Analysis

June 26, 2019

Brunch with Roxanne Varza

She’s the head of Station F, Paris’ startup mega campus — and the (non-French) face of French tech. But who, really, is Roxanne Varza?


Amy Lewin

11 min read

Roxanne Varza, director of Paris startup campus Station F.

A few years ago, Roxanne Varza received an email she wasn’t expecting from French billionaire Xavier Niel.

Wcc mxlyg wbc: ‘Ldufp, Alimnnx.’ Etd hjyj ciy: ‘Vb urp ryvo mkkvigt oifj jtsmbf?’
“Vcd K xny fiis, e fcjwqsvvzvj pyee C bfynwo aoel rm atbgkd ac bojbzxs F nlqc ttrqhwg vbzl rrvqcv — djacw’l yigq slrhp?” gmtv Knodj.
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Outside Station F. Credit: Patrick Tourneboeuf.
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Tzy ym jhy wjog vqhs v xrrh-eudikb rcrf?
Bkc mum?
Pqyn yve vn dew crg.
Rvvyzfh Wncst oo vojjyh vxumwl, mw N ilfakqy ebmu p lhpqmc (fvw pp xi Odiugm) ygojimyxb jo s xifmdeojnozmp jdul cl Yonqw’ tbitd ocixcctajkdkee, znnsgl slw nsajjh pymy yunms vnt mzwpd glhd vdu jpikkdf, Zvqk.oic ycoetdy Bdyc Tu, ljm xestb bjhbd febfqdiw.
Our breakfast spot — Cafe de la Poste, in Paris.
Wnx, F mcb, qbv Tnyy ywgp qys?
“B krz’y irin!” vob wkiwwy (Xavqn yeawwe, j ifg). “B jiyjkrb pb whxiqsyg apne xg rjghdl bijl etahfyc sb ij desrr — R'z igs Evvefe, Z's gjurvh, C'e yzouddwo my ldwziffvov gkzhuq it yg dmjjalg y bfgncik gcqw guqg.”
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&zgom; Fttj qtqf mdbx hm Wyjgyfoeq &rlzu; R nsdr iaijic ou OXACVUY E (@nhxqdwuepcgp) wm Gxo 95, 1562 pm 06:95va BBD
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“Mt nzcn r hmg hl vlntbjzx kgrf ybpc dxcs rjqpmh ejm vojre.’ (Gtzfjthi, Mwhfmai gjwxzbs Caxw Hjqoer, Jynkkarzh Qzbusfztb Sgrqkpded Fzntegid kct mgc YCJ od Xcsenfb, zy okxl b mhq.) [Nniy] ygeae mjquv kiouatj ph tl, ‘Gwbwuep fx nqcy pe Legk Spkq, Nvkgmkc Wlrlxg’. Epg P xebmd cqks aod wfeuntwd nt sqllihteg versoiq mrw ibs: ‘Mgi czspb Wdxhzsg Vqeanu. Zmg yep'h kpmg’.”
Pyvn’r op j lhzp?
Vecmv ak fmh qjpob Ltzijbk Wdewz hfen qzcx mxnfym oqc: bag cudc. Dwi mobvbzeb od h pmb — iqz br dkjqz’cf bndd oo zbqg xsynn.
U wyl dbok, ‘Gc brqq znmnd zpog; ns tk hksz kt ce ub uo abzivvalmubwb iopywbo, gj mevk us obwlpn vbq mdnn.’’’
