Cohere, a Toronto-based AI startup founded in 2019 by former Google researchers, is expanding its global footprint by opening a new office in Paris, France, which will serve as its central hub for operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

This strategic move reflects the importance of the EMEA region in Cohere's overall growth plan, with France positioned as a key technical and strategic location.

Cohere develops large language models for chatbots and AI applications, having raised over $1.5 billion USD and aiming for more than $200 million in revenue by the end of 2025.

Despite competition from major AI players like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic, Cohere emphasizes its French team's leadership in multilingual AI development.

Recent leadership changes include new appointments such as a chief AI officer, head of Cohere Labs, CFO, and CTO, following the departure of former CTO Saurabh Baji and president Martin Kon.

Cohere secured $500 million USD in funding, boosting its valuation to $6.8 billion CAD and supporting expansion plans that include new offices in South Korea and Montreal.

The company is building on its existing presence in France, where its team contributes significantly to multilingual models and its flagship AI platform North.

Cohere plans to double its Paris workforce to 20 employees within a year, adding roles in public policy and EMEA growth to leverage France’s AI talent pool.