Cohere has signed a definitive business combination agreement with Germany's Aleph Alpha, following the partnership the two announced in April, the company said on 16 September 2026.
The combined company will operate globally as Cohere, with plans for dual headquarters in Berlin and Toronto and for Aleph Alpha's Heidelberg office to remain a research centre. Headcount will rise to more than 1,000 across both continents. Cohere describes the deal as creating the first transatlantic sovereign AI solution.
On completion, Aleph Alpha co-CEO Ilhan Scheer will become Cohere's Chief Operating Officer and co-founder Samuel Weinbach its Chief Research Officer.
“This strengthens our ability to deliver on our mission: giving organizations control over the AI they rely on,” said Scheer.
The transaction remains subject to final regulatory approvals and is expected to close later this year. Financial terms were not disclosed.