Arlequin AI, a developer of topological neural network architectures, has raised €28 million in a Series A funding round. The investment was co-led by redalpine and OTB Ventures, with participation from Bpifrance’s Defence Innovation Fund. Existing investors Vsquared Ventures and 10x Founders increased their stakes, while Xavier Niel joined as a new backer.
Founded two years ago by Hugo Micheron and Antoine Jardin, the company focuses on creating audit-traceable AI systems for complex data analysis. Unlike traditional large language models, Arlequin’s platform processes raw data—including video, audio, and text—to detect connections without relying on probabilistic guesswork. The company currently employs about 50 people.
The startup serves more than 30 clients across Eastern and Western Europe. With the new capital, Arlequin plans to expand its operations in France, enter the German market, and establish a new office in London. The company previously raised €4.4 million in a seed round, bringing its total funding to €32.4 million.
Arlequin positions its technology as a sovereign alternative to US-based AI models. The company targets sectors such as counterterrorism, security, and energy, where high-precision analysis is critical. The European defense AI market is projected to grow from $4.8 billion in 2025 to $19.27 billion by 2035.
