Station F

Station F is an iconic startup campus and incubator in Paris, often described as the world’s largest startup facility under one roof. Opened in June 2017 in a sprawling 34,000 m² renovated railway depot (the historic Halle Freyssinet), Station F was the brainchild of French telecom magnate Xavier Niel, who invested €250 million into its creation. Station F houses over 1,000 startups at any given time, spread across 30+ themed incubation programs run by corporates, universities, and venture funds. These programs range from Facebook’s Startup Garage (focused on data innovation) to HEC’s Incubator, Zendesk’s Accelerator, and Niel’s own Founders Program for early-stage companies. Startups at Station F benefit from unparalleled infrastructure: 24/7 coworking space, meeting rooms, an on-site makerspace (for hardware prototyping), a massive cafeteria (run by Big Mamma), and even a dedicated investor zone where VCs hold office hours. The campus also features La Felicità, a public food market that doubles as an event space for community gatherings and tech conferences. As an ecosystem hub, Station F offers a rich support system – mentorship from successful entrepreneurs, free cloud credits from partners, and a resident French Tech Visa office to fast-track international founders’ immigration. The impact of Station F on French tech has been huge: it broke down silos by co-locating diverse players and attracted foreign entrepreneurs to Paris (through initiatives like its Fighters Program for underprivileged founders). By 2023, Station F alumni include Doctolib (e-health unicorn), Agricool (urban farming startup), and Shippeo (supply chain platform). The campus has also hosted President Macron’s tech summits and global delegations, becoming a symbol of France’s startup renaissance. During COVID-19, Station F pivoted to online events but is now back to full capacity. With a new residential co-living extension (Flatmates) nearby, Station F aims to not just incubate startups but nurture a 24/7 entrepreneurial lifestyle. In summary, Station F stands as a monumental bet on innovation – a physical “mega-incubator” that has firmly placed Paris on the global startup map.