Samsung aims for a major investment in Mistral AI

Samsung Takes a Close Interest in Mistral

South Korean giant Samsung is in advanced discussions to invest a staggering amount of up to 1 billion euros in the French artificial intelligence startup, Mistral. This initiative is part of an ambitious fundraising effort of 3 billion euros that Mistral is currently undertaking. The company's valuation could thus reach 20 billion euros. According to the Financial Times, which relies on well-informed sources, Samsung is considering making a significant commitment to this promising venture. Negotiations are still ongoing, and the exact terms of this investment may still evolve.

An informed source confirmed to Sifted that Samsung is indeed in talks to participate in this Series D fundraising. However, Mistral has chosen not to comment on this information, and Samsung has yet to respond to requests for clarification.

The Interest of EQT and European Support

Additionally, Sifted previously revealed that Swedish investment firm EQT is also in discussions to potentially lead or co-lead this fundraising round. This would be done through the Scaleup Europe Fund, a 5 billion euro fund established by the European Union last year to address the lack of capital for late-stage companies in the region.

Founded in 2023, Mistral positions itself as a European alternative to American AI model giants such as OpenAI and Anthropic, as well as to rapidly expanding Chinese companies. To date, Mistral has successfully raised over 3.5 billion dollars by combining debt and equity. Less than a year ago, the company had already raised 1.7 billion euros in a Series C led by ASML, a Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer.

A Strategic Asset for Samsung

As one of the leading global producers of memory chips, Samsung could find a strategic interest in this investment. Memory chips are essential for the development and training of artificial intelligence models. The market for these components has recently been under pressure due to the growing demand linked to the rapid expansion of global AI infrastructure. A partnership with Mistral could thus provide Samsung with a significant competitive advantage. Last June, Anthropic, another major player in AI, announced a strategic investment from Micron, an American memory manufacturer.

Despite these developments, Mistral remains a smaller player compared to its American and Chinese competitors. For instance, Anthropic recently raised 65 billion dollars in a Series H, reaching a post-money valuation of 965 billion dollars, while OpenAI announced a fundraising of 122 billion dollars with a post-money valuation of 852 billion dollars.