Corporate leaders are demonstrating a willingness to open their wallets for technological self-reliance, with nearly half indicating they would absorb an extra cost termed a “digital sovereignty premium”, averaging roughly 23%. This fiscal commitment is particularly evident in artificial intelligence, which three-quarters of enterprises identify as their top infrastructure priority, heavily concentrated in sectors like transportation along with aerospace and defence. Reflecting this market appetite, French AI developer Mistral recently secured €3bn in funding at a valuation exceeding €21bn, supported in part by the European Commission’s Scaleup Europe Fund. These investments align with legislative initiatives such as Europe’s tech sovereignty package, driving four out of five organisations to fortify their operational resilience against international political turbulence.
Despite high-level




