- ASML invests 1.3 billion
- Partnership will apply AI to ASML’s research development and lithography system operations
- Mistral AI gets funding and a European partner when valuation rises to € 11.7 billion
ASML HOLDING NV has signed a strategic partnership with French start -up Mistral AI, who wants to combine his chipmaking expertise with Mistral’s artificial intelligence models.
The move is one of the largest collaborations between the semiconductor sector and a European AI company.
ASML, based in Veldhoven in the Netherlands, is the world’s only supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithographers that are critical of producing the most advanced chips. Its equipment is used by leading semiconductor companies to manufacture processors for smartphones, data centers and AI accelerators.
€ 1.3 billion financing
Although ASML occasionally invests in suppliers, it rarely takes direct efforts in startups.
Mistral AI, founded in 2023 and with headquarters in Paris, develops LLMS and Open Source AI tools. It is considered the European alternative to us AI Darlings like Openai and Anthropic, and counts Microsoft among its existing investors.
As part of the agreement, ASML will invest 1.3 billion euros ($ 1.5 billion) in Mistral’s Series C financing round, which leads the increase and ensures an 11 percentage on a fully diluted basis.
The round brings Mistral’s valuation to € 11.7 billion ($ 12.6 billion).
The partnership aims to use AI models across ASML’s research, development and operations.
The collaboration could improve the performance of ASML’s lithography systems and help chipmakers bring products to the market faster.
“The collaboration between Mistral AI and ASML aims to generate clear benefits for ASML customers through innovative products and solutions activated by AI and will offer the potential for joint research to tackle future opportunities,” said ASML president and CEO Christophe Fouquet.
“We believe that this strategic partnership with Mistral AI, which goes beyond a traditional relationship between supplier client, is the best way to capture this significant opportunity. We also believe that this collaboration is valuable to Mistral AI.”
Arthur Mensch, co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI, agreed and said: “We are proud to participate in this long-term partnership with ASML that combines our border AI-Expertise with ASML’s unmatched industrial leadership and most sophisticated technical capabilities. accelerate, we will accelerate, we will accelerate technological technological advances.
