Sopra Steria: Proposed Acquisition of Starion and Nexova, European Specialists in Space Systems Engineering and Cybersecurity

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

Sopra Steria (Euronext Paris: SOP), a major tech player in Europe, has announced that it is in exclusive negotiations with a view to acquiring Starion and Nexova on behalf of its subsidiary CS Group. This acquisition aims to create a leading European operator in secure, sovereign digital services and solutions for the space and cybersecurity sectors.

Both owned by the same private shareholder, Starion and Nexova would bring Sopra Steria complementary expertise of the highest calibre, in the space sector, and would enable the Group to reach a critical mass of around €200 million in revenue and 1,600 employees, significantly bolstering the Group’s position in critical systems and space missions.

The European space market, estimated at around €20 billion in 2025, is expected to see double-digit annual growth over the next several years. The cybersecurity market, estimated at more than €10 billion in Europe in 2025, is expected to grow between 5% and 10%. These trends are buoyed by rising geopolitical tensions and developing threats, which raise the stakes for defence, sovereignty and security in the space and cybersecurity sectors.

Starion is a European specialist in systems engineering for space, defence and critical infrastructure. Starion operates across the entire life cycle for space missions, from design to operation, including security and artificial intelligence. The company is known for its expertise in digital engineering, quantum security and custom solutions for space system resilience.

Nexova is a recognised cybersecurity operator, specialising in safeguarding complex environments and critical infrastructure, with a solid presence in the space sector. Nexova offers integrated solutions covering cyber engineering, risk management, managed services and regulatory compliance.

With around 700 employees and operations in 9 countries across Europe¹, Starion and Nexova expect to generate nearly €100 million in revenue in 2025. Their main clients are the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), national space agencies, European defence ministries, as well as major European manufacturers in the space sector.

These acquisitions would enable Sopra Steria to expand its end-to-end positioning in real-time critical systems integration, covering engineering, digital services and technological solutions for space missions, both in flight and on the ground, including earth observation, communications, scientific research, navigation, exploration and space surveillance.

The proposed acquisition is subject to prior consultation with employee representative bodies as well as customary regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.

About Sopra Steria
Sopra Steria, a major tech player in Europe with 50,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, is recognised for its consulting, digital services and solutions. It helps its clients drive their digital transformation and obtain tangible and sustainable benefits. The Group provides end-to-end solutions to make large companies and organisations more competitive by combining in-depth knowledge of a wide range of business sectors and technologies with a collaborative approach. Sopra Steria places people at the heart of everything it does and is committed to putting digital to work for its clients in order to build a positive future for all. In 2024, the Group generated revenue of €5.8 billion.

About CS Group

Critical systems integrator CS Group – a wholly owned subsidiary of Sopra Steria – generates annual revenue of around €320 million and has nearly 2,700 employees. CS Group is a major player in space systems integration and engineering, covering every aspect of the space sector (earth observation, navigation, telecoms, science and exploration) across the entire life cycle of its clients’ systems (preliminary studies, development and systems integration, operation and intelligence in data analytics).

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Sopra Steria (SOP) is listed on Euronext Paris (Compartment A) – ISIN: FR0000050809
For more information, visit us at www.soprasteria.com

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¹ Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands and the Czech Republic.