The French government has officially acquired Bull, Atos’ division dedicated to supercomputers and quantum computing, for about 404 million euros. This decision is not trivial: these technologies are crucial, especially for defense and nuclear deterrence.
Paris, France – March 31, 2026 – Bull, a leader in advanced computing and artificial intelligence, announces today the completion of the acquisition of the entire capital of Bull from Atos Group by the state. The operation, agreed with Atos Group in July 2025 for an enterprise value of up to 404 million euros, marks a major step for French and European technological sovereignty, particularly in the areas of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing.
As a historic player in the sector, Bull is a reference in designing and manufacturing supercomputers and high-performance servers, as well as enterprise servers, software solutions, and use cases for artificial intelligence and innovations in quantum computing. With a strong R&D presence, Bull also operates the only supercomputer factory in Europe, located in Angers. The supercomputers manufactured there meet the most demanding needs of national defense, industry, fundamental research, and also play a crucial role in training and deploying AI models. They are known for their performance and energy efficiency, two key criteria for training large AI models.
This acquisition is part of an ambitious drive for high-performance computing in Europe, especially in France. It comes as the successful delivery of the exascale supercomputer JUPITER in Jülich, Germany, under the European EuroHPC program, positions France and Europe at the forefront of research and innovation. It also accompanies the launch of the construction of Alice Recoque, the next French supercomputer, which will enhance national capabilities in simulation, artificial intelligence, and big data processing, serving technological sovereignty.
Bull employs over 3,000 professionals and experts, half of whom are based in France, and generated revenues of around 720 million euros in 2025.
The state’s entry into Bull’s capital brings a long-term public shareholder to the company, ensuring stability, strategic continuity, and the preservation of critical skills for a French and European industry of excellence.
Roland Lescure, Minister of Economy, Finance, Industrial, Energy, and Digital Sovereignty, stated, “With the completion of this acquisition, the state shareholder takes a decisive step for France’s technological sovereignty. The delivery of JUPITER and the launch of Alice Recoque demonstrate our ability to innovate and position ourselves as a major player in high-performance computing and AI in France, Europe, and the world. The renewal of Bull, which we will actively support, marks the beginning of a new era for the strategic high-performance computing and artificial intelligence sector. Together, we will build a competitive French and European offer, creating jobs, adding value, and excellence.”
Sébastien Martin, Minister Delegate for Industry, said, “The state’s takeover of Bull’s activities ensures the maintenance in France of critical capacities and skills for industries, especially defense, and guarantees our industrial sovereignty. I have full confidence in Bull and its employees to continue on the path of growth and technological advancement, in supercomputers and artificial intelligence, from electronic components to software layers.”
Anne Le Henanff, Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital, declared, “The state’s entry into Bull’s capital marks a decisive step for our digital sovereignty. In a context where artificial intelligence and quantum computing are reshaping technological balances deeply, France is acquiring a leading industrial player in high-performance computing. By supporting the emergence of Bull, we choose strategic independence. It is a strong signal: that of a country that invests, protects its know-how, and intends to remain sovereign in the technologies that will shape the future world.”
Emmanuel Le Roux, CEO of Bull, stated, “The revitalization of Bull as an independent company, supported by the French state, marks a decisive step in our history. Supported by a long-term strategic shareholder, we strengthen our position as a trusted industrial partner across the entire value chain of high-performance computing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. Thanks to our integrated chain from design to manufacturing, as well as sustained investment in R&D and deployment of AI use cases with our 300 data scientists, we have a unique capacity to innovate with rigor and speed. This new structure gives us the agility needed to address the challenges of a market undergoing profound transformation due to the rapid evolution of AI, and to provide our customers with sovereign, efficient, and sustainable technologies.”
About Bull:
With nearly a century of innovations, Bull is a global leader in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, with revenues of around 720 million euros and 3,000 experts operating in 32 countries. Leveraging an open, trusted, end-to-end integrated architecture, Bull designs, deploys, and operates hardware and software solutions as well as strategic services to accelerate scientific research, create sustainable value for businesses, and contribute to societal progress. Backed by excellent R&D, with 1,600 patents, proven industrial capabilities, and advanced expertise in data science, Bull enables states and industries to retain full control of their data and artificial intelligence, in service of progress for the planet.
