We cover a lot more ground.

Here are some actionable takeaways for the government and startup incubators.

Full interview: entrepreneursnetwork.substack.com/p/startup-ve...

We also discussed the value innovators can add when in government.

It needs people who have been in the private sector and worked on the ground. They understand the ins and outs of the impact policy decisions have on companies.

There is a possibility that AI regulation will impact innovation in Europe. At the same time, it might give an opportunity for climate tech to thrive and for Europe to lead.

I couldn’t resist asking what Roxanne has been hearing from the French tech ecosystem about the impact of the EU AI Act.

Since this spring, Roxanne has been part of the team preparing the next AI Summit in France. I asked what lessons she has learned from that experience so far.

We dive a bit more into France’s approach to scale-up funding.

Station F has made a big contribution to turning the French startup ecosystem into something very identifiable. But it hasn’t done this alone. The government has played a key role.

I asked Roxanne about the role governments can play to stimulate the ecosystem.

Station F is highly international. There are 65 different nationalities on campus!

But its ambitions go beyond attracting foreign-born founders.

Anyone following Station F knows how dynamic it is. It always has a hackathon, workshop or talk on.

It’s already doing a lot, but I asked Roxanne if she sees any opportunities that are still untapped.

What is it that sets Station F apart?

🏗️ Scale
🏡 Startups, corporates, universities under one roof
🌐 Strong links with the wider ecosystem
🤝 Partnerships with brands founders want to work with
🪩 Value add to the ecosystem beyond multiplying startups
🌏 International strategy

Station F incubates many startups. Over 7 years, 7,000+ have passed through it, and several unicorns have emerged. In 2023, its companies raised €1bn, about 15% of France's total funding.

But the French ecosystem existed before. I asked what difference Station F has made.