France has just regained control of a strategic player in its technology industry. By acquiring the key activities of the Bull group (formerly under the Eviden brand), the State is reclaiming rare expertise in the field of supercomputers, these machines capable of pushing the limits of scientific research and artificial intelligence. Behind this operation lie major industrial, scientific, and military stakes. Here are the 4 essential elements to understand this acquisition.
The essentials to remember
- The French State bought Bull for 404 million euros, to preserve strategic know-how in supercomputers.
- These machines can reach exaflop computing power, or one billion billion operations per second.
- Bull plays a key role in defense, research, and artificial intelligence, with applications ranging from nuclear to climate simulations.
A strategic acquisition for technological sovereignty
The acquisition of Atos’s strategic activities by the French State marks a turning point in national industrial policy. This operation, amounting to 404 million euros, revives the Bull brand, a historical gem of French computing.
This decision is part of a desire to secure rare skills. The design of supercomputers is indeed mastered by a very limited number of players worldwide. By taking over this activity, France ensures the continuity of expertise deemed essential for its technological autonomy.
Maintaining these capabilities on national territory also helps secure critical infrastructures, particularly in the fields of defense and scientific research.
Supercomputers among the most powerful in the world
The machines developed by Bull are among the most efficient existing ones. Some reach the so-called “exascale” level, capable of performing up to 10¹⁸ operations per second, or one billion billion calculations in one second.
For comparison, such power far exceeds that of millions of conventional computers combined. Today, only a few countries have these technologies, notably the United States, China, and some European countries.
Bull has already contributed to the commissioning of the European supercomputer Jupiter, ranked among the most powerful in the world. In parallel, a new system called “Alice Recoque” is under construction in France and is expected to enter service between 2026 and 2027.
Applications at the heart of defense and research
Supercomputers play a central role in sensitive areas. They are notably used to simulate nuclear tests, an essential function for French deterrence without resorting to real tests.
Beyond the military sector, these machines enable significant scientific advances. They are used to model the climate, study complex phenomena, or develop artificial intelligence systems.
The future supercomputer “Alice Recoque” could, for example, allow the creation of digital twins of the human brain to better understand certain diseases. These capabilities pave the way for new approaches in medical research.
A lever for employment and innovation in Europe
The development of Bull is accompanied by a strengthening of the teams. The company plans to recruit 500 people in 2026, mainly engineers and commercial profiles.
These hires aim to support projects related to high-performance computing and artificial intelligence. The company currently has about 3,000 employees, a significant portion of whom are in France.
Moreover, Bull is working to strengthen European technological independence. The stated goal is to increase the share of European components in its machines, to offer an alternative to solutions dominated by foreign players.
FAQ about the acquisition of Bull by France
The State wanted to preserve strategic know-how in the field of supercomputers, deemed essential for technological sovereignty and national security.
It is a computer capable of performing at least one billion billion operations per second, or 10¹⁸ calculations, making it one of the most powerful systems in the world.
They are used for nuclear simulation, scientific research, artificial intelligence, climate modeling, and medicine.
This future French supercomputer will enhance national research capabilities, particularly in artificial intelligence and advanced scientific simulation.
Yes, the company plans to hire 500 people in Europe in 2026 to support its development in advanced technologies.
Key figures of Bull to know:
- approximately 720 million euros in revenue in 2025
- 3,000 professionals and experts
- Presence in 32 countries
- 13% of revenue invested in R&D
- More than 1,600 patents filed
- 2nd in Europe with 137 patents in quantum computing, pioneer since 2016
- 1st in Europe, India, and Latin America in high-performance computing
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rank of the most energy-efficient supercomputers (Green500 ranking, November 2025)
- 58 supercomputers built ranked in the TOP500 (November 2025)
- More than 300 certified experts in artificial intelligence and more than 300 AI projects completed
- More than 10 world records on SAP benchmarks for enterprise servers
Sources:
- The acquisition of Bull by the French State:
- The recruitment of 500 profiles in 2026: