Key Takeaways ASML’s €1.3B investment in Mistral AI marks a rare move by Europe’s semiconductor giant into the AI sector, raising the startup’s valuation to €11.7B. technically, to use AI for chip design and manufacturing optimization; politically, to keep Europe’s AI ecosystem independent of US influence. French startup Mistral AI just completed a €1.7 billion Series C funding round at a valuation of €11.7 billion. The answer is simple: chips are the backbone of AI, and Mistral presents an opportunity to keep Europe’s AI ecosystem strong and independent from Silicon Valley. By linking its future to Mistral AI, ASML, and the EU are signaling their resolve to defend European technological sector sovereignty.