Roxanne Varza

Roxanne Varza (Persian: رکسانا ورزا; born 1985) is Director of Station F, a startup campus, the world's biggest facility of its kind, based in Paris, France where she is recognized as one of the most influential figures in the French startup ecosystem. The French media have called Varza the "young empress of startups,"[1], the "queen of tech"[2] and "the new pope of high-tech and startups in France."[3] An American-born French with Iranian origins, who grew up in Silicon Valley, Varza was formerly a journalist and startup ambassador before being personally selected by Free founder Xavier Niel to spearhead the development of Station F.

Roxanne Varza
Born
Palo Alto, California
NationalityIranian (1985 - ), American (1985 - ), French (2017 - )
EducationUniversity of California at Los Angeles, Bachelors in French/Francophone Studies, 2006

Sciences Po, Masters in International Affairs, 2010

London School of Economics, Masters in International Economics and Politics, 2011
OccupationDirector of Station F startup campus
Years active2015–present
Known forStartups
Notable workLed development of Station F
SpouseNing Li

Personal life

Varza was born in 1985 in Palo Alto, California, in a Zoroastrian family. Her parents emigrated from Iran in 1979 during the Islamic Revolution.[4] Varza obtained a bachelor's degree in French literature from UCLA, after an exchange year in Bordeaux.[5] She enjoyed reading great French authors and philosophers such as the playwriter Molière, poet Baudelaire, philosophers Voltaire, Rousseau and humanist Rabelais.[6] At UCLA, her professors include Alain Mabanckou, a French-Congolese writer, known in Paris as "the Samuel Beckett of Africa",[7] who won the Prix Renaudot in 2006 for his book Mémoires de porc-épic, a book that impressed her. In 2007, she joined Business France, then known as the French International Investment Agency. She advised Silicon Valley companies wishing to set up in France. Later, Varza decided to move to France for further studies. From 2009 to 2011, she pursued a dual degree between Sciences Po Paris and the London School of Economics, obtaining a master's degree in International Business and a degree in International Economic Policy.[4]

Career

Varza was previously the head of French Microsoft start-up activities, including Bizspark and Microsoft Ventures and currently serves as Director of Station F, a large startup incubator facility in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. Prior to working with Microsoft, she was part of multiple European start-up companies and was the editor for TechCrunch France, which she received a job offer from after writing the blog TechBaguette.[4] Her activities also include advising Silicon Valley corporations about opening in France.[5] She co-founded Girls in Tech Paris, Girls in Tech London, and was the founder of the website Tech.eu.[8] Girls In Tech organizes training courses in computer code writing for women.[9]

In April 2013, Business Insider ranked Roxanne Varza among the 30 most influential women under 30 in the technology sector. She is currently an Ambassador for the European Innovation Council for the years 2021-2027.[10]

In January 2017, she received French nationality.

References
  1. Figaro, Madame (2016-02-09). "Roxanne Varza, jeune impératrice des start-up". Madame Figaro. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  2. "See Roxanne VARZA'S activity on LinkedIn". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  3. JDD, Le. "Roxanne Varza, la nouvelle papesse du high-tech et des start-up en France". lejdd.fr (in French). Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  4. Boutin, Clement (May 3, 2016). "Who is Roxanne Varza, the queen of French start-ups?". Les Inrocks. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  5. Meil, Morgane (February 9, 2016). "Roxanne Varza, young empress of start-ups". Le Figaro. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  6. https://www.lesinrocks.com/actu/roxanne-varza-start-up-loveuse-de-palo-alto-a-paris-74430-05-03-2016/
  7. "Prince of the absurd", The Economist, 7 July 2011.
  8. Gilpin, Lyndsey (September 22, 2014). "Roxanne Varza: Entrepreneur. Microsoft France startup lead. Adoptive Parisian". TechRepublic. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  9. Provost, Gregoire (June 1, 2015). "Roxanne Varza: "You must know how to dare"". Marie France. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  10. "EIC Ambassadors (2021 – 2027)". European Innovation Council. Retrieved 31 July 2022.


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