Prime Highlights:
The government of France has made a bid to buy Atos’ Advanced Computing arm for as much as €625 million in an effort to capture strategic national technologies.
The transaction involves high-performance computing, quantum, and AI expertise, with €150 million up-front payment on signing.
Key Facts:
The Advanced Computing business has some 2,500 employees and earned €570 million in 2023 revenue.
The state and Atos have come to a mutual agreement on an exclusivity time frame until May 31, 2025, to close the deal.
Main Background :
Atos SE, one of France’s top tech firms, is under significant financial pressure from debt accumulation and declining market performance. As part of a broader restructuring exercise, the company wants to sell off most of its non-core units. A key component of this restructuring is the pending sale of its Advanced Computing business to the French state—an agreement that meets both Atos’ need for liquidity as well as the government’s goals to protect strategic technological assets.
The subject division contains three prime areas: high-performance computing (HPC), quantum computing, and artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies quickly become the focus of national security, defense infrastructure, and national sovereignty. By offering to buy this division, the French government would prevent important intellectual property and capability from leaving the country or entering financial risk.
Under the terms of the initial deal, the French government will provide a company worth €500 million, in addition to additional performance-dependent earn-outs to increase the figure to €625 million. The sum of €150 million is expected to be payable on signing the final Share Purchase Agreement. The deal is yet to receive regulatory approval and is expected to close by the end of May 2025.
Furthermore, Atos will initiate a formal sale process for its Mission-Critical Systems and Cybersecurity Products segments combined contributing €340 million in 2023. The disposals are part of a wider strategic push to offload debt, streamline operations, and restore investor confidence. For the French government, the transaction is not only economic—it is a move to defend technological sovereignty and national resilience.
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