Samsung may be preparing a major investment in Mistral, the Paris-based AI startup, in a deal that would value the company at roughly €20 billion.
A potential €1 billion injection
According to a new report, Samsung is in talks to join a funding round for Mistral. The South Korean group’s contemplated participation is around €1 billion, and the transaction would peg the startup’s valuation at nearly €20 billion. Those figures remain unconfirmed until a definitive agreement is announced.
High-level meetings between Mistral and Samsung
Earlier this year, Mistral co‑founder and CEO Arthur Mensch visited Samsung’s Hwaseong campus in South Korea, where he held meetings with senior executives, including semiconductor head Jun Young‑hyun and chairman Jay Y. Lee. The encounters point to sustained engagement between the two companies.
Discussions may have focused on semiconductors
Mensch’s visit reportedly touched on semiconductor-related topics, such as memory and the manufacturing of bespoke AI chips. If Mistral plans to design proprietary chips, it would need a foundry partner for production — offering a strategic rationale for closer ties with a player like Samsung.
Timing, deal structure and any technological implications have yet to be clarified. Still, a major Samsung investment would underscore Mistral’s growing appeal to global industrial players in the tech sector.
