Paris-based generative AI startup Mistral has signed a major €100 million multi-year contract with global shipping and logistics giant CMA CGM to explore and develop AI solutions across its business operations. The agreement, set to run for five years, marks a strategic move for both companies and a milestone for Europe’s growing AI ecosystem.
Under the deal, Mistral will embed a dedicated team within CMA CGM’s headquarters in Marseille to identify use cases and build customized AI models and agents. The collaboration spans across the company’s core logistics business and its media arm, CMA Média, which owns French outlets such as BFM TV. This partnership aims to integrate AI deeper into CMA CGM’s operations, starting with tools that automate customer service functions like claims processing and expanding into content and fact-checking solutions in its media division.
CMA CGM is already an investor in Mistral, and this partnership builds on that existing relationship. The company is among the world’s largest players in shipping and logistics, and it has increasingly turned its attention to digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Maritime industries have been adopting AI at a growing pace, using the technology to optimize travel routes, manage cargo, and monitor ship maintenance. A study by maritime tech startup Orca AI suggested some firms could save up to $100,000 per ship annually through AI-enhanced routing alone.
For Mistral, the CMA CGM deal is a massive boost. The startup launched in 2023 and has quickly become Europe’s top generative AI contender, challenging established US leaders like OpenAI. In 2024, Mistral reached €30 million in annual recurring revenue, and this new contract will significantly grow that number while strengthening its position in the enterprise AI space.
CEO Arthur Mensch described the partnership as a blueprint for how AI can become a core part of European business. He believes the collaboration demonstrates how large corporations in the region can lead in deploying homegrown AI technologies at scale. Many investors and founders have long criticized Europe’s slow pace in supporting its own tech champions. Deals like this signal a change in momentum and show what’s possible when corporates take a proactive role.
Six Mistral employees are already working inside CMA CGM, with more to follow as projects evolve. The initial focus is on shipping operations, but a second team will focus specifically on CMA Média, developing AI tools to assist journalists and streamline content workflows. One area of interest is Mistral’s AI agents—intelligent software that can operate autonomously to complete tasks and support human teams in real time.
CMA CGM is not new to the AI space. The company has partnerships with several major providers, including Google, whose AI is used to improve operations with digital twins and smarter shipping logistics. But its collaboration with Mistral marks a new level of investment in French AI talent and technology.
Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé, who leads the family-owned group, has become one of the country’s most active tech backers. Through Zebox Ventures, CMA CGM’s in-house VC fund, Saadé has invested in rising AI players such as Poolside and Nabla, in addition to Mistral. He also co-founded the AI research lab Kyutai in Paris alongside Xavier Niel and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. That lab, launched in 2023, is focused on advancing foundational AI research in Europe.
Altogether, CMA CGM says it has committed €500 million toward AI investments so far. This latest partnership with Mistral reflects both its belief in the transformative power of AI and its ambition to make France a leader in the space. For Mistral, it’s another step toward becoming a central player in the global AI economy—backed by a major industry name and working directly on real-world challenges with significant economic impact.
