Startups In Paris

 
 

Vocabulary

app	reality	suggestion
earn	available	conference
entry	afraid	entrepreneur
refer	gather	(co) founder
tax	fan (2)	square meters
ideal	boom (2)	according to
depot	used to	custom-made
fund	dynamic	auditorium
scene	workspace	capital (3)

 
 
 

Video: Startups in Paris

 
 
 
 

Transcript

Creating your own reality with a smartphone. An app makes it possible to enter your favorite locations, like cafes and restaurants, and share them with friends — a world map filled with personal suggestions.

Sebastian Caron wants to earn money on it.

Sebastian Caron, Startup Founder: If you’re in New York for example, and you don’t know the right addresses, just refer to your friend’s entries, what they know and can suggest.”

Caron is one of the first young entrepreneurs to move his company to the Paris campus of Station F. More than one-thousand IT startups should be moving into the former train depot in the future.

In addition to the three thousand work spaces, there are conference rooms and an auditorium.

Internet businessman, Xavier Niel, has invested €250 million into the project and has interested partners in Facebook and Microsoft.

Xavier Niel, Station F Investor: “So here we are in the first hall. It’s called the A Hall. All the services are gathered here. There are 10,000 square meters on three floors.

Services, what does that mean?

It means there is the French tech. There’s a post office. There’s a tax center. We are in France; I mean there are all the necessary things to help create companies.”

The startup scene is booming in Paris. In the last year alone, young companies have received around two billion euros in startup money. The city is considered one of the first addresses in Europe, although France is not an ideal company for startups.

That’s according to Arthur Ho, cofounder of the company Estis, which produced custom-made high-quality furniture for a small price.

Arthur Ho, Estis Co-Founder: “In France, people are not used to the idea of a startup. It begins when you are looking for employees. Many are afraid they can quickly lose their job.

And by the time state funding is available, the product has already been developed.”

Ho is a fan of the Station F Project. It gives more support and attention to young businesses.

Arthur Ho, Estis Co-Founder: “France’s economy needs startups. We are very dynamic and we have new ideas for new service offers and products every day.

That’s what you need to develop the economy. It’s important to support startups.”

He’s now searching for new capital for more furniture. Station F is the perfect workspace for him.

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Questions

1. What does Sebastian Caron’s app do? How does his app work?

2. Station F is a startup center for new enterprises. True or false?

3. Is the station a newly built place? What does it feature?

4. Did the government invest and develop Station F?

5. Over the years, has the startup scene in Paris been increasing, decreasing or remaining the same? Is there a strong startup culture and tradition?

6. Startups can contribute the economy. Is this right or wrong?

7. Can startups grow themselves or do they need funding and captial?

 
 

A. Is there a startup area in your country? What is happening there?

B. My friends and I have many ideas for startups. Yes or no?

C. Should startups be supported and financed? Where should the money come from?

D. Is there a large pool of skilled and talented (young) people that startups can tap into? Where do they come from or where do they get their training and education?

E. What will happen in the future?