Nuburu Inc (NYSE:BURU) saw its stock surge 25% in pre-market trading on Wednesday after unveiling a new Strategic Framework Agreement to form a joint venture focused on developing advanced drone systems.
The agreement — signed with Nuburu Defense LLC and Maddox Defense Incorporated — will establish a JV company controlled by Nuburu Defense to design, produce, and deploy drone solutions for both military and commercial markets. The partners estimate the NATO UAV defense market opportunity at between $7 billion and $10.3 billion annually.
The joint venture projects roughly $100 million in yearly revenue by the end of 2028 and approximately $165 million in cumulative revenue over the 2026–2028 period. The parties aim to finalize a definitive Joint Venture Agreement by December 15, 2025, and will base the JV company in Italy, serving as a European research and manufacturing hub.
Under the expected structure, Nuburu Defense will contribute up to $10 million in capital, while Maddox Defense will provide assets, intellectual property, and specialized personnel. The JV plans to use rapid-manufacturing pods equipped with 3D printing, modular avionics, and scalable commercial components to enable deployable field production.
“This framework agreement marks another pivotal step forward as NUBURU expands its presence across the defense and commercial sectors,” said Alessandro Zamboni, Executive Chairman and Co-CEO of NUBURU.
The collaboration will bring together complementary technologies to support NATO-authorized programs while adhering strictly to U.S., EU, and NATO export-control regulations.