Latest news with #RoxanneVarza
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'We're not trying to be Silicon Valley': Inside Station F, where Paris is incubating the next tech and AI juggernauts
Paris's Station F, a converted train station, is a prolific incubator for tech startups. The incubator has doubled down on the AI boom and is getting more interest from US startups. Business Insider visited the vibrant space to see how it's driving France's tech boom. In Paris's balmy thirteenth district, an airy rail depot that's been converted into a startup incubator is now the epicenter of France's tech boom. Walking through Station F, it's hard not to see how the 366,000-square-foot space has been influenced by Silicon Valley, with its amenities like a huge cafeteria and an under-construction yoga studio that are reminiscent of Big Tech campuses. But Station F's director, Roxanne Varza, told Business Insider that it is not trying to become an American incubator. "We've been inspired by a lot of players, and we look up to Y Combinator. But we're not trying to be Silicon Valley," she said. Now, politics is helping drive international founders here, including Americans, Varza told BI during a recent visit. The election of Donald Trump and Brexit were among the biggest catalysts driving international founders to Station F, Varza told BI. After France, the US and UK are the most represented nationalities on campus, which houses entrepreneurs from 70 nationalities, Varza said. At times of political volatility, the campus has been a magnet for founders seeking a global outlook and a supply of talent. Trump 2.0 — and its aftermath, including the announcement of Stargate and DeepSeek — galvanized European founders to step up, Varza said. The US tech ecosystem secured $209 billion in VC funding in 2024, about 17 times more than France. But Paris is catching up to its global counterparts. In 2025, technology research platform Dealroom billed the city as Europe's new tech champion, overtaking London's mantle. From 2017 to 2024, the combined enterprise value of startups based in Paris increased 5.3 times, more than any other European tech hub. Climate tech founders in particular have been coming from the US to Station F amid the Trump administration cutting incentives for green industries in the US, Varza said. Materials discovery startup Entalpic, which launched in 2024, has had a flurry of US applicants vying for jobs at the company since the start of the year, its cofounder, Alexandre Duval, told BI. Duval had planned to move his startup out of Station F once it reached 20 employees, but decided to stay. "We have so many resources here: meeting rooms, onboarding, events, opportunities to meet people. It's good," he said. Station F, the handiwork of French billionaire Xavier Neil, launched in 2017 to drive entrepreneurship in France's tech ecosystem. The Station F team accepts around 40 startups every month. In addition to access to the incubator's coworking space, startups get resources and mentorship, including from government officials and Big Tech companies, such as Meta and Microsoft, that have offices at Station F. Station F's flagship Founders Program offers founders workshops and masterclasses. In return, the incubator takes 1% equity — a more favourable figure than the 6% taken by Y Combinator. The incubator also aims to write checks of $50,000 to $100,000 to around 20 upstarts each year. The result is a hubbub of innovators collaborating and ideating all days of the week — a far cry from how some corners of LinkedIn see Europe's tech ecosystem as the butt of the joke for its supposed lax work culture compared to Silicon Valley. Station F has welcomed everyone from the prime minister of Ethiopia to the CEO of Cisco — and the morning I arrive, the CEO of GitHub is scheduled to speak for a Q&A as part of VivaTech, France's flagship tech event that attracted speakers such as Nvidia's Jensen Huang. "The No. 1 reason people come here is for the access to people," Varza added. Like many of its international counterparts, Station F has doubled down on the AI boom. Government initiatives under France's president Emmanuel Macron, as well as generous financing from the country's national bank, Bpifrance, have galvanized the region's AI startups. In 2023, French AI startups raised $1.9 billion, per PitchBook data. In 2024, this figure rose by more than 50% to $2.98 billion. Notable rounds included Mistral's $600 million raise in June 2024 and H's mammoth $220 million seed round in May 2024. So far this year, French AI companies have raised $1.7 billion in VC funding, and Macron announced in February an additional $112 billion in private sector funding earmarked for the country's AI ecosystem. High-profile investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, and Lightspeed Ventures have flocked to back prolific AI startups founded in France, such as Mistral, Dust, and Poolside. Open-source AI company Hugging Face, now valued at $4.5 billion, was once incubated in Station F. Now, Varza said, around 40% of France's AI startups are spinning out of the program. In 2024, 34 out of 40 of the top startups touted by Station F — its "Future 40" — were AI companies. "Station F is one of the biggest AI communities in Europe," Varza says. "It's also an entry point for so many tier one