French defense technology company Harmattan AI rise almost as fast as the supersonic flight of the new backer. Founded in 2024, the company is now worth $1.4 billion after raising $ 200 million Series B round led by Dassault Aviation, which is best known for making Rafale fighter jets.
Harmattan AI, which builds autonomous and mission system software for defense aircraft, has received strong validation signals from the French and British defense ministers in less than two years. But this funding and the accompanying partnership will give new wings to the one-time company self-explanatory ace of “Europe Anduril.”
Like its American counterparts, the Harmattan AI once wanted to overtake the defense incumbents, also known as prime. But the company is now also ready to partner with them – even if it means no more call yourself “Next generation defense flagship.”
According to the latest press release from Harmattan, now the “defense technology company” will help Dassault Aviation shape the future of air combat by developing AI capabilities embedded in the Rafale and next-generation drones while ensuring that this implementation is sovereign and scalable.
The use of drones in Ukraine has been a wake-up call for NATO armies, creating tailwinds for defense technology startups that could help adapt. According to Harmattan AI, which recently partnered with Russian drone maker Skyeton, the funding will help expand its product offerings into new domains and platform-scale manufacturing for drone interception, electronic warfare and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance).
French President Emmanuel Macron praised the announcement on social mediacalling it “excellent news for our strategic autonomy, for the technological excellence of our armed forces in the field of AI-enabled defense drones, as well as for our economy.”
While important for France, this strategic play is not exclusive. Harmattan AI’s stated goal of “strengthening the armed forces of liberal democracies and their allies” leaves some room for the company to sell the technology beyond France and Europe. The company has done this: it will exhibition at the World Defense Show in Riyadh next month, and expand its US team.
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The company claims a new record in July at that time awarded a “multi-million US dollar contract by the NATO government” for the delivery of small AI-enabled drones, just one year after its establishment. But according to CEO and co-founder, Mouad M’Ghari, Harmattan AI is now “entering a new scaling phase” as it seeks to “manufacturing ramp-up.”
In the same LinkedIn postThe entrepreneur stated that the new funding is in addition to the $42 million Harmattan AI has raised so far, including a seed round led by Atlantic and Series A led by FirstMark, with other backers including Motier Ventures and Sisyphus Ventures.
Meanwhile, Breastfeeding Ai’s Cto and Co-Founder Martin De Gourcuf choose different notes with political undertones. “As the international order disappears,” he wrote, “we have entered an era in which more and more power precedes law. The reversal of the civilized world is what we are striving for.