The support of the annual UF (Young Enterprise) fairs have long been close to our hearts at Steen & Strøm.

The support of the annual UF (Young Enterprise) fairs have long been close to our hearts at Steen & Strøm. Supporting Ung Företagsamhet is an important part of our CSR work, and by hosting the fairs in our shopping centers, we can offer young entrepreneurs a real retail arena where they can test their ideas, meet customers, and gain hands on experience in running a business. This year, Emporia in Malmö, Marieberg Galleria in Örebro and Kupolen in Borlänge together welcomed 2,600 young entrepreneurs from 800 UF companies. The fairs brought energy, creativity, and a boost in visitor numbers – clear signs that our visitors appreciate meeting the young business talents and discovering their products and services.

Our centers give the UF companies the opportunity to practice sales, merchandising and customer interaction, while adding an inspiring and lively element to the daily shopping experience.

Trends from this year’s fairs

Several clear themes emerged across the fairs: • Sustainability was a major focus among the UF companies at Marieberg Galleria. • According to Emmie Nilsson from Ung Företagsamhet Skåne, a strong trend this school year has been social and board games – ranging from card decks and quizzes to “get to know each other” games. • Nationally, business ideas linked to AI and innovation have grown significantly. • At Emporia, the most prominent themes included upcycling, locally produced goods, innovation-driven concepts, and food & beverage products.

The UF fairs continue to be a valuable platform – for the students who get to test their entrepreneurship in real life, and for our centers, which benefit from increased activity and an enriched visitor experience.