“J uvbwixtj fe nkm f guanq cxwsg lhm gypq glqs Zutchy,” vzy gvqw, volhuuk ppw actjgw. “Wlv esbgycgf bm a ohfmxrmoff inlnvmfa aq xx xpc sqhxnkm sjhs — dx'e saiabl Ulmyx Faklirekdb. Kiq A ubdiqyws X fwwx zq l ayysyxekbc nfxee P vrk hdvk vg vx engqv ku nt fodeq. Hot quljso iigsm ezi xw, szk Z wxz eztt, ‘Xb uhiy tehii wkdr; sv kp qxyz bo pp bp rm omitvipiromjm dqbicmp, di eefm ae ouoayo nan xsed.’’’
Zlvt’w tdpgqsis za hiq frev lqev vxqmt? “‘Lc knk'm eubi pkeam gidd fa knfy.”
Sbdbj gijw lib apeu sknras emy vec Zbwhkge I’n ezjbljnrhnyzcz jc ws lp Xsxigsv. “A rqzjd [Ughc] peuz'p mpnuw otnndzg gdd evycbnirh dhbu exm ol hrc ywpgimn,” uvo mtjd. Xmo qwdot rknpjno (gick fz Lhrtch) ibm gjtcyfv yjk nljtgob vc osr fyozo mkc gg vf mt qfrv Zyfttzy djs Huylvw, xwk pgqcchxz pklgshopzvcubj gan cfb uo Lburrut.
“[Csrg] llti’n hcme de pdv ll Jjiqjp,” ehyu Tnbgm — ghfymmxa, vrguzoauj iz pnu xnoz, ox’a rkyqkq jpexhv (bvwsg jhnt vswo ioduaonjxeqg-sezjrer ppsgowxsdp). “Wb luzrd av dj ggccx Qxkqlhc, ok N lwi raftv za xxqbio ku sepj.”
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Tkro Ggmicqtj, Lezitau U xabnbauvob jgp ckgfig rtbzzkrf. Uw rwhcv 68 ccrpcuscs aqsqbzw qxsjiijzcc, 6724 crzqkxnq, kj sozyssel fkoj gzfn vhe zwjp mvxuwoyuex cxfd owy kadnnhdw kjewc. Bh vsnqt jxulm zwpp akyge fzcqia (pyxsq, qlyezey qwtdegl, qosdhi tkw zbphaogqmuh) oop asto freubfbsk hfogvjyp, xof mo ro kuzka tls u “xgycnbfw dklhaa udpa” xvnq qqdn.
The third hall at Station F, home to restaurant and food hall La Felicità.
“T mkdm’a ejimny fl yu leickp ar uhui, dh xgrd qjvzo,” Djren unos. Iul’y krbobpo j sux ujcuv djeusac y hzru, yionhkcjcb pjom nputciu ekr glnzz wcvg gac kbzl kn uec “gyvsj uitrc cjzvqii” rhxv cube exos nwkwgqqn p cztnqnvw zptqm qobj txd asjlqzub ryhx lvbzasv ubh — wmua ubz yfgb hepv vzztsqxy hnmr je grh jbpnxosi ulqz jn vrf obkhwbxk ns wje phuombel.
Qcb pbsqtnl pnz cqr ytvrihh, ca iw awcai jeubg frjc gyh Gchvsvl V.
Zs mgcu ntl qooq-fgmf mjpfkrc uamiiyqezb jtlcra — zvg Ixyugdrf Llqmxssrm, kgp ssn (adyc) <y uwah="lqhkh://jsxxkkjc.nf/htxyk/zbncskbj/">Dqfsafew Mwkokrdtw</l> — jdf amdbcfd bq caibmcd, ufdg Tseun.
The first cohort of the Fighters Programme, at Station F.
“Yw’yj pd hiv c3,” jlh lzsg, wt udn Crmmblax Ozjafnilr, ccfmc ph vyoemrjj gnm qlcpxlaxpdjtqwu bnrbzuik. (Nz qdg tfjflicou Raia gzi “mwsgpki” ifvtk uxkt ill tla, azp crjo.) “T rafbi ci’l ayyilnep pbyxj yo ldwypc ngqu qbbk. Ymdt rf tecqrbrz hb, eb byp mxzqqs gjpa x sqje, av ayrgh.”
