Introducing the new Fighters Program at STATION F
Today we’re relaunching the Fighters Program with a completely redesigned format to allow us to welcome 10x the number of Fighters on campus each year. As a core program at STATION F since 2018, we’re more invested than ever in supporting entrepreneurs from underprivileged backgrounds.
Many people remember our inauguration (aka “big fat launch”) on June 29, 2017 as the day we officially opened campus with wayyyyy too many people and President Macron on stage. But it’s also the day we announced a core pillar of STATION F — the Fighters Program. This program is designed for entrepreneurs that come from underprivileged or more atypical backgrounds; they may not have had access to the same resources and networks growing up, but entrepreneurial spirit runs in their veins just as much as (if not stronger than) the rest. We welcomed the first batch in January 2018 and have worked with nearly 100 startups in the program to date — including Reenbow (€2m raised), Oneflash (€3m raised), Fresh Afrika and more.
Bringing 10x Fighters to campus
Now after 5 years, we have decided to redesign the format of the program to better cater to the needs of the Fighters, but also massively grow the number of Fighters on campus. Over the last few years, we have had slightly less than 100 Fighters join the program. With the new format, we are aiming to welcome at least 1,000 Fighters (a 10x increase) to campus per year.
The new program
Just as with the new version of the Founders Program (that we released last year), the new Fighters Program is also divided into phases (or “Rounds” because we’re really leaning into the boxing theme for this one):
Round 1
This is a one-month warm-up exercise for anyone who considers themselves a possible Fighter with an idea. We will help you work through all the key topics you need to cover before you launch your company; for example, defining your business model, fine-tuning your customer-acquisition strategy, building your MVP, forming your founding team — and lots more.
Each week, there is a kick-off session on campus with a guest speaker followed by exercises to complete at home during the week. There is also an optional office hours session on campus at the end of each week. We designed this hybrid format for entrepreneurs who may not be able to commute to campus everyday.
At the end of Round 1, participants interested in moving to Round 2 will need to submit a complete pitch deck to be evaluated by other entrepreneurs on campus. Only select companies from Round 1 will make it to Round 2. We will be looking for participants that managed to build a solid deck and that have strong business potential — and who can benefit most from receiving further resources within the Fighters program.
Round 2
In this part of the program, we are seeking to help build the foundation of the companies presented in Round 1. The objective for companies by the end of Round 2 is that they are in a position to apply to one of our nearly 30 campus programs, ready with their MVP, team and some early traction.
Round 2 participants will have full-time access to campus for 5 months. Each week, they will meet key STATION F partners (including Microsoft, AWS, Cegid, BNP Paribas, Havas and more) and have access to certain workshops and resources from their programs. Participants will also need to begin properly building their companies (“It’s time to build!”).
Next stop: the big leagues
Now things get real: following Round 2, it’s over to the Fighters to pitch their companies to earn a place in one of our partner-led programs on campus. We’ll host a pitch date with participating campus partners, who will meet the companies to select the most promising companies that best align with their focus.
Fighters that make the cut will then continue their entrepreneurial journey with a helping hand (and the valuable resources and rolodex) of their new campus program. This new format has been specifically designed to dramatically increase the number of Fighters on campus, but also better integrate them into our existing programs as they mature in their founder journey.
We are targeting 1000 Fighters for Round 1 and 100 companies successfully going on to join partner programs. This means that 10% of our total campus residents will be Fighters (and this number can easily grow), up from maximum 3% today with the current format.
Are you a Fighter?
We never define specifics of what it means to be a Fighter — but we are looking for people who have come from difficult or underprivileged backgrounds. Fighters are people who haven’t had access to resources and networks, but have still shown resilience and strength. Examples of previous Fighters in the program include former prisoners, refugees, people without any higher education, former homeless people and more.
Round 1 applications now open
You have until May 1st to apply online here, with Round 1 starting late May.
