Remi Chauveau Notes
Harmattan AI’s rapid rise to unicorn status after a $200M Series B reflects how its autonomous defense systems, strategic partnership with Dassault Aviation, and wind‑inspired doctrine of resilience are reshaping Europe’s push toward sovereign, AI‑driven military innovation.
Technology 🚀

Harmattan AI raises $200M Series B led by Dassault Aviation, becomes defense unicorn

12 January 2026
@bfmbusiness Harmattan, la pépite française qui va booster l'IA des Rafale 🛩️ Créée en 2024 et déjà valorisée 1,4 milliard de dollars, Harmattan AI est a levé 200 millions de dollars et est soutenue par Dassault pour booster l'IA de ses Rafale. 🎙️ Jean-Baptiste Huet #business #economie #sinformersurtiktok #drone ♬ son original - BFM Business

Winds of Transformation: From Sahara Currents to Autonomous Intelligence

The Harmattan — the dry, dust‑laden wind that sweeps from the Sahara across West Africa between late November and mid‑March — becomes a force of momentum and transformation: in Uwade’s song it stirs identity, renewal, and the courage to move through uncertainty, and in the tech world it inspires Harmattan AI, a French defense startup whose recent $200M Series B led by Dassault Aviation signals a leap toward autonomous, next‑generation systems; together, the natural wind and the technological one push along the same trajectory, carrying the idea that turbulence can spark invention and that both culture and innovation can ride the same current toward a future shaped by artificial intelligence — the most powerful companion humanity has ever created.

🎶 🌬️🤖📡🛡️✈️💠🚀🌐🔋⚙️🪐🔭🌍🛰️🌟 🔊 Harmattan - Uwade



Harmattan AI has just crossed a defining threshold in the global defense‑tech landscape, securing a $200 million Series B and officially becoming a unicorn valued at $1.4 billion.

The deal, led by Dassault Aviation, marks a turning point not only for the French startup but for the future of AI‑enabled air combat systems across NATO allies.

✈️ A Founder Shaped by Autonomy and Sovereignty

Harmattan AI was founded in 2024 by Mouad M’Ghari, a technologist driven by the idea that European democracies needed sovereign, scalable AI for defense systems. In less than two years, M’Ghari and co‑founder Martin de Gourcuff built one of Europe’s fastest‑growing defense startups, delivering thousands of autonomous systems each month to NATO and allied customers. Their ambition was clear from day one: build a “European Anduril,” then evolve beyond that label to become a new category of defense technology company—one that blends frontier AI with military‑grade reliability.

🤖 A Product Portfolio Built for Modern Conflict

Harmattan AI develops a vertically integrated suite of autonomous defense technologies, including ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance) drones, drone‑interception platforms, electronic warfare systems, and command‑and‑control software. The company recently set a record with a multi‑million‑dollar NATO contract for AI‑enabled small drones, awarded just one year after its founding. Its systems are already deployed by the French and UK Ministries of Defence under multiple Programs of Record, demonstrating both operational maturity and strategic trust.

🤝 A Strategic Partnership with Dassault Aviation

Dassault Aviation—builder of the Rafale fighter jet—did more than lead the $200M round: it entered a deep strategic partnership with Harmattan AI to integrate controlled autonomy into future combat aircraft, including the Rafale F5 and next‑generation unmanned combat air systems (UCAS). Dassault brings decades of expertise in high‑intensity mission systems, while Harmattan contributes frontier AI and autonomous coordination capabilities. Together, they aim to shape the future of collaborative air combat, where manned and unmanned aircraft operate as a synchronized, AI‑driven team.

📈 A Unicorn With Global Momentum

The Series B brings Harmattan AI’s total funding to $242 million, following earlier rounds led by Atlantic, FirstMark, Motier Ventures, and Sisyphus Ventures. The new capital will accelerate manufacturing, expand into new operational theaters, and scale AI‑enabled missions across air, electronic warfare, and interception domains. With a $1.4B valuation and growing demand from NATO forces adapting to drone‑centric warfare, Harmattan AI is positioning itself as a central player in the next era of defense autonomy.

🌍 A Future Written in AI and Strategic Autonomy

From a young startup to a defense unicorn in under two years, Harmattan AI embodies a shift in how nations prepare for the future of conflict—fast, autonomous, and AI‑coordinated. As global tensions reshape defense priorities, the company’s rise signals a broader movement toward sovereign AI systems capable of protecting democratic nations in an increasingly unpredictable world.

#HarmattanAI 🚀 #DefenseTech 🛡️ #AutonomousFuture 🤖 #AIEra 🌐 #InnovationWinds 🌬️

Autonomy, Strength, and Wind Energy

The Doctrine of Dust‑Proof Autonomy
Harmattan AI was deliberately named after the West African wind not just for symbolism, but because the founders wanted a name that evoked unpredictability, resilience, and the ability to operate in degraded, chaotic environments. Internally, engineers refer to this philosophy as “operability in the dust” — meaning every system must function even when GPS is jammed, communications are unstable, or visibility is near zero. This is why Harmattan AI focuses so heavily on edge autonomy: drones and electronic‑warfare units that can make decisions locally, without relying on cloud connectivity. The company believes future conflicts will be shaped by environments where networks collapse, sensors are blinded, and traditional command structures break down — exactly the kind of conditions the real Harmattan wind creates. In other words, the name isn’t poetic branding. It’s a technical doctrine: If it can survive the Harmattan, it can survive the battlefield.

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