Acquisition: Starman Optical acquires GoPro
Starman Optical, a company operating in the optical-photonic space focused on developing optical transceivers and photonic technologies manufactured in the US, is acquiring action‑camera maker GoPro for $285 million. Under the deal GoPro shareholders will receive $1.14 per share, and existing shareholders are expected to retain roughly 10% of the combined company. The merger is expected to close by year‑end and GoPro will remain a publicly listed company on Nasdaq; the transaction is also intended to eliminate approximately $92 million of GoPro’s outstanding debt.
The acquisition brings Starman Optical and related Starman New Photonics businesses into the GoPro fold under the Starman Holdings umbrella, which includes consumer technology brands such as Incase, Incipio and Griffin. The deal follows a period in which GoPro signaled a possible shift from pure camera manufacturing toward broader technology and defense applications; the companies say the combined structure will enable more effective commercialization of GoPro’s intellectual property across consumer, commercial and defense markets. The announcement came shortly after YouTuber Markiplier increased his stake in GoPro to 8.5 percent, a development that added additional attention to the company’s future direction.
GoPro, known for its action cameras, struggled in recent years to gain expected traction in new categories such as drones and 360‑degree cameras and subsequently refocused on high‑performance action cameras for professionals, professional users and athletes. The company went public in 2014 and has since experienced multiple rounds of layoffs amid narrowing operations. In June GoPro warned that without new financing its ability to continue operating was in serious doubt, and in July founder and CEO Nick Woodman announced he would inject $20 million into the company.
Starman Optical and its parent Starman Holdings emphasize US production and development of advanced optical and photonic technologies. The combined company is positioned to leverage GoPro’s optical expertise and intellectual property alongside Starman’s transceiver technologies and US manufacturing infrastructure, with the stated aim of strengthening capabilities across consumer, commercial and defense markets while supporting domestic production for strategic markets.
The companies say the transaction will allow GoPro to continue fully supporting its existing consumer products while investing in a broader, diversified product roadmap and pursuing growth in commercial and defense technologies. The merger is also expected to remove the company’s $92 million debt burden and enable strategic investments, including steps to move production to the United States for key markets.
“Advanced optical and imaging technologies are important for AI and national security,” Starman Holdings CEO Charles Tebele said, noting that combining GoPro’s optical expertise and intellectual property with Starman’s transceiver technologies and US manufacturing infrastructure offers an opportunity to bring critical component production back to the country.
