GoPro Sells 90% of Itself in $285M Rescue Merger

GoPro — the action camera that practically invented the FPV HD footage era — is selling 90% of itself. The company announced a merger with Starman Optical, a private US optics company, in a deal that pays GoPro shareholders $285 million and wipes out $92 million in debt.

GoPro keeps about 10% of the combined company and stays on the Nasdaq. It’s a rescue, not a victory lap.

How it got here

• GoPro stock is down 96% since its 2014 debut
• In June, the company warned it might not survive another 12 months
• In July, founder Nick Woodman put in $20 million of his own money to keep the lights on

The new plan points GoPro’s optics at defense, government, and AI data centers. The company says it will keep supporting existing cameras but makes no promises about future models — so if you’re running GoPros on your quads, stock up on what works and keep an eye on the used market.