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NUBURU agrees Lyocon-led alliance with SunCubes

35 d ago

NUBURU Inc., a US defense technology company, has signed a binding head of terms with SunCubes S.r.l., an Italian developer of laser-based wireless power transmission and beam-control technologies. Through its subsidiary Lyocon S.r.l., NUBURU will lead a strategic alliance with SunCubes, making a staged investment of up to €1 million structured as advance payments toward a future capital increase. The initial €250,000 payment is due upon execution of definitive agreements, with an additional €750,000 following Golden Power and export-control clearances. The alliance aims to create a new "Laser Arm" capability within NUBURU's Defense & Security Platform, combining Lyocon's laser-source manufacturing and photonics integration with SunCubes' beam-control, tracking, and optical power-beaming technologies. Applications include a lightweight portable laser interdiction system for drones, a vehicle-mounted laser arm for extended-range missions, in-air drone recharging, remote wireless charging for surveillance equipment, and a resilient laser-based communication system. Lyocon, acquired by NUBURU in January, will serve as the group's laser factory, supporting laser-source integration, system validation, and industrialization for vehicle, mobile, and fixed-site dual-use applications. The agreement also envisions a Milan R&D hub and Italian industrial facilities in Vigevano and Ortona for Laser Arm assembly and EU/NATO-compliant export preparation. The Laser Arm initiative targets the growing counter-drone and directed-energy market, estimated by MarketsandMarkets to reach $14.51 billion for anti-drone systems by 2030, with directed-energy counter-UAS alone projected to grow from $1.6 billion in 2025 to $6.8 billion by 2035. NUBURU plans to differentiate itself as a laser-source supplier and integrator rather than a traditional defense prime, serving governments, defense contractors, and critical-infrastructure operators. This collaboration complements NUBURU's broader Defense & Security Platform, which includes recent Tekne acquisition for defense mobility and electronic warfare. The strategic objective is to create a platform where Lyocon provides the laser foundation, SunCubes contributes beam-control and power-beaming, and NUBURU coordinates defense market strategy and commercialization.