• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
SuccessAI
Europe

A.I. company raises record $113 million just a month after being founded—despite having no product and only just hiring staff

By
Chloe Taylor
Chloe Taylor
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chloe Taylor
Chloe Taylor
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 14, 2023, 8:01 AM ET
Close up of woman's hand typing on computer keyboard
Mistral AI, a French startup, raised a record amount in its seed round.d3sign/Getty Images

A.I. has fast become the business buzzword of the moment, with major players like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft investing billions as they race to develop the hottest artificial intelligence technology.

Recommended Video

For one European company, the A.I. hype helped its founders raise a record 105 million euros ($113.5 million) in its seed round this week—just one month after the company was launched.

Mistral’s seed round—a term referring to a company’s first official equity funding—was the biggest ever recorded in Europe, according to data from Dealroom.co, which tracks private investments in startups.

The company’s success in raising money from investors came despite the firm having yet to develop its first product, and its first employees having started their jobs at Mistral just days ago, the Financial Times reported.

According to the FT, Mistral is planning to launch a large language model in early 2024 that will be similar to the generative A.I. technology underpinning OpenAI’s chatbot phenomenon, ChatGPT.

The firm is still hiring, according to LinkedIn. In a recent job ad, Mistral described itself as “an ambitious company operating in the space of generative artificial intelligence” and said its team is currently made up of 12 people.

“[Mistral] aims at making A.I. the engine of tomorrow’s internet and tomorrow’s software—and [becoming] a technological leader in the field of A.I. from a European HQ,” the ad said. “Its founders and early employees are among the most influential technology makers in the young field of generative models.”

In a LinkedIn post published Tuesday evening, Arthur Mensch, cofounder and CEO of Paris-based Mistral AI, announced that his startup had reached “a major milestone.”

He and cofounders, Guillaume Lample and Timothée Lacroix—who are serving as the firm’s chief scientist and CTO respectively—had previously worked at Facebook and Alphabet-owned DeepMind.

Big-name supporters

Mensch said Tuesday that Mistral was being supported by “a consortium of top tier international investors,” and added that their funding would give the company “the resources and network we need to start rolling out a new model of generative artificial intelligence.”

Investors in Mistral include former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, French billionaire Xavier Niel, and French advertising giant JCDecaux.

The company was also backed by French state–supported investment bank Bpifrance, the FT reported, signifying the country’s ambitions when it comes to boosting its tech hub credentials. Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s digital transition minister, tweeted his support for Mistral when news of its successful seed round broke.

La France a toutes les cartes pour faire émerger des champions de l’intelligence artificielle. Bravo à la startup Mistral AI qui lève 105M€ seulement un mois après sa création : un record !https://t.co/8J6VRv4e8B

— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) June 13, 2023

Mistral’s founding team were not immediately available for comment when contacted by Fortune.

However, Mensch promised in his announcement on Tuesday that Mistral would be “combining scientific excellence, an open-source approach, and a socially responsible vision of technology” in its work.

“Our training as A.I. researchers, combined with our respective professional experiences within the world’s leading technology companies, have convinced us that there is a way forward for an alternative, innovative project that will enable us to responsibly disseminate the most promising technology of our generation as widely as possible,” Mensch added. “We are proud to initiate this global project from France, our home country, and to contribute, at our level, to the emergence of a credible new player in generative artificial intelligence from Europe.”

Despite many market watchers being excited about A.I., some are skeptical about the hype surrounding the technology. Earlier this week, veteran investor James Penny, CIO of TAM Asset Management, warned the A.I. hype was starting to “smell like the dotcom era,” referring to the tech bubble that burst after investors poured money into internet-focused companies.

At the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit, Fortune 500 leaders will convene to explore the defining questions shaping the workforce of the future—delivering bold ideas, powerful connections, and actionable insights for building resilient organizations for the decade ahead. Join Fortune May 19–20 in Atlanta. Register now.
About the Author
By Chloe Taylor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Success

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Success

Ex-Facebook exec Sheryl Sandberg tells Gen Z the 10-year career plan is dead thanks to AI:  ‘Don’t script your career when the future is uncertain’
Successcareer
Ex-Facebook exec Sheryl Sandberg tells Gen Z the 10-year career plan is dead thanks to AI:  ‘Don’t script your career when the future is uncertain’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 21, 2026
7 hours ago
elon
SuccessIPOs
SpaceX IPO targets $28.5 trillion total addressable market, mission to ‘make life multiplanetary’ and understand ‘true nature of the universe’
By Nick LichtenbergMay 20, 2026
16 hours ago
Elon Musk sits with his fists together, looking up.
Commentaryspace
SpaceX will be worth trillions, but the space station that made it possible is worth even more — if we don’t squander it
By Tejpaul BhatiaMay 20, 2026
17 hours ago
Professor Jeff DeGraff.
SuccessWorkplace Innovation Summit
‘We’ve given them the short end of the stick’: Business school dean says AI could eliminate many jobs for young people—even as they lead innovation
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
18 hours ago
Arvind Jain, Founder and CEO, Glean
SuccessWorkplace Innovation Summit
While other tech CEOs warn of mass job losses, Glean’s chief says AI will never replace a single worker
By Emma BurleighMay 20, 2026
19 hours ago
Shaquille O'Neal
SuccessEducation
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: ‘Your character will take you further than your resume’
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
23 hours ago

Most Popular

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
23 hours ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
4 days ago
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
Workplace Culture
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 20, 2026
1 day ago
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
Workplace Culture
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
By Sydney LakeMay 20, 2026
18 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.