Startups are all the rage right now, and yet 90% of them fail. Are we making a disease out of it? Startups are “growing” like mushrooms without there being an ecosystem to support them… Isn’t that crazy?

It all depends on where you look. There are certainly places in the world that have moved too fast in terms of their ecosystem and that were not yet mature enough to absorb all of this. In France, Station F arrived at the right time with its opening in 2017. If we had done it 10 years earlier, it would not have worked the same way. Finding the right time is therefore essential. Then, there is the whole generational issue. The average age here is 30. Most of them were executives in large companies before turning their backs on them because they no longer recognize themselves in them.

The entrepreneurial world has become a means of expression. To express yourself today, you can create an association, an information sharing site or a company. There are also many startups at Station F that are hybrids between a startup and a non-governmental organization. I am thinking of Konexio , which offers digital classes to refugee populations in France. There is also MeetMyMama , which brings together Moroccan, Afghan and Indian mamas who have exceptional knowledge, particularly in cooking. They are therefore paid to provide a catering service for large companies.

Everyone is looking for the recipe for what makes a successful startup. What is Station F’s recipe?

First, we never claim to say that those we don't select won't succeed. It's important to emphasize this, because we use a file to sort through them. We also told ourselves before opening that we wouldn't achieve anything alone. So we created programs from scratch, but we also looked for them from partners like Microsoft, Facebook or Ubisoft. In the same place, we therefore have specialists in AI, video games, data, cybersecurity and each program category has a network that the other doesn't have. Our partners choose their own startups, but must also give workshops for all of them. Our recipe is to say to ourselves: no team knows everything. We need to be supported by the best and have them in the same place.

If you had to name just one startup that represents Station F, which would it be?

There is no typical profile, but two weeks ago we published the 30 best startups that have 30 different entrepreneurial profiles. Among those that really stand out, there is our Fighters program , which consists of supporting entrepreneurs who do not fit the archetype. Often, they have not studied and have not been involved in influence networks. We select between 10 and 15 startups that can benefit from Station F for free for a year. We mix them with the other programs. They are still very young compared to others, but have projects that we would not have elsewhere. They have other ideas, other experiences that are transposed into the project they are carrying out.

I think of Fofana Tally who spent two years in prison for car theft. When he got out, he said to himself: I have skills that I need to use differently. So he developed a car anti-theft device. His company is called DigiTall Paris and he is at the stage of building his team and finding funding.

Being in the front row of tomorrow's businesses, you certainly have an idea of the major trends that will mark the entrepreneurial environment in the future. What are they?

There are several entrepreneurs who are tackling older, more traditional sectors. I'm thinking of the funeral and insurance sectors in particular. The startup WiLov , for example, is revolutionizing car insurance by suggesting that you only pay when you drive and not annually.

There are companies that are tackling mass data collection. It sounds scary when you say it like that, but we have what we call "positive scrapers" who take data from everywhere and turn it into a hyper-positive service for consumers. I'm thinking of cozycozy.com , a price comparison site founded by serial entrepreneurs that helps you find the best vacation rental opportunities.

There are others who are tackling large groups in terms of their digital transformation. How do we transform sales, culture in human resources or marketing? There are also many wellness startups, a "happy tech" phenomenon.

There are those who generate positive networks. We often talk about the harmful effects of networks like Snapchat or Instagram. Many are working on creating the best network, the best environment. I am thinking of Colonies which is transforming the way of living in the city. Living in Paris can be very lonely and unaffordable. With this service, it is possible to live in a place shared with other users and have a network phenomenon.

Latest trend: startups that blur the boundaries between digital and real. Mimesys allows for mixed reality teleconferencing with holograms. In other words, their technology allows you to see your remote collaborator in hologram. And it's a startup that has just been acquired by the Florida company Magic Leap.