I agree as well.

I find it bordeline cringey to see how other countries try to imitate "SV culture".

it's one thing to be inspired by something, and no question we should all admire what SV has created. On the other hand, I dream of France creating products that reflect its own identity and culture. It's not like we don't have anything in the past ot get our inspiration from.

I wish we didn't try to become SV, but try to become our better self, so to speak.

I strongly agree. Nonetheless, many places aspire to be a second Silicon Valley, and it's certainly worthwhile pointing out how close or far away they are from that goal. In particular, those behind Station F probably want their project to develop in a SF/US-like direction.

It would be interesting to see if there can be a third way - an attractive location for startups with a culture that is open to entrepreneurship without being overly obsessed with quick unicorn money and without being entirely dominated by startups and VCs?

Being a nice city is not enough to bring money. And you need a lot of money to make the city stay nice.

Paris has been doing fine without money from tech for thousands of years thank you very much

Paris is a terrible city to live and work, unless you are there because of your job in financial/political institutions.

I don't know why the downvotes.. Very high rents for rather low quality (by the european standards). Long and unpredictable commutes, frequent problems on the overcrowded lines. Serious pollution: today the subway/metro was free of charge for everyone in order to encourage people to use the (already crowded) public transportation instead of cars to reduce the thick smog which accumulated over the city.

http://www.leparisien.fr/info-paris-ile-de-france-oise/trans...