investors coming to Europe — and we're seeing more Series A and B rounds too." Beyond helping AI startups raise financing, Station F also participates in regulatory debates about France's tech ecosystem, Varza added. "Right now, the government is talking about how we can fiscally incentivise AI companies and push creation. We're in those discussions very actively." I was keen to speak to AI and climate founders, and within two minutes, Varza had grabbed two people for me to speak to. It was a reflection of how Station F operates: touting collaboration over competition. Despite the vast space, I saw founders from different startups huddled together in various pockets of the station, congregating for in-house events such as Q&As, as well as the bustling restaurant space. "We saw incredible things happen when people were working in close spaces," Varza said. "You see everything from VR and AI companies collaborating — and even companies winding down and neighbouring teams acquiring them." She recalled how one startup in the incubator wanted to pivot and copied a neighbouring company's idea. "It's our only copycat story, but they both ended up being pretty successful," she added. Station F is working on initiatives with Japan and the Gulf region, Varza said — but what excites her most is the opportunity to take what they've built in Paris and "build those bridges" internationally across Europe. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
22-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
'We're not trying to be Silicon Valley': Inside Station F, where Paris is incubating the next tech and AI juggernauts
In Paris's balmy thirteenth district, an airy rail depot that's been converted into a startup incubator is now the epicenter of France's tech boom. Walking through Station F, it's hard not to see how the 366,000-square-foot space has been influenced by Silicon Valley, with its amenities like a huge cafeteria and an under-construction yoga studio that are reminiscent of Big Tech campuses. But Station F's director, Roxanne Varza, told Business Insider that it is not trying to become an American incubator. "We've been inspired by a lot of players, and we look up to Y Combinator. But we're not trying to be Silicon Valley," she said. Now, politics is helping drive international founders here, including Americans, Varza told BI during a recent visit. Trump 2.0 is driving talent migration The election of Donald Trump and Brexit were among the biggest catalysts driving international founders to Station F, Varza told BI. After France, the US and UK are the most represented nationalities on campus, which houses entrepreneurs from 70 nationalities, Varza said. At times of political volatility, the campus has been a magnet for founders seeking a global outlook and a supply of talent. Trump 2.0 — and its aftermath, including the announcement of Stargate and DeepSeek — galvanized European founders to step up, Varza said. The US tech ecosystem secured $209 billion in VC funding in 2024, about 17 times more than France. But Paris is catching up to its global counterparts. In 2025, technology research platform Dealroom billed the city as Europe's new tech champion, overtaking London's mantle. From 2017 to 2024, the combined enterprise value of startups based in Paris increased 5.3 times, more than any other European tech hub. Climate tech founders in particular have been coming from the US to Station F amid the Trump administration cutting incentives for green industries in the US, Varza said. Materials discovery startup Entalpic, which launched in 2024, has had a flurry of US applicants vying for jobs at the company since the start of the year, its cofounder, Alexandre Duval, told BI. Duval had planned to move his startup out of Station F once it reached 20 employees, but decided to stay. "We have so many resources here: meeting rooms, onboarding, events, opportunities to meet people. It's good," he said. Competitive equity Station F, the handiwork of French billionaire Xavier Neil, launched in 2017 to drive entrepreneurship in France's tech ecosystem. The Station F team accepts around 40 startups every month. In addition to access to the incubator's coworking space, startups get resources and mentorship, including from government officials and Big Tech companies, such as Meta and Microsoft, that have offices at Station F. Station F's flagship Founders Program offers founders workshops and masterclasses. In return, the incubator takes 1% equity — a more favourable figure than the 6% taken by Y Combinator. The incubator also aims to write checks of $50,000 to $100,000 to around 20 upstarts each year. The result is a hubbub of innovators collaborating and ideating all days of the week — a far cry from how some corners of LinkedIn see Europe's tech ecosystem as the butt of the joke for its supposed lax work culture compared to Silicon Valley. Station F has welcomed everyone from the prime minister of Ethiopia to the CEO of Cisco — and the morning I arrive, the CEO of GitHub is scheduled to speak for a Q&A as part of VivaTech, France's flagship tech event that attracted speakers such as Nvidia's Jensen Huang. "The No. 1 reason people come here is for the access to people," Varza added. A hotbed for AI startups Like many of its international counterparts, Station F has doubled down