GoPro Sells 90% of Itself to an Optics Firm – and Now Wants to Work in Defense

The camera that captured a thousand ski runs and barrel waves just sold most of itself to a fiber-optics company. GoPro announced a $285 million merger with Starman Optical on September 1, giving Starman roughly 90% ownership while existing shareholders hold on to about 10%. The combined company’s new pitch? AI data centers, defense, government, robotics, and aerospace. That’s quite a distance from a surfer strapping a camera to his chest.

GoPro arrived at this moment carrying $92 million in debt and most of its market value already gone. The deal wipes that debt at closing. Starman Optical makes U.S.-manufactured optical transceivers — components that convert data into light for high-speed fiber transmission, the unglamorous plumbing powering AI infrastructure. CEO Nick Woodman now describes GoPro as “a leading American imaging and optical solutions company, addressing important areas of national security related to cameras, optics and AI infrastructure,” according to the merger press release. GoPro had telegraphed this turn back in April 2026, when it quietly announced defense and aerospace consulting before it had most people’s attention.

What the deal actually means, in plain terms:

• Starman acquires roughly 90% of GoPro for $285 million (about $1.14 per share)
• Existing shareholders retain around 10%
• Approximately $92 million in GoPro debt gets cleared at closing
• GoPro remains listed on Nasdaq with Starman’s business folded into its structure
• Targets AI, defense, robotics, and aerospace using GoPro’s 2,500-plus U.S. optics patents
• Deal expected to close by end of 2026, pending regulatory and shareholder approval

Starman CEO Charles Tebele frames this as an onshoring story: “Together, we intend to bring production of these critical components back to the United States,” he told The Verge. The dual-use logic is genuine — GoPro’s rugged sensors, stabilization systems, and lens IP are exactly what defense drone platforms need. No specific contracts or named customers appear in official documents, so treat the defense ambitions as strategic positioning rather than confirmed revenue. Worth noting as context: Tebele’s prior entity Digital Gadgets secured $637 million in COVID-19 test contracts in New York amid campaign donation controversy, according to The Verge.

Markiplier Bought In. Then Reviewed a Camera Without Telling You.

What happens when a YouTube star acquires 8.5% of the company whose camera he then reviews — without disclosing it to his audience?

That’s not a hypothetical. In late August 2026, YouTuber Markiplier — Mark Fischbach — acquired an 8.5% stake in GoPro, roughly 13.5 million shares, making him the company’s largest outside Class A shareholder in a company valued at approximately $133 million at the time. Days later, he published a sponsored review of a new $699 GoPro camera without mentioning that he owned a significant piece of the company. His investment spiked GoPro’s stock about 33%; the merger announcement pushed it further before prices settled. Whether he exits or holds his position post-merger remains unclear, per available reporting.

This is a live stress test of creator-investor disclosure norms that haven’t kept pace with reality — and one worth watching closely if you follow sponsored content or own GoPro stock.

GoPro built its identity on people living dangerously and filming it beautifully. The company promises its consumer products and cloud services will continue, and for everyday buyers that commitment matters. But the broader trajectory is unmistakable: a 24-year-old action-cam brand is now making its pitch to the defense apparatus and AI infrastructure market. The action-cam chapter isn’t officially closed — the camera is just pointed somewhere very different now.