Next Biometrics reports first big order for new FAP 30 fingerprint sensor, plans to raise capital

Next Biometrics has received its first large-scale production order for the new FAP 30 Granite fingerprint sensor. The order, valued at 3.2 million Norwegian kroner (US$320,000), comes from an existing Indian OEM customer and is scheduled for initial delivery in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The sensors will be integrated into biometric readers supporting government ID programs, with deployments planned across Africa and Latin America. These systems are expected to bolster law enforcement and identity verification infrastructure in both regions.

Even as it celebrates the order, the Norwegian company is planning a private placement of new shares at NOK 4.5 ($0.45) per share to raise funds between NOK 15 million and 20 million ($1.5–2 million). Next’s plan is to solve working capital needs and to finance “general corporate purposes” and expected growth in the second half of 2025, the company said in a statement.

Existing shareholders, which includes Norus AS, Valset Invest AS, HAAS AS and Camiko AS,  have offered to underwrite at least NOK 15 million of the Private Placement, subject to customary conditions, Next said.

The company experienced a turbulent second quarter of fiscal 2025. A reporting issue and slow sales of fingerprint scanners in China was largely responsible for Next Biometrics announcing revenues of negative 2.2 million Norwegian kroner ($220,000) despite adjusted revenue of NOK 4.3 million ($430,000)

A negative adjustment of NOK 6.5 million ($650,000) comes from expected product returns and changing conditions in the Chinese market. But historical sales are also affected by what CEO Ulf Ritsvall called “uncovered irregularities in China relating to historical sales, payment terms and order processes.”

The FAP 30 Granite sensor features a 66 percent larger sensing area compared to its predecessor, the FAP 20. According to Next, it offers enhanced resolution, accuracy, and security. The Norwegian company positions the sensor for high-security applications such as national ID projects, elections, border control, banking, and healthcare.

“With the launch of our FAP 30 sensor just a few months ago, this first large-scale order demonstrates the existing demand for this kind of solution,” says Ulf Ritsvall, CEO at Next Biometrics. “The trust and ongoing collaboration from an existing customer is also great to see after they signed a MoU for this product in December last year, before we’d even launched it.”

The sensor incorporates NEXT’s proprietary Active Thermal technology, which combines heat detection and 3D imaging to verify fingerprint authenticity. This offers protection against spoofing attacks and improves liveness detection compared to conventional fingerprint systems, the company says.

“As governments and organizations increasingly specify FAP 30 for high-security use cases, our sensors offer the accuracy, security and convenience needed to manage strong authentication and identification at scale,” says Ritsvall. “We’re pleased to support our long-standing customer in leading the way.”

Next said the new FAP 30 sensor adds to its existing Basalt FAP 20 product line-up, when it was unveiled in late June.

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biometrics  |  fingerprint sensors  |  Next Biometrics  |  stocks