Vertically integrated underwater operator
Fincantieri has acquired Next Geosolutions, WSense, Graal Tech, and Defcomm.
The four transactions enhance the company’s position in a segment that is becoming increasingly central to security, energy, and the development of critical infrastructure.
The Group establishes the first vertically integrated underwater operator, bringing together eight centers of excellence, that are leaders in their respective fields, capable of orchestrating integrated end-to-end solutions across the entire value chain in a synergistic manner, from hardware to software and telecommunications, from the supply of underwater platforms to the provision of services, benefiting from cross-selling opportunities, joint product development, economies of scale and scope, while accelerating the Underwater strategy outlined in the 2026–2030 Business Plan
The transaction follows the successful acquisition and integration of WASS in 2025 and Remazel in 2024, and reflects the deployment of the capital raised through the accelerated bookbuilding capital increase completed last February, supported by favourable market conditions
The acquisitions expand the Group’s presence and capabilities across specialized services in marine survey and geoscience and marine construction support, proprietary unmanned underwater and surface drone technologies, and wireless communication systems for the Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT).
On a pro-forma basis, the Underwater segment is expected to generate euro 1.1 billion of revenues, euro 220 million of EBITDA in 2026, achieving four years ahead of schedule the Underwater growth targets set for 2030 in the 2026–2030 Business Plan presented in February 2026; the acquisitions are expected to contribute more than euro 60 million to the group’s net profit in 2026
Next Geosolutions is among the leading international players in marine survey and geoscience services, as well as in offshore construction support services.
WSense, Graal Tech and Defcomm are Italian high‑tech scale-ups specializing, respectively, in underwater communications and the Internet of Underwater Things, autonomous underwater vehicles and autonomous surface vehicles.
The four companies will be integrated into Fincantieri’s Underwater technological hub, which will coordinate product and commercial synergies, also thanks to the development of solutions for the unconventional Underwater domain. The hub will evolve into an international underwater operator, comprising 8 market-leading companies, fully vertically integrated, working synergistically to enable significant cross-fertilization across the Group.
