Station F

{{Short description|Startup incubator in Paris}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox organization | name = Station F | logo = Logo STATION F.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert | logo_caption = Logo | image = Intérieur_de_la_Station_F_juin_2022_3.jpg | image_upright = 1.15 | image_alt =  | caption = | map =  | map_size =  | map_alt =  | map_caption =  | map2 = | abbreviation = | predecessor = | successor = | formation = 2017 | extinction = | type =  | status = | purpose = Business incubator | headquarters = | location = 5, parvis Alan-Turing, Paris, France | coordinates =  | region_served = | num_members = | language =  | general_secretary =  | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | key_people = Xavier Niel, Roxanne Varza | main_organ =  | parent_organization =  | affiliations = | budget = | num_staff = | num_volunteers = | website = [https://stationf.co www.stationf.co] | remarks = | former_name = | footnotes = <ref>{{cite web | last=Ghosh | first=Shona | title=A French billionaire is turning this huge, abandoned railway building into the world's biggest startup campus | website=Business Insider | date=2017-03-29 | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-station-f-billionaire-xavier-niel-paris-startup-incubator-2017-3 | access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=The ex-train station turned world's largest tech incubator | website=BBC News | date=2017-04-25 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-39705684 | access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Fagot | first=Vincent | last2=Cassini | first2=Sandrine | title=La Station F, " le plus grand campus de start-up au monde ", ouvre ses portes à Paris | website=Le Monde | date=2017-06-28 | url=https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2017/06/28/la-station-f-le-plus-grand-campus-de-start-up-au-monde-ouvre-ses-portes-a-paris_5152456_3234.html | language=fr | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Fagot | first=Vincent | title=La Station F inaugure son complexe immobilier | website=Le Monde | date=2019-06-27 | url=https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2019/06/27/start-up-station-f-met-la-derniere-touche-a-son-projet_5482104_3234.html | language=fr | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Le campus start-ups Station F inauguré ce soir par Emmanuel Macron | website=Le Monde Informatique | date=2017-06-29 | url=https://www.lemondeinformatique.fr/actualites/lire-le-campus-start-ups-station-f-inaugure-ce-soir-par-emmanuel-macron-68682.html | language=fr | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Griswold | first=Alison | title=Paris is pitching itself as the next-best thing for tech startups | website=Quartz (publication) | date=2019-07-03 | url=https://qz.com/1656317/station-f-in-paris-wants-to-be-startups-alternative-to-london-and-san-francisco | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Station F provides Paris with global start-up platform | website=Financial Times | url=https://www.ft.com/content/aac9d22e-dbd0-11e6-9d7c-be108f1c1dce | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref> }}

'''Station F''' is a business incubator for startups, located in the 13th arrondissement, Paris,<ref>{{cite web | last=Wright | first=Emily | title=Station F: the world’s largest startup campus opens in Paris | website=The Spaces | date=2017-07-03 | url=https://thespaces.com/station-f-worlds-largest-startup-campus-paris/ | access-date=2024-02-06}}</ref> near the François Mitterrand site of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.<ref>{{cite web | title=Station F | website=Paris je t'aime - Tourist office | date=2023-04-17 | url=https://parisjetaime.com/eng/pro/station-f-p2987 | access-date=2024-02-06}}</ref> It is noted as the world's largest startup facility.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Medeiros|first1=João|title=Station F, the world's largest startup campus opens in Paris|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/station-f|accessdate=21 August 2017|work=Wired|date=29 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Knowles | first=Kitty | title=Station F Is The World's Biggest Startup Incubator | website=Forbes | date=2018-05-02 | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kittyknowles/2018/05/02/station-f-is-the-worlds-biggest-startup-incubator-could-it-also-become-the-best/ | access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref>

Situated in a former rail freight depot previously known as la {{ill|Halle Freyssinet|fr}} (thereof the "F" in Station F), the {{convert|34,000|m2|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web | title=Station F: World's largest startup incubator opens in Paris | website=France 24 | date=2017-06-30 | url=https://www.france24.com/en/20170630-tech24-station-f-paris-startup-incubator-niel-pitch-french-touch-vaonis-stellina-chronocam | access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref> facility was formally opened by President Emmanuel Macron<ref>{{cite web | last=Alderman | first=Liz | title=Macron Vowed to Make France a ‘Start-Up Nation.’ Is It Getting There? | website=The New York Times | date=2018-05-23 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/business/emmanuel-macron-france-technology.html | access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref> in June 2017 and provides office accommodation for up to 1,000 start-up and early stage businesses as well as for corporate partners such as Facebook, Microsoft and Naver.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Agnew|first1=Harriet|title=Technology: Macron thinks big in his vision for French unicorns|url=https://www.ft.com/content/61c5f20a-81a8-11e7-a4ce-15b2513cb3ff|accessdate=21 August 2017|work=Financial Times|date=20 August 2017}}</ref>

