Station F has established itself as the largest incubator in the world. It is also one of the most dynamic. It has hosted a number of successful startups, such as Jump, Ulysse, Greenly, Yuko, Luko and even 900.care. History, accelerators, programs, restaurants… We tell you everything you need to know about this immense anthill based in Paris!
Incubator vs accelerator: what’s the difference?
Before starting to read this article, it is important to understand the difference between an incubator and an accelerator, two systems which are intended to support project leaders and entrepreneurs. You should also know that there are several possible spellings for the word “startup”. If most dictionaries recommend using “start-up”, we preferred the English version which is most used in everyday language: startup.
An incubator is a program or center that provides resources and services to start-up businesses, such as shared workspaces, consulting and financing opportunities. The objective is to support companies in their development and growth. In general, incubators, like Station F, offer you programs whose objective is to help you get your project off to a good start. The largest startup campus in the world also gives you the opportunity to be put in touch with business angels, partners or other entrepreneurs who can help you.
An accelerator, on the other hand, is generally more focused on accelerating business growth, providing intense mentoring, personalized support, funding opportunities and networks of contacts to help companies reach their potential growth more quickly. Accelerators are often focused on specific areas, such as technology or biotechnology.
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The history of Station F
Station F is an incubator for startups, located in Paris, which opened its doors in 2017. It was founded by Xavier Niel, French entrepreneur and billionaire, who began to imagine this project in 2013. It was in 2014 that he then decided to buy a former post office building of 34,000 square meters and began working on transforming it into a workspace for startups. The construction of Station F was a complex and expensive process, which required the complete renovation of the old post office building.
The objective of Station F was to create a coworking and support space for startups. The ambition was to allow start-ups to benefit from a flexible working environment and quality services, while offering them the opportunity to connect with other companies and entrepreneurs. The world’s largest incubator includes coworking space, meeting rooms, training rooms and breakout areas, as well as services such as legal and accounting advice.
Station F opened its doors in July 2017, becoming the largest coworking center in the world. It now hosts more than 1,000 startups and has been hailed as a symbol of the innovation ecosystem in France. It has become one of the main meeting places for entrepreneurs, investors and opinion leaders in France and around the world.
Today, Station F is made up of three separate halls. The first houses the incubators of large groups and business schools, the second is dedicated to research laboratories and experimentation. It is a place closed to the general public. The last one hosts the restaurant “La Felicità” of the Big Mamma group. Station F is currently managed by Roxanne Varza, director of the institution.
Who financed Station F?
The Station F project is the fruit of the imagination of a single person. He is also the sole investor and founder of this place: Xavier Niel. The objective of the mayor of Paris and the businessman was to make Paris the central place for entrepreneurship in France, but also in Europe. To do this, Xavier Niel spent several million euros.
How much does Station F cost? The creation of this incubator required an investment of 250 million euros, money put on the table by Xavier Niel. This investment was 100% made by NJJ, the entrepreneur’s holding company which allowed him to make numerous investments in Tech, digital and education, like theSchool 42.
Where does the name “Station F” come from?
What is the origin of the very particular name of the largest incubator in the world? The name “Station F” comes from the historic location of this space in Paris. It is located in a former post office building which was known as “Halle Freyssinet” or “Halles Freyssinet”, in reference to the engineer Paul Freyssinet who designed the building in 1922, to serve as a postal sorting center . The name “F” therefore refers to the initial letter of Freyssinet.
The Station F logo
The Station F logo is inspired by the architecture of the building, which is a historic Art Deco style building. It represents an element of the facade of the building, a relief frieze which crowns the entire hall. This frieze is a symbol of modernity, innovation and avant-garde, which reflects the values of Station F as an innovative incubator.
Business schools at Station F
At Station F, only three Grandes Écoles of Business have the chance to be present at Station F and to host an incubator there: HEC Paris, EDHEC and INSEAD. They all opened their incubator between 2017 and 2018. Other institutions are also present in the premises of this giant incubator, such as École 42 which opened a branch in 2017, with the creation of this unique place, CentraleSupélecLes Ponts ParisTech or Télécom Paris.
The strengths of Station F are of course its central location in Paris, its dynamic environment and the programs offered to startups and entrepreneurs, which allows students to benefit from a unique professional experience and to connect with the ecosystem of innovation.
If startups can benefit from Station F’s services, they can also benefit from personalized support from schools in the development of their project. Interviewed by us in 2021, Justine Soudier, in charge of managing EDHEC Entrepreneurs, explained that “ our startups benefit from around forty hours of coaching every month and an à la carte program thanks to our 200 experts who can support them on various subjects: financing, growth, fundraising, etc. They are free to choose the resources they need. »
The incubators of the largest startup campus in the world
Within Station F, several large groups have decided to deploy programs or incubators. We find:
- LVMH (Luxury)
- Startup Garage Paris from Facebook (Data)
- BNP Paribas (FinTech & InsurTech)
- Ubisoft (Gaming)
- THALÈS (Cybersecurity)
- Media Lab TF1 (Media)
- L’ORÉAL (Beauty)
- Microsoft (GreenTech)
- Cegid data Lab (Data)
- ShakeUp Factory (FoodTech)
- HAVAS (AdTech)
- ICM (MedTech)
- TotalEnergies On (Electricity)
- Binance Labs (Crypto & Web3)
- HECTAR (AgriTech)
- Entrepreneur First
- City of Tomorrow (Smart City)
- Moove Lab (Mobility)
- Space Green by Naver / Line (Digital)
- Schoolab
- Slack (Future of work)
- 212 Founders by CDG Invest
Station F programs
Station F offers many programs accompaniment. We find Launch by Station F, a 100% online program which allows you to familiarize yourself with entrepreneurship and master all the subtleties of this subject.
Founders Program 2.0 is Station F’s iconic program. It provides both modules to raise awareness of entrepreneurship, but also support and a significant number of resources to help you successfully launch and develop your project.
Fighters Program is primarily aimed at entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is also a social opening system since startups who apply are entitled to free personalized support for a period of one year.
Finally, FemTech Program aims to respond to the important issue of women’s health. IF you apply for this new six-month program, you will be supported by around fifty experts dedicated to this subject. You will also have access to a certain number of resources around the theme of women’s health.
Station F also launched two-day international programs. The objective? Allow partners to reproduce the initiative led by the world’s largest incubator in other countries around the world. His name? Immersion Program.
In addition, Station F has signed partnerships with a number of companies, such as the one signed with PayFit and Qonto which offers a connection between these startups dedicated to payment and human resources, and the entrepreneurs of this incubator.
How to integrate Station F?
You want to join Station F. For this, there are several access routes. Some incubators recruit on their side with a specific process. For programs offered by business or engineering schools, it is possible to apply as long as your project is led by at least one student or alumni of the establishment.
Concerning the Station F programs and in particular the Founders Program 2.0, the procedure is quite simple: you just have to create an account, then fill out a form. This should contain a whole bunch of information about your project: website, collaborators, a pitch or a presentation of your project, a photo of your product… Be careful, as you can imagine! This process is very selective and few places are available to join this large campus.
The arrival of Big Mamma’s restaurant at Station F
One of the news items that marked and boosted the popularity of Station F was the arrival of Big Mamma’s restaurant called La Félicità. This huge hall dedicated to Italian food can accommodate up to 1,000 people and houses corners dedicated to burgers, pizzas, pasta or ice cream.
The idyllic setting and the numerous activities offered (karaoke, DJ, Christmas market) make this iconic place a food court very popular with Station F entrepreneurs, but also tourists and residents of Paris.