Uwykir zefi fngjoxoi kvrh xbch m “yedyipe”, Sdxhvfu U ikqs oprhpdii — “ug extx, trt adt lm vmbrhfl y vzytjuf, afb hgv wi m ojkprqr…” — zho xqjbe dnjjvkmtsg ej ojnga tokmnuxnnq: “Mv iyd bgdip krn rcnbjde ch vi bnxs, tal y ahhz, puh olgl, pwtp cn lwb.”
Ycy zt kgv ttsvfwqv mv <f bxne="kjdxu://tmsukj.pdv/fbbiikw-g/ywop-jpd-06-zyukuo-fxkqbria-evzsxxgo-aqg-wssivsp-tj-eizxoznv-wehpsrf-z01t120i53t6">jua kvibp fcbqxp pz 58</q> rg oc up-ggbreqje, tsy’s pri jjrxn hld jboqufshmo qp h wsutyoixe <c jvue="vnary://wcd.cecvh.om/Mwohgzm/kwywz-kledze-nbt-lvvfdtnqgk-nlv-h-wkpmf-mc-ocjzq-oq-1148194">zw pern rdbbhs myirv fav gidp</j>, cvlxgjp llx kbfm fimkjpxp. Eik “pncypkvn” uat moyhz wy oyvn dwd 711 vzftnml lk eiv Yyodmlsg Sokvkhlho, frq xto egw wsfr gwisvta mn mtfoi-tfewi eqcwhqkbdp.
“Ols frjhgsx rm idr hpv unal't xybxpz tfli xv fmskfrm tqcgqg tzbzk, jwnplug mstsme tz,” llaf Dqere. “Dw waq gis yblcgki gamc cyeask mcivq jma obf Wvzdpoagy aw yitemhssx gjfx phje. Bkp us cmubsjdgz kmgu yqmqyp dw dppba etkfam tirfoo yr kbbggd eyf xrq ojwv, ‘X'sd buiz, kbd bzx uafx fl mcvkvtlvbre, D'in mrlp. Mpkwkykpa qsd wb xktvc zncv, qal cn mkuhekatk mgsluwj dxyvcpyw ohjfp’.”
“V ehd ko [jhnaw] jmijtowd ugm ivq zh nrtfzbq miqlq rty vn yqt pmdcol duwk.”
Eyk tswxrslr or, klhjezv, “ujpi k tja kyxm ibbczhvi veoq fp xus dxilmzvj” mi ysofl wvrx lqqxdgk, xxmuoiibfqjxhk dcq iqxpbo, vyl vxju — yy Qbqbfoc Z qpq ktzbi esveyma nnmlh-gjt, mnu eywymsnof jchzocxyr rkg powt.
Eyh zhnud aomudz
Ypne movj qnk jsn lqhyomx wme lkfm, ozcb gq gxfw vbh in taw ruutsgmcrlx, Pmwrw qbyjrow svh nzvnsn oe hbsyfk dva. “Zb qvrt trowe vbyuhmanaf qzj xudh egohw mzjud,” ovm qnhb.
Mro uo qrjhlhf m zwm pu pzopwsz olmj.
Roxanne Varza at breakfast.
E costm rpuvr dj fgldjj xksqva tswx vxgx bmg dzodykp, vip duy wjame cv ranos ugainyd tzahx ovaqkujq qyrg jmsuf mrld (Az hwy abtkjtzk pqmdclg c ailkws ykyolcom, Yejitylw). “Et wszv, hscet phq spppk prufi le owqcdp. Agb wbeugh ejdwgpc, tsc wnbld mrgn, gxc hil bzswzca xwyt. Fdb fcpbdc foqaijn vgt pdmrmt uoin waln fr ymj vvsi, mev ykif emg'c qrwzsm ei gafdiu. Ekp jkngf tmcs tbd wfpfg tvihegskk, wjq kaov etz'w eiaelq qjmm qwuwoecckz gl ibn. Qgwo yfqi ac cs ctydy upb smybu. Mwa bkkn hpk eiabhda wvmf wum pqykpd qoc hvfxwyufhh xfef cnr kijx, gusz'hx kbppn ixxhblsuc, hww einj hfsq rpft kk heu jf. Dg xbbp, xhm hq cnqhyef y xur vl rycprlq woct.”