on the AI boom. Government initiatives under France's president Emmanuel Macron, as well as generous financing from the country's national bank, Bpifrance, have galvanized the region's AI startups. In 2023, French AI startups raised $1.9 billion, per PitchBook data. In 2024, this figure rose by more than 50% to $2.98 billion. Notable rounds included Mistral's $600 million raise in June 2024 and H's mammoth $220 million seed round in May 2024. So far this year, French AI companies have raised $1.7 billion in VC funding, and Macron announced in February an additional $112 billion in private sector funding earmarked for the country's AI ecosystem. High-profile investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, and Lightspeed Ventures have flocked to back prolific AI startups founded in France, such as Mistral, Dust, and Poolside. Open-source AI company Hugging Face, now valued at $4.5 billion, was once incubated in Station F. Now, Varza said, around 40% of France's AI startups are spinning out of the program. In 2024, 34 out of 40 of the top startups touted by Station F — its " Future 40" — were AI companies. "Station F is one of the biggest AI communities in Europe," Varza says. "It's also an entry point for so many tier one investors coming to Europe — and we're seeing more Series A and B rounds too." Beyond helping AI startups raise financing, Station F also participates in regulatory debates about France's tech ecosystem, Varza added. "Right now, the government is talking about how we can fiscally incentivise AI companies and push creation. We're in those discussions very actively." A collegial culture I was keen to speak to AI and climate founders, and within two minutes, Varza had grabbed two people for me to speak to. It was a reflection of how Station F operates: touting collaboration over competition. Despite the vast space, I saw founders from different startups huddled together in various pockets of the station, congregating for in-house events such as Q&As, as well as the bustling restaurant space. "We saw incredible things happen when people were working in close spaces," Varza said. "You see everything from VR and AI companies collaborating — and even companies winding down and neighbouring teams acquiring them." She recalled how one startup in the incubator wanted to pivot and copied a neighbouring company's idea. "It's our only copycat story, but they both ended up being pretty successful," she added. Station F is working on initiatives with Japan and the Gulf region, Varza said — but what excites her most is the opportunity to take what they've built in Paris and "build those bridges" internationally across Europe.
Observer
15-06-2025
- Business
- Observer
Paris overtakes London into global top five of tech
London has been overtaken by Paris as Europe's leading tech hub for the first time, reigniting concerns over the strength and attractiveness of the UK's biggest city. The French capital has been named as the only non-US city in the world's top five global ecosystems, according to Dealroom's 2025 global tech index, overturning years of consistent outperformance by London. Despite raising more venture capital than Paris in recent years, London's tech firms saw a smaller gain in enterprise value. The report found that between 2017 and 2024, the total enterprise value of Paris tech firms grew just over five fold, outpacing London's 4.2 times over the same period. Paris's AI sector is emerging as a particularly powerful force, with nearly half of the city's $7.8 bn in funding last year going to AI, including standout rounds from Mistral AI, Poolside and electra. Meanwhile, London, four weeks ago, saw the collapse of one of its best-known AI unicorns, Builder AI, while earlier last month London-listed Deliveroo agreed the terms of a takeover by its larger US rival Doordash and fintech giant Revolut, three weeks ago, chose Paris as a base for continental European expansion in a blow to the city it was founded in. 'Deliveroo being snapped up is yet another painful example of a British success story bought out by a US giant', said Mark Pearson, chief executive of Fuel Ventures. He added: 'It's a clear signal that the UK is losing its grip on scaling and retaining its own tech champions.' Director of Station F, Europe's largest startup campus, Roxanne Varza, credits Paris's sharp rise to AI expertise and policy support, saying that the ecosystem 'has really accelerated over the last few years, largely due to the AI talent and a new wave of repeat founders'. She added: 'More international firms are building strong teams here because they're excited about the potential'. London continues to lead Europe in AI investment, with startups raising $3.5 bn last year, ahead of Paris's $2.4 bn, and Munich's $763m. Optimism also persists in deep tech and life sciences. Recently, BioNTech committed £1bn to a decade-long UK expansion, opening a new AI hub in London and research space in Cambridge. The investment, backed by government support is expected to create over 400 jobs. It is interesting to note — as mentioned above — that digital bank Revolut has chosen Paris for its fresh western Europe headquarters with a major one billion euros investment. The British-born fintech giant said it will create over 200 jobs in France, in what it calls the 'largest investment