NUBURU Ignites Industrial Push with Lyocon Blue Laser Acquisition

DENVER, CO – January 20, 2026 – NUBURU, Inc. (NYSE American: BURU), a company founded on the promise of pioneering blue laser technology, today announced a strategic acquisition that marks a fundamental pivot from technology development to industrial production. The Denver-based firm has completed its acquisition of Lyocon S.r.l., an established Italian laser manufacturing and systems-integration company, in a move designed to immediately generate revenue and re-establish its footing in the global photonics market.

The transaction represents what NUBURU Co-CEO Dario Barisoni called a “decisive turning point” for a company that has faced significant headwinds. Prior to this deal, NUBURU reported negligible revenue and saw its stock value decline by over 60% in the past year, reflecting investor concern over its financial stability and path to commercialization. By purchasing Lyocon, a company with existing operations, customers, and recurring revenue, NUBURU is effectively bolting on a fully functional industrial business to its technology portfolio.

A Shift from Lab to Production Line

For years, NUBURU has been recognized for its innovation in the high-power blue laser space but has struggled to translate that potential into a profitable enterprise. The acquisition of Lyocon is a clear signal that the company is shifting its focus from pure research and development to tangible market execution. Lyocon, founded in 2014, brings not only an active production line but also a portfolio of proprietary technologies, including a patented liquid fiber optic delivery system that enhances the performance of high-power diode lasers.

“This acquisition marks a decisive turning point,” commented Dario Barisoni, who will also serve as Chairman and Executive Director of the newly acquired subsidiary. “With Lyocon, we are integrating a fully operational industrial business with customers, revenues, and manufacturing capability. This is not a restart of R&D—it is the establishment of a scalable, revenue-oriented industrial platform anchored in blue-laser technology.”

The deal, valued at $2 million plus potential performance-based earn-outs, instantly provides NUBURU with a European engineering and manufacturing footprint. It consolidates technology ownership, production, and commercial strategy under a single corporate umbrella, aiming to accelerate the deployment of next-generation blue laser products.

Tapping the Blue Laser Advantage in a $20B Market

The strategic value of the acquisition is rooted in the unique capabilities of blue laser technology within the sprawling, $20 billion-plus global industrial laser market. While traditional infrared (IR) lasers dominate many applications, they struggle with highly reflective metals like copper and gold, which are essential components in the rapidly growing electrification sector, including electric vehicles (EVs), battery manufacturing, and advanced electronics.

Blue light, with its shorter wavelength (around 450 nm), is absorbed up to ten times more efficiently by these materials. This results in faster, cleaner, and more stable welds with significantly less spatter—a critical advantage for high-precision manufacturing. The market for blue laser technology in the copper industry alone is projected to grow from $3.4 billion in 2025 to $10 billion by 2035.

Lyocon’s systems are already deployed in these key verticals, giving NUBURU an immediate foothold in advanced manufacturing, precision welding, and electronics production. To underscore this new operational status, the company plans to showcase Lyocon’s technology and live system demonstrations under the NUBURU trademark at the upcoming SPIE Optics & Photonics exhibition in August, a premier event for the optics and photonics industry.

Building a Dual-Use Powerhouse for Industry and Defense

Beyond revitalizing its civil industrial business, NUBURU is positioning the Lyocon acquisition as the cornerstone of an ambitious “dual-use” strategy aimed at the defense and national security sectors. The company plans to leverage its strengthened industrial base to develop and deploy blue laser solutions for military applications, which could include advanced manufacturing of hardened electronics, power systems for autonomous platforms, and even counter-drone measures.

This is not a distant ambition but a strategy already in motion. NUBURU recently announced a major strategic partnership with Italian defense firm Tekne S.p.A., which includes a network contract for joint industrial activities with initial projects valued at over €10 million scheduled for 2026. The company has also entered a joint venture with Maddox Defense to develop advanced drone systems, targeting a NATO market opportunity estimated to be worth between $7 billion and $10.3 billion annually. To fuel this strategic pivot, NUBURU recently secured $23.25 million in financing.

Paola Zanzola, a Lyocon founder who will continue as an Executive Director, noted that the platform is “inherently dual-use.” She added that the company’s plan reflects a “realistic and conservative ramp of the commercial business, based on existing customers and validated applications,” which will provide a stable foundation before a more aggressive expansion into defense markets.

A New Chapter Under Consolidated Leadership

The integration of Lyocon into NUBURU is being overseen by a restructured governance board at the subsidiary level, led by NUBURU’s own leadership. This structure is designed to ensure operational continuity while accelerating the execution of the new, combined commercial plan. The retention of Lyocon’s founders, Paola Zanzola and Alessandro Sala, in key management and advisory roles signals an intent to blend NUBURU's strategic vision with Lyocon’s proven operational know-how.

By acquiring an established industrial player, NUBURU has charted a new course, transforming itself overnight from a promising but financially strained technology developer into an operational industrial entity with a clear, two-pronged strategy for growth. The focus now shifts from the promise of innovation to the demanding reality of execution in both the competitive industrial marketplace and the high-stakes defense sector.