU agrees to acquire Italian laser specialist LYOCON
NUBURU executes first tranche of Tekne financial program
