Facebook is joining the Station F startup campus in Paris, France, aiming to open a Startup Garage for 10 to 15 data-driven startups.
Station F aims to serve as the world's biggest startup campus and it will house a whopping 3,000 desks for all sorts of technology companies. Facebook will be one of the launch partners for Station F and COO Sheryl Sandberg went to France to make the official announcement.
Station F
The ambitious Station F campus stretches over 366,000 square feet and aims to house a massive startup ecosystem on its premises. The facility is set to open on April 1, 2017 and partners can rent desks for €195 (roughly $208) per month.
The tenants at Station F will include a FabLab hackerspace, venture capital firms, as well as corporate partners such as Facebook and others. Moreover, Station F is also renovating two nearby buildings to use them for subsidized housing for 600 people associated with the campus.
Facebook Startup Garage At Station F
Facebook's Startup Garage will occupy 80 desks out of the 3,000 desks Station F will be offering. The social media company will be working directly with 10 to 15 data-driven startups every six months, allowing them to tap the experience and expertise of Facebook engineers.
"The 'Startup Garage' will accompany the growth of startups independent who will contribute to the economy of the data," reads a translation of Facebook's announcement.
"Thanks to this significant investment, several groups of 10 to 15 start-ups will be welcomed for 6 months each."
Facebook Startup Garage Accepting Applications
Facebook is accepting applications for its Startup Garage at Station F, allowing startups to register for a chance of working with Facebook.
"We're thrilled to be a founding partner and start the Facebook Startup Garage here," Sandberg said. "My guess is that we're going to learn even more from working with you than you working with us."
A Station F announcement on Medium also points out that although Facebook has long supported entrepreneurship globally, it has never invested into a physical space up until now.
Come April, Facebook's 80 Station F desks will be at mezzanine, located near the entrance. The company has already placed a Facebook logo on site, in anticipation of the grand opening.
Potential Acquisitions
As previously mentioned, Facebook will work with 10 to 15 startups at a time, taking up a new batch every six months. The company will offer weekly workshops and Facebook engineers will share their wisdom with young startups to help them grow.
This program will likely lead to some deals in the future, as Facebook will surely spot at least one startup that would make a good acquisition. Facebook will not take any equity in the startups that take part in this initiative, but the collaboration will nonetheless allow the social media company to develop talent and spot potential acquisitions in the early stages.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, meanwhile, welcomed the ambitious initiative and highlighted that Paris already had its appeal, but Brexit made it even more attractive.
Facebook already has a few startups on board with Startup Garage, and it's accepting applications until Feb. 28.