In the first five years of its existence, it supported more than 5,000 French startups with 92.4% still in operation. Hugging Face was its first unicorn company.<ref>{{cite web | last=F | first=Station | title=Newsroom | website=stationf | date=2023-10-08 | url=https://stationf.co/news/hugging-face-becomes-the-first-station-f-alumni-to-hit-unicorn-status | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref> It is estimated that during these first five years, its companies raised more than 8 billion euros and directly created 47,200 jobs.<ref>{{cite web | last=| first=| title=Station F: 5 years of existence | website=France Alumni by République française| date=2017-07-01 | url=https://www.francealumni.fr/sr/news/station-f-5-years-of-existence-and-5000start-ups-supported-8003 | access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref>

==Building facilities== Station F occupies a building designed by French engineer Eugène Freyssinet. First opened in 1929, the former rail depot has been extensively remodeled by architects Wilmotte and Associates to meet the needs of small start-up companies.<ref>{{cite web | last=Wright | first=Emily | title=Station F: the world’s largest startup campus opens in Paris | website=The Spaces | date=2017-07-03 | url=https://thespaces.com/station-f-worlds-largest-startup-campus-paris/ | access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Station F by Wilmotte & Associés SAS | website=Architizer | date=2017-09-06 | url=https://architizer.com/projects/station-f/ | access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref>

As well as 3,000 desk spaces and private meeting facilities, the incubator also hosts a 370-seat auditorium and dining facilities open to the public.<ref>{{cite web | title=France's Big Pivot | website=Forbes | date=2018-05-01 | url=https://www.forbes.com/feature/france-macron-station-f-entrepreneurship/#5385b01c573a | access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref> Facebook's own Startup Garage in the building will host up to 15 companies on a six monthly cycle and represents the company's first physical space dedicated to startups.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Burgess|first1=Matt|title=More than 100 entrepreneurs sign up to help Facebook and Station F find the best startups|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/station-f-facebook-startup-garage-startups|accessdate=21 August 2017|work=Wired|date=1 February 2017}}</ref>

The campus also houses La Felicità, the largest restaurant in Europe, with {{convert|4,500|m2|sp=us}} from the Big Mamma restaurant group.<ref>{{cite web | title=La Felicità, the biggest restaurant in Europe, is opening its doors in Paris | website=Vogue France | date=2018-05-25 | url=https://www.vogue.fr/lifestyle/food/story/la-felicita-the-biggest-restaurant-in-europe-is-opening-its-doors-in-paris/2374 | language=en | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref> This giant food court comprises five different Italian eateries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/paris-big-mamma-la-felicita-cheap-pizza-restaurants-italian-biggest-europe-a8404286.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/paris-big-mamma-la-felicita-cheap-pizza-restaurants-italian-biggest-europe-a8404286.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=This is why Parisians are swapping haute cuisine for €5 pizzas|date=22 June 2018}}</ref>

== Partnerships == Through various partnerships, Station F has also accepted foreign startups, for example Swedish<ref>{{cite web | title=Fem svenska start-ups utvalda för att accelerera på den franska marknaden inom precisionshälsa | website=IT Hälsa | date=2023-11-09 | url=https://it-halsa.se/fem-svenska-start-ups-utvalda-for-att/ | language=sv | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Otmani | first=Malin | title=Six Swedish start-ups selected to accelerate in the French market | website=Nordic Life Science | date=2021-11-26 | url=https://nordiclifescience.org/six-swedish-start-ups-selected-to-accelerate-in-the-french-market/ | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref> and Korean.<ref>{{cite web | title=The HEC Incubator will host korean startups at Station F | website=HEC Paris | date=2020-04-27 | url=https://www.hec.edu/en/news-room/hec-incubator-official-partner-kised-will-host-korean-startups-station-f | access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref>

Station F has a number of corporate partnerships for start up programs geared for entrepreneurs. Partners include Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Zendesk.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stationf.co/|title=STATION F|website=STATION F|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-06}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Business incubators Category:Startup accelerators Category:Business incubators of France Category:Repurposed railway stations in Europe Category:Buildings and structures in the 13th arrondissement of Paris Category:2017 establishments in France