GA Drilling, a technology company focused on making deep geothermal drilling commercially viable, announced it has secured $44.1 million to support the full-scale commercial deployment of its NexTitan downhole anchoring and drive system. The funding includes $24.7 million in new capital along with $19.4 million converted from a prior SAFE investment round.
The round was led by TomEnterprise, the investment platform founded by Thomas von Koch, former CEO of EQT, with participation from Underground Ventures. A major global drilling contractor also joined as both an investor and strategic industrial partner, providing immediate commercial access across oil and gas operations worldwide.
The funding follows a successful field deployment of NexTitan at the NORCE Research facility in Norway in February 2026. During the test, the system delivered 32,000 lbf under real downhole conditions, validating its ability to drill deeper and through formations that have historically made deep drilling uneconomical. The system is designed to stabilize the drill string, apply weight directly at the bit, and autonomously adjust thrust and torque in real time. GA Drilling says NexTitan can increase rate of penetration by up to three times and extend bottom hole assembly lifetime by up to two times.
With validation complete, GA Drilling is now advancing toward commercial rollout. The company is actively working with a key deepwater offshore operator and initiating early commercial drilling engagements with geothermal developers and oil and gas companies. NexTitan is designed to integrate with existing rigs and workflows, making it adaptable across multiple energy sectors.
The company emphasized the growing importance of geothermal energy as a secure, locally sourced energy solution amid global supply chain instability. Unlike oil and gas, geothermal energy is not exposed to geopolitical risks such as disruptions to shipping routes. GA Drilling positions NexTitan as a solution to one of the biggest barriers to geothermal adoption: the high cost of drilling.
GA Drilling also highlighted that much of the infrastructure required for next-generation geothermal overlaps with oil and gas, including equipment, engineering expertise, and supply chains. This alignment allows the company to leverage existing industry capabilities while accelerating the transition toward cleaner energy sources.
At $44.1 million, the round ranks among the largest recent European investments in industrial hardware and energy technology, reflecting increasing investor interest in energy infrastructure beyond software and AI. The International Energy Agency estimates geothermal could account for up to 15% of global electricity demand by 2050, compared to less than 1% today.
Looking ahead, GA Drilling is positioning 2026 as a critical year focused on field performance and scaling deployments, with drilling campaigns already being planned alongside early customers across key markets.
KEY QUOTES
“This investment gives us the capital and momentum to accelerate commercial deployment at scale. NexTitan is designed to significantly reduce drilling costs, and these funds allow us to prove that with real-world customer data across multiple geographies. Our priority is execution – demonstrating field performance is what earns trust in this industry, and that is exactly what 2026 is about.”
Tony Branch, CEO of GA Drilling
“Reaching this point required relentless testing, multiple pivots, and the conviction that deep geothermal would become a priority market before the world was ready for it. This investment validates both the technology and the timing. The energy security conversation happening right now is exactly the context in which NexTitan becomes strategically essential.”
Igor Kocis, Founder of GA Drilling