Is Mistral's monster fundraise a win for European sovereignty?

Is Mistral's monster fundraise a win for European sovereignty?

Author: Sifted September 11, 2026 Duration: 20:55
There's been talk all summer about who would fund Mistral's next round. This week it was confirmed: €3bn at a €21bn valuation, co-led by Samsung, the EU's Scaleup Europe Fund and US growth firm PSG Equity. A year ago Mistral was worth €11.7bn. Mistral has always pitched itself as Europe's sovereign alternative to US AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic. With few European investors capable of meeting its huge capital needs,many were watching closely who the French scaleup would seek money from ...

Each week on Startup Europe-The Sifted Podcast, host Amy Lewin sits down with the people actually shaping the continent's technology landscape. This isn't about abstract theories or distant analysis; it's built from direct conversations with the founders rolling up their sleeves, the operators scaling teams, and the investors backing the next big ideas. Alongside Sifted's own journalists, Amy delves into the specifics of building a business, examining the strategies, setbacks, and successes that define the journey. The discussions go beyond the headlines to explore the real mechanics and human stories behind the companies causing a stir. Tuning into this podcast offers a genuine, behind-the-scenes look at innovation as it happens, grounded in the reporting and network that Sifted brings. It’s for anyone curious about the practical realities of European tech, from seasoned investors to aspiring entrepreneurs wanting to hear how it’s really done. You’ll find a focus on tangible lessons and candid insights, making each episode a detailed snapshot of a dynamic and fast-moving ecosystem.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 50

Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast
Podcast Episodes
What the Anthropic shutdown means for Europe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:47
Late last week, the European tech ecosystem got a glimpse of a future many had worried about. US AI giant Anthropic announced it had been ordered by the US government to suspend access to its most advanced AI models for…
Carissa Véliz on the dangers of predictive AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:44
In this episode of the Sifted podcast, host John Thornhill sits down with Carissa Véliz, AI ethicist, philosopher and associate professor at Oxford University to explore how algorithms and data are reshaping our lives an…
EQT has won the EU's €5bn superfund. Now what? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:19
The competition that captivated European VC has concluded. Earlier this week, the EU chose Swedish investment firm EQT to manage its new €5bn Scaleup Europe Fund after a closely-watched race among the region’s top firms…
Anthropic vs European AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:47
On this episode of the Sifted podcast, associate editor Freya Pratty sits down with news editor Martin Coulter, to unpack how Silicon Valley giant Anthropic is making big waves in European tech. The LLM builder and OpenA…