GoPro’s Dramatic Pivot: A $285M AI Data Center Merger Deal

In a stunning corporate shift of 2026, action-camera pioneer GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO) has announced a merger with the privately owned optical-photonics company, Starman Optical. The deal, valued at $285 million in cash, is a strategic gamble on the burgeoning AI data-center infrastructure market. This move triggered an over 85% surge in GoPro’s stock on Tuesday.

The agreement stipulates that Starman Optical will secure a 90% stake in GoPro at $1.14 per share. Existing shareholders will maintain approximately 10% of the merged company, which will continue its trade on Nasdaq. Starman Optical, a developer of optical-transceiver technology, converts data into light for high-speed fiber transmission. This technology is an essential component in the rapidly growing AI data centers, defense systems, aerospace, and robotics markets. GoPro’s existing debt of about $92 million will be settled at the deal’s closing, rendering the merged entity virtually debt-free.

GoPro’s CEO, Nicholas Woodman, views this merger as a strategic expansion. “We expect this merger to enable GoPro to grow across consumer, commercial, and defense markets as a leading American imaging and optical solutions company,” he stated. The company also plans to utilize its portfolio of over 2,500 U.S. patents in imaging, optics, and sensor technology to steer its new direction.

This merger comes at a time when GoPro is grappling with significant financial challenges, including a going-concern warning from auditors in June 2026 and a 31% revenue decline in Q2. The merger is anticipated to close by year-end 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

Source: CNBC — GoPro joins AI bonanza with pivot into data centers as shares skyrocket