Harmattan AI Becomes Defense Unicorn With $200M Series B

A French defense technology firm specializing in artificial intelligence for military aircraft has achieved a monumental valuation, securing its status as a new industry leader. Harmattan AI is now valued at $1.4 billion after closing a massive $200 million Series B funding round. The investment was spearheaded by aerospace giant Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer behind the renowned Rafale fighter jet. This partnership marks a significant strategic shift for the young company, which was founded just last year and initially positioned itself as a disruptive force akin to the American firm Anduril.

The substantial capital infusion and high-profile backing provide powerful momentum for Harmattan AI’s core mission: developing advanced autonomy and mission-system software for defense aircraft. The company has already garnered early validation through contracts with the French and British defense ministries. Its evolving relationship with established defense contractors, or primes, reflects a pragmatic new direction. While once aiming to overtake these incumbents, Harmattan AI now openly seeks to collaborate with them, rebranding from a “next-generation defense prime” to a “defense technology company.”

This new partnership will focus on embedding sovereign and scalable AI capabilities into Dassault Aviation’s future generations of Rafale jets and drones. The urgent need for such innovation has been underscored by modern conflict, particularly the extensive use of unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine, which has prompted NATO armies to rapidly adapt. Harmattan AI is poised to meet this demand, noting that the fresh funding will help expand its product lines and scale manufacturing for drone interception systems, electronic warfare suites, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms.

The announcement received a public endorsement from French President Emmanuel Macron, who hailed it as excellent news for the nation’s strategic autonomy and the technological edge of its armed forces. However, the company’s ambitions extend well beyond French borders. With a stated goal of empowering the armed forces of liberal democracies and their allies, Harmattan AI is actively pursuing a global footprint. The company plans to exhibit at the upcoming World Defense Show in Riyadh and is concurrently expanding its operational team in the United States.

Harmattan AI’s rapid ascent is further highlighted by a significant contract milestone. In July, the company secured a multi-million-dollar deal from a NATO government to deliver AI-enabled small drones, a notable achievement for a firm in its first year of operation. CEO and co-founder Mouad M’Ghari stated that this funding round propels the company into “a new phase of scale,” with a focus on ramping up manufacturing capacity. This latest $200 million investment adds to the $42 million the company had previously raised from investors including Atlantic, FirstMark, Motier Ventures, and Sisyphus Ventures.

The company’s technological drive is coupled with a pronounced philosophical stance, articulated by CTO and co-founder Martin de Gourcuff. He framed the company’s mission within a broader geopolitical context, suggesting that the international order is deteriorating into an era where power increasingly supersedes law. Harmattan AI, he asserted, exists to protect democratic values and restore a balance where law governs power, framing its work as a necessary defense against mere violence.

(Source: TechCrunch)