European Union-backed chipmaker SiPearl has raised €130 million (US$152 million) in Series A funding as part of Europe’s strategic push for technological independence in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing (HPC). The round saw participation from investors including Taiwan’s Cathay Venture Inc, marking its first French investment.
The French startup, established in 2019 under the European Processor Initiative, is developing high-performance, energy-efficient processors for AI and supercomputing applications. The company plans to use the capital to accelerate R&D, and to industrialize its flagship chip, Rhea1, which boasts 80 Arm-based cores and over 61 billion transistors.
Rhea1 is set to power Jupiter, the EU’s upcoming supercomputer based in Germany, with applications in areas such as medical research, energy management, and defense. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has been tapped to begin manufacturing the chip, according to the company.
In addition to Cathay Venture, the funding round included participation from the European Innovation Council Fund, Arm Holdings, and Atos SE. The company currently employs around 200 people across France, Spain, and Italy, and operates data centers in France focused on chip design.
SiPearl is already planning its Series B funding round, with €200 million targeted between 2026 and 2028, according to CFO Jean-Luc Gilbert.
Quick Take
SiPearl’s latest funding is more than a business milestone—it’s a strategic pivot in Europe’s tech narrative. After lagging behind in internet and cloud infrastructure, the EU is now doubling down on hardware, aiming for sovereignty in AI and supercomputing. With global players like TSMC onboard, SiPearl symbolizes Europe’s ambitions to reclaim control over its digital future.
