The regional UF fair opened on Thursday in Linköping, featuring 270 companies, which is significantly more than the previous year. According to SVT Östergötland, Elma Markström, project leader for Ung Företagsamhet Östergötland, attributed the increase to having a larger venue this year, allowing space for everyone. This growth highlights the rising interest in youth entrepreneurship through the UF program, which provides an opportunity for young people to create their own companies, often as part of high school education.
Young entrepreneurs have started companies selling items like hair clips made from recycled spoons, board