Mistral AI raises $830M in debt to set up a data center near Paris

French AI startup Mistral AI has secured $830 million in debt financing to build a new data center near Paris, specifically in Bruyeres-le-Chatel, with plans to have it operational by the second quarter of 2026. This facility will be powered by Nvidia chips and is part of Mistral’s broader strategy to expand AI infrastructure across Europe. The company aims to deploy 200 megawatts of compute capacity continent-wide by 2027 to support governments, enterprises, and research institutions in developing customized AI environments without relying on third-party cloud providers. Mistral’s CEO, Arthur Mensch, emphasized the importance of scaling infrastructure in Europe to maintain AI innovation and autonomy. The company has raised over €2.8 billion ($3.1 billion) in total funding from prominent investors such as General Catalyst, ASML, a16z, Lightspeed, and DST Global. This latest investment underscores Mistral’s commitment to meeting the growing demand for AI capabilities and infrastructure within