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Silicon Republic
Samsung in talks to back France's Mistral at €20bn valuation – FT
French AI start-up Mistral is negotiating a significant funding round expected to raise several billion euros, aiming for a €20bn valuation. With Samsung reportedly looking to invest up to €1bn, this deal highlights the growing demand for European AI alternatives following US restrictions on accessing significant AI models. This round comes on top of Mistral's previous €12bn valuation and reflects the company's ambition to enhance its AI infrastructure in Europe, aiming to scale its operations without reliance on US cloud services.
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Published 22 Jul 2026, 12:55 UTC2 min read
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Summary
TL;DR
- Mistral seeks several billion euros in funding at a €20bn valuation.
- Samsung in advanced discussions to invest €1bn.
- Growing interest in European AI due to US restrictions.
- Mistral plans to expand its infrastructure across Europe.
- Partnership with Microsoft for a multibillion-dollar commitment.
Interesting facts
- Mistral is focused on open AI models, enhancing independence from US cloud providers.
- The company plans to build a data center powered by Nvidia GPUs in France.
- Mistral aims for significant annual recurring revenues by the end of the year.