Samsung in talks to back Mistral at €20bn valuation

Samsung is reportedly exploring a major investment in Mistral, Europe’s most well-funded artificial intelligence startup. The South Korean tech giant is in discussions to participate in a fundraising round that could value the Paris-based company at approximately €20 billion, according to the Financial Times, which cited sources familiar with the matter. The exact size of Samsung’s potential contribution remains undisclosed.

This potential deal underscores Samsung’s growing interest in generative AI and its strategy to secure a foothold in the rapidly evolving sector. Mistral, founded by former Meta and Google researchers, has quickly become a standout in Europe’s AI landscape, attracting significant attention for its open-source models and competitive edge against US rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic.

For Samsung, backing Mistral aligns with its broader push into AI-powered hardware, from smartphones to home appliances. The investment could also strengthen ties between the two companies, potentially leading to deeper collaboration on integrating Mistral’s language models into Samsung’s product ecosystem.

Mistral’s valuation surge reflects the soaring demand for AI talent and technology across the globe. The startup’s latest round, if completed at the reported valuation, would mark one of the largest private funding events in European tech history. Samsung’s involvement would add a heavyweight strategic partner to Mistral’s investor base, which already includes major venture capital firms and corporate backers.

Neither Samsung nor Mistral have officially commented on the reports. The talks remain ongoing, and no final agreement has been reached.