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France Takes Full Control of Atos’s Bull Supercomputer Unit in Deal Valued Up to €404 Million

The deal gives France direct control of supercomputer hardware for AI seen as strategic for defense and research.

Overview

  • Atos Group, which finalized the sale Tuesday, transferred sole ownership of Bull to the French State for up to €404 million including €104 million in contingent payments.
  • The transaction signed on July 31, 2025 was later trimmed to exclude zData, which lowered the potential price from €410 million to €404 million and cut contingent sums from €110 million to €104 million.
  • Bull builds high‑performance computers used for AI, quantum research and defense, generated about €0.7 billion in 2025 revenue, and employs roughly 3,000 people worldwide.
  • Atos said the sale supports its plan to focus on cybersecurity and critical systems as Eviden concentrates on those products with about €0.3 billion in 2025 pro forma revenue while service to clients and jobs continue without change.
  • French officials framed the move as a push for technological sovereignty, pointing to Bull’s work on Europe’s Jupiter exascale machine and the Alice Recoque supercomputer for the CEA scheduled in two stages in late 2026 and 2027.