What is Mistral AI? Everything you know about the competitor of Openai

Mistral AI, the French company behind AI assistant Le Chat and several main models are officially considered one of The most promising technological startups in France and is Perhaps the only European company that could compete with OpenaiS But compared to the $ 6 billion estimate, its global market share is still relatively low.

However, the recent start of his chat assistant in mobile app stores was greeted with a known super, especially in his homeland. “Go and download Le Chat, which is made by Mistral rather than Chatgpt by Openai – or something else,” said French President Emmanuel Macron In a television interview Before the AI ​​Action summit in Paris.

Although this wave of attention can be encouraging, Mistral II still faces challenges in competition with the likes of Openai, and in this way, while keeping up with its only definition as “the greenest and leading independent AI laboratory in the world.”

What is Mistral AI?

Mistral AI has collected a significant amount of funding since its inception in 2023 with the ambition to “put border AI in the hands of all.” Although this is not a direct blow to Openai, the slogan aims to emphasize the company’s advocacy for AI openness.

His alternative to Chatgpt, a LE Chat chat assistant, is already also Available on iOS and AndroidS Reached 1 million downloads In the two weeks after its mobile version, it even grabs France’s first place for free downloads to the iOS App Store.

This comes in addition to the package of Mistral AI models, which includes:

Who are the founders of Mistral Ai?

The three founders of Mistral AI share experiences at AI Research at major US technology companies with significant operations in Paris. CEO Arthur Mensh worked at Google’s Deepmind, while CTO Timothée Lacroix and chief scientist Guillaume Lample are former Meta officials.

Co -founders also include Jean-Charles Samuelian-uerv (also a member of the board) and Charles Gornintin of the startup of health insurance Alan, as well as former Digital Minister Cedric Oh who caused a dispute Because of his previous role.

Mistral AI models are open code?

Not all of themS Mistral AI distinguishes its first -class models whose weight Not available for commercial purposes, its free models, for which it provides access to weight under the Apache 2.0 license.

Free models include research models such as Mistral Nemo, which was built in collaboration with NVIDIA that launch with an open source In July 2024

How does Mistral AI make money?

While many of the Mistral AI suggestions are free or now have free levelsMistral AI plans to achieve some revenue from the paid levels of Le Chat. Introduced in February 2025, the Pro plan of Le Chat is priced at $ 14.99 per month.

On the part of pure B2B, Mistral AI monetizes its first -class models through API with pricing based on use. Businesses can also license these models, and the company probably also generates a significant share of its revenue from its strategic partnerships, some of which emphasized During the summit in ParisS

In general, however, Mistral AI’s revenue is still in the eight -digit range, according to many sources.

What partnership is a closed Mistral AI?

In 2024, Mistral AI made a deal with Microsoft, which included a strategic partnership to distribute its AI models through the Microsoft Azure platform and an investment of EUR 15 million. The United Kingdom Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) quickly locked that the deal is not ranked for investigation due to its small size. However, this caused some criticism In the EU.

In January 2025 Mistral AI Signed a deal with the Agency France-Presse press agency (AFP) To let a chat declare the entire AFP text archive of 1983

Mistral AI also provided strategic partnerships with France army and work agencyStarting German Defense Technology Helsing., IBM., Orangeand StellantisS

How much funding has collected Mistral AI so far?

As of February 2025, Mitral AI has raised about 1 billion euros so far, approximately $ 1.04 billion in the current course. This includes some debt financing, as well as several rounds of funding for equity, collected in a narrow order.

In June 2023 and before even launched its first models, Mistral AI raised a Register $ 112 million round Led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. Sources at that time said the seeds – The largest Europe so far -The assess the then senior startup of $ 260 million.

Other investors in this circle of seeds included Bpifrance, Eric Schmidt, Exor Ventures, first minute capital, title, JCDecaux Holding, La Famiglia, Localglobe, Moiter Ventures, Rodolphe Saadé, SOFINA and

Only six months later she closed Serie A of 385 million euros ($ 415 million at the time), with a reported estimate of $ 2 billion. The circle was led by Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z), starring existing poor Lightspeed, as well as BNP Paribas, CMA-CGM, conviction, Elad Gil, General Catalyst and Salesforce.

Thehe $ 16.3 million convertible investment The fact that Microsoft was made at Mistral AI as part of their partnership, declared in February 2024, was presented as a Serie A extension, which implies unchanged evaluation.

In June 2024. Mistral Ai then raised EUR 600 million in combination of equity and debt (About $ 640 million in the exchange rate at that time). Thehe Long -standing circle He was led by General Catalyst with a $ 6 billion valuation, such as remarkable investors, including Cisco, IBM, NVIDIA, Samsung Venture Investment Corporation and others.

How could a Mistral AI look look like?

Mistral is “not selling” Mensch said in January 2025 at the World Economic Forum in Davos. “Of course, (ipo is) the plan.”

This makes sense, given how much he has collected the start so far: even a large sale may not provide enough high enough for his investors, not to mention the concerns of sovereignty depending on the acquirer.

However, the only way to definitely demolish the constant rumors of acquisition is to scale its revenue to levels, which could even justify their remote estimated estimated at nearly $ 6 billion. Either way, follow.