ASML, the Dutch supplier of advanced chipmaking equipment, is set to become the largest shareholder in Mistral AI through a €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion) investment as part of the French startup’s €1.7 billion ($2 billion) Series C funding round. The deal, which is expected to include an ASML board seat, values Mistral at €10 billion ($11.7 billion) pre-money, making it the most valuable AI company in Europe.
Founded in 2023 by Arthur Mensch, Timothée Lacroix, and Guillaume Lample, Mistral is viewed as Europe’s AI champion and a rival to U.S. players like OpenAI and Google. The partnership aligns two European technology leaders and strengthens ambitions for greater European tech sovereignty in AI and semiconductors.