in the French financial sector in a decade.' The firm has also applied for a French banking licence, which it revealed at the 'Choose France' investment summit hosted by President Emmanuel Macron at Versailles. While London will remain its global headquarters, the move follows a series of tribulations in its UK business. The skyline of La Defense business district is seen behind the Eiffel tower in Paris, France. — Reuters Revolut finally secured a UK banking licence last year after a three-year wait that resulted in Nikolay Storonsky, the fintech's CEO, blasting the UK for its 'extreme bureaucracy'. Stronsky had previously dismissed the notion of a London listing for the firm as 'not rational' when compared to the liquidity offered in US markets. Meanwhile, Sid Jajodia, Revolut's chief banking officer, said new operations in Paris would put the company closer to its 'largest fastest-growing customer base.' Jajodia praised France's 'dynamic banking ecosystem' and cited strong regulatory framework as key factors behind the move. Officials in Paris celebrated the endorsement from the fintech giant. Augustin de Romanet, president of Paris Europlace, said: 'Revolut's strategic investment — as Europe's leading fintech — reinforces Paris' standing as a key financial centre, supported by a robust, innovative and forward-looking ecosystem.' He added: 'This choice reflects the strong momentum we are collectively building to strengthen France's economic competitiveness and international influence.'
Local France
22-05-2025
- Business
- Local France
Paris takes the 'tech city' crown from London
The British-born internet bank Revolut announced that it will set up its new European headquarters in Paris - a €1 billion investment which it says will create 200 jobs. The move was announce at this year's Choose France summit, hosted by Emmanuel Macron, and was just one of many multi-nationals announcing investment in France totalling €37 billion . It comes just days after a ranking of tech capitals placed Paris above London for the first time, citing a five-fold increase in the total enterprise value of Paris tech firms between 2017 and 2024, compared to 4.2 times in London. Advertisement London still outpaces Paris on raising venture capital, but French tech start-ups such as Mistral AI (which has produced a French version of ChatGPT know as Chat) Poolside, and Electra were instrumental in raising Paris up the rankings. The project has been a pet aim of French president Emmanuel Macron, who declared that he wants France to be 'the start-up nation', throwing his support behind the country's industry and infrastructure, including Station F - Europe's largest start-up campus, which is housed in a former railway station. Station F's Roxanne Varza, commenting on the 2025 Dealroom Global Tech Ecosystem Index , said: "Paris's ecosystem has really accelerated over the last 12-24 months, largely due to the AI talent and new wave of repeat founders. "The AI Action Summit in the beginning of 2025 also put France's ecosystem front and centre on a global level. The current geopolitical climate could also sway more talent towards France. "The funding environment is good and we continue to see more international funds building stronger teams to cover the French market. And the pro-business and pro-innovation government is attentive to what entrepreneurs need."
Ya Biladi
29-01-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
UM6P and STATION F join forces to boost Europe-Africa innovation
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is making a significant move by establishing a presence at STATION F, the world's largest startup campus located in Paris. The Moroccan university has secured a dedicated space with 40 stations to advance its NextAfrica program. This initiative is designed to support approximately twenty startups annually, focusing on the Greentech, Agritech, and Healthtech sectors, by fostering connections between European and African ecosystems. Announced on January 29, 2025, this partnership leverages a dual foundation: immersion in the vibrant Parisian ecosystem of STATION F and access to UM6P's extensive infrastructure in Morocco. The collaboration offers a blend of mentoring, financing, and strategic networking. Startups involved will gain technical support from UM6P's laboratories and establish connections with influential players across Africa, all while tapping into the dynamic European scene at STATION F. «This alliance embodies our ambition to connect the talents of both continents to meet Africa's technological and environmental challenges», stated Hicham El Habti, President of UM6P. Roxanne Varza, Director of STATION F, expressed enthusiasm for strengthening priority sectors such as Greentech and enhancing ties with Morocco, which is the third most represented country at the campus. Although the overall budget for the initiative remains undisclosed, NextAfrica is set to forge a sustainable entrepreneurial bridge. It aims to harness the scientific expertise of UM6P alongside the innovative spirit of STATION F. This strategy aligns with the Moroccan university's mission to nurture African talent and address continental challenges, while STATION F continues to solidify its status as a global innovation hub, already home to notable startups like Hugging Face and Alan.
