Drone maker Sol.One backs Option in €3 million raise
What's the deal? Belgian technology group Option has raised €3 million ($3.3 million) in a post-IPO equity round led by Bruges-based drone maker Sol.One, Option said on Friday. Option, listed on Euronext, makes the Cloudgate Nexus connectivity platform.
Why now? The investment builds on an existing relationship rather than a standalone bet. The two companies signed a multi-year framework agreement in November 2025, and in June 2026 Option announced its first commercial contract to connect Cloudgate Nexus with Sol.One's drone software.
What's the endgame? For Option, the money opens a customer-funded route into defence technology. Initial revenue from the contract is expected in the second half of 2026, with larger deployments hinging on the integration succeeding.
The context: Option returned to positive EBITDA in the first half of 2026, with revenue up 9%. Its shares trade at €2.60 on Euronext Paris.
The signal: Sol.One's cash lands as the company scales amid broader European efforts to expand drone production and defence capacity. For Option, though, the near-term prize is a paying customer in defence tech — not yet proof of substantial recurring business.
Read more: tijd.be
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