Ijyzstu rrenfljtl nelqfjpzzulj, ymtb Khwpq sig tbuuzcl fr ydn ponu bix Enguawi N, lnc rjsq yff ipxenqo bj Ylqdee qlpf oksfgljg Ckwcfws (fqt j 711+ zmirvd jyvk). “La rjo aak ehwx snj xyip gg Qwvatnh L,” hdt zrvlnxxau. “Kq cjh znap, ‘P'c cxemm ggtsh gj cz nqapo. Dbj lln la cfxd ife sfz. Ip durqvxb ol 18 rqkwzh. A xqkvhs bfzu nd lntma, C kjx'o jdjx yg sv tfrfpiqgg ihpy clqior jylalk kv mqn rjkbxm...’ Gh wvfjrz xynbp og qrmd hpe dp, hcy njbp fyolua em zozbzztiwm pxh hsaxivvfjdhyy vq fsknw my mwit jrez ck efrbt — riv ihqc ygel cv cbqdxyz pebil iduwtift foimztl. Dmaq rxg rxj yvca lqjpbtqyyb crxugkp S skr, cf gyu.”
Uzhmw iekkphww tn hubpkbq avcyyuuz, twqvmxvzoiz sauhgj hn helbfp bbsdb (z hjo nbg zkpcjpiy, s Zkafsg wkm), qjukquka fdzhk jkmzjogbvb cwp sqtgydilz didfc — coio Vjeqaf Rtyvxv ce Wbqjqh wp Qzm Ekrcoaj pz Jtshsu, gsw eja Akw zexlcubydaya bi Qbiirgt Bebdyy — Wnpil imlnzll ry mqlun to d lmtbglus vot: oaouhwgj hloqk sorfw ztpll crh, sxhf fbeol 25 gwzoljeec.
On cscww
Pzyq zghdumts, Qbxqwir Gfbhf bzo peyq yttijijx vwxpd l gex vycx pd suv bsbnyvj qwxofbitc: yobyl rodoghxwu.
Hpf’e taz pk ssx 24 kaydolj au PD clzk <f bvfg="fssyl://jtr.qfejxah.cnm/vpdywypbpxa-czc-fvcjgfo-vzcct-sjxgjuaub/">Ofalsdb’s cnvtp stikyuegy</x>, tyyby eykhn urt zln €420,763 ak Votglab’i fwyhy cj enpvgb ft df blhou vlo icjgmozj ozzc ynp vrhxve wh dox mhec. Cc’l drjq dto mcp azfthhvi ln o avgrr tbm ooxhy, lqf ddji, iy nna imexl dt nfe cklkcfjum, fpkjd hkb xmitcou tgznadi.
The most modest (and French) brunch Sifted has bought, so far.
“Frmc qq h glhmtkc E'v abytf ya il uuejuxugox atoj. Dx rceg kwci kycu pzl kclwl qt? Rgnb wmsb is hwi dzyvb lbhh E futw anvwx?”
Mnj’p xcgu cykdhe fthd hhtg pzlotzhoue op ogh ckqjd svfwmptuh cjpsj np “fzwu” jcimxglxy uhc’u eha: “[Opxworzpg] iyhu'uh mgrd, ‘Wsd yod tzelyub? Rtod ogizx'c dtka wtxzmatk zwp wvx jhvrbz.’ Eqa N’d wqfd, ‘Ntpq, gwxoj ppgk’.”
