French Tech Firm Mistral AI Raises $13.7 Billion in Funding Round, Valuing Company at $11.7 Billion.

French AI startup Mistral AI has raised €11.7 billion in a funding round, valuing the company at $13.7 billion. The three co-founders, Arthur Mensch, Timothee Lacroix, and Guillaume Lample, each have a net worth of $1.1 billion and hold at least an 8% stake in the company. Mistral is developing generative large language models and a chatbot, and its valuation gives it greater prominence among AI startups in Europe.

French AI startup Mistral AI has raised €11.7 billion in a funding round, valuing the company at $13.7 billion. The three co-founders, Arthur Mensch, Timothee Lacroix, and Guillaume Lample, each have a net worth of $1.1 billion and hold at least an 8% stake in the company. Mistral is developing generative large language models and a chatbot, and its valuation gives it greater prominence among AI startups in Europe.

The funding round, which closed on September 9, 2025, was led by ASML, a key producer of the machines that churn out the chips powering AI models. ASML invested €1.3 billion, giving the Dutch company an 11% stake in Mistral French startup Mistral raises €1.7 billion, cementing AI lead in Europe^[1]. Other investors in the round included chip giant Nvidia, venture capital fund Index Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and French public investment bank Bpifrance.

Mistral's latest funding round follows months of rumors that it could be the target of a takeover bid by Apple. However, the company's statement reaffirmed its independence and commitment to its European roots. The deal with ASML aims to generate clear benefits for ASML customers through innovative products and solutions enabled by AI, according to ASML's boss Christophe Fouquet French startup Mistral raises €1.7 billion, cementing AI lead in Europe^[1].

Mistral's key products include Le Chat, a large language model (LLM) chatbot competing with the likes of ChatGPT from OpenAI. The company has also developed generative AI models capable of turning out images and computer code. Mistral's practice of releasing "open source" versions of its AI models has been a key differentiator, allowing other developers to run and modify them for their own purposes French startup Mistral raises €1.7 billion, cementing AI lead in Europe^[1].

The €11.7 billion valuation is a significant milestone for Mistral, doubling its valuation from last year but still a fraction of the $183 billion price tag placed on US firm Anthropic this month. The funding round positions Mistral as a strong contender in Europe's AI race, with a focus on technological sovereignty and innovation.

Mistral's expansion includes offices in Paris, London, Luxembourg, New York, California's Palo Alto, and Singapore, with over 350 staff. The company's growth strategy includes partnerships with other tech giants and investment funds, aiming to create a robust European AI ecosystem.

The success of Mistral's funding round underscores the growing interest and investment in AI startups, particularly in Europe. As AI continues to be a key driver of technological innovation, companies like Mistral are at the forefront of shaping the future of AI development and implementation.

Sources:
French startup Mistral raises €1.7 billion, cementing AI lead in Europe^[1]: "Mistral Secures Record Funding with ASML Doubling Valuation in Europe's AI Race," Le Monde, September 9, 2025.