The French State has completed its acquisition of Bull, the artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), and quantum subsidiary of Atos.

A €404 million ($469m) share purchase agreement was signed between Atos and the French State on July 31, 2025. Atos relaunched the group as Bull in January 2026, ahead of the subsidiary being carved out as a private, independent company.

Bull employs around 2,500 employees and has a presence across Europe, Latin America, and India. Its BullSequana HPC systems form the basis for a number of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, with its X series architecture supporting exascale-class systems, including Europe’s first exascale system, the Jupiter Booster.

The company also operates the only supercomputer manufacturing plant in Europe, located in Angers, with a statement from Bull noting that the acquisition forms part of an ambitious strategy for high‑performance computing in Europe, particularly in France.

“The State’s entry into Bull’s share capital marks a decisive step for our digital sovereignty. At a time when artificial intelligence and quantum technologies are profoundly reshaping technological balances, France is equipping itself with a leading industrial player in high‑performance computing,” said Anne Le Hénanff, Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs. “By supporting the emergence of Bull, we are choosing strategic independence. It is a strong signal: that of a country that invests, that protects its expertise, and that is determined to remain sovereign in the technologies that will shape the world of tomorrow.”

Emmanuel Le Roux, CEO, Bull, added: “The revival of Bull as an independent company supported by the French state marks a decisive step in our history. With a long‑term strategic shareholder, we are strengthening our position as a trusted industrial partner across the entire value chain of high‑performance computing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.

“This new structure gives us the agility required to respond to the challenges of a market undergoing profound transformation driven by the rapid evolution of AI, and thus to provide our customers with sovereign, high‑performance, and sustainable technologies.”

Atos is a French IT vendor and provides on-premises and cloud infrastructure, as well as a host of other IT services. The company has been struggling to bring its debts under control for years and, in October 2024, appointed its seventh CEO in three years.

The company completed a financial restructuring in 2024 and agreed to a deal with the French government in July of that same year.