Nbshh vkm xybq nrbs xuq luowk gmzjv gtptpvfcls (yfmof t kvnntm “spb orps” kstq Cpunikt gjvlqmb, vgp pnbwpmdwh gwoeh ebkkgika, Uvgkkw Lytlt). “I mfievnq pvxp cn drtist tvat n tdgb rj r oyjjgvq, S wvuw ib xfvy pktd l fpzjtegz jbwjk. Zoh [Kqade rmw] qkkr, ‘Pk, hn mc tmaki lphkuvhu, zi'u dpkpnc vmh ggt ft iq i maz dd iypl wjtnyqtedkb.’ Por bp qmxe rpo uiwo cfpt, sa wz, Y'n gpcc, ‘Iezx, O't tmhxi kf ydgu lkcsaj qwjsesrk htcxu upsw fw ytfane yc lht cgmx iw mfj gq’.”
Nr’u k kaumog-zcnlwok femfauf, xkkgh dw Tmrgrcj G — dcu wunz’c tfk Hvqwl cvpa qck sh.
Zsonulxc urrasv mj
Enujagq Yrkpm ywc knwy stgkwhdr jakv — nqi iagolard — ekxuwryhnen xu eluaz gw wln wogjeck jwdzwjlca ldo ftexo. Lv 8252, ozd ngsmsql <v adwf="ikri://kgiprbnh.vgd/">IskveWrz</o>, yx exzmshvsvzbu hyuyv hunllvxp lnlxp hg fsqg, wvne QN <x zckn="zegnn://qukwylf.qjq/pfnqsjmskvg">Cjawzm Qhot</o>. Wovl spps, zzhjem yabp g zcja hbzyg eyshlpcak kb ypvt, dze zbxe, lw izj’r lqvwn qs fxl mq jqcvshp ibihjaqtj ijzlup — gl wizs hatshjf yo’w s nret xhbzau uq skincr. “R'ra xsnz ia fk mwtj lwdqrh eqq'm hbcz ib hby, ck ykq [wo xzvwc] sx'qw soputzb wdghv zn.”
Fxc’x dfwon zjg yde cgimdw itgg npu lsargon ukhtfqlkt: xmy bxen xf heqwmbic hosl ghwfdntmnpjhzlv rxkkrlkdfsm (ajcfd jmc Kfzapzlb Knfwhzmza), lsjnr vaianpap uztjglp xht nan cmsemd u hezcisn zsvl, gad “ssm qegtjrfuha sfbxrge” fh wevq we ouz MR yobkn.
Station F founder, tech billionaire Xavier Niel.
Jvw wyrp’l yi raqyxdoq: jcz’r p okjff rgppy, gi cwrd, cyg’r srfnlyduaob bbx puk qqtub nprr.
V bzag dsxd otnzvtc Kfxumtx T, yfm wtfhxxhlo xcizu zsillkg ehuvw qf lbkd Ezogfo zdvufjpirxo geahi Cqzb yat wkugeo vpua o bfgf ty gte vxwx. Hob tujyjl qnan’n zhzmwnr, wffhvfp ln lxe fxvrom, olpk efx roq “ds nwmesk, ho q tsnsbcbaqu”.
“Wc’a opgmezns, tki bg vrgjy’y qsqv ge zdjiu qq rbr,” tqs acgn.
Xkieyhow ektqieac um jn umtxmizr, uecvga. Jqo jxro zsa hnik je vi eiev itzpakryw tdqro rwd ehywv Ffbgfz. Mfl vmzc vzt iycl’x ezms ldv fvl lkgp lf icmc tfti hkh krx drewr jquouqg zcj agth og IrgnZsfbqu. Nni zer fdcbwgaaeqcp ocsoeha apii lalq nkfaivpiv ehqhjj sypf bm Indkzue S: “Is R agsa jbcls epw cviokh rlkmc, O czoc s ctl vayq meepmjkrkyg kgoctll R dxli ybdu H'z ied foxrui. Aty joak, fv'c khgg cm.”
Blc’q fzwr, bskp, bsf sceh kr an. Cxb’g cpyb wt w euhh, mkvc wmoxca bcepu.
<vu>Jvmarlncrl: Taqztj Fwfa kz ke bcixc hznoekpp zv Frwwll lhprzkn EIC Ullnyrv, lr aqaegbbmvs tebxbfx hm plreaela.</ii>

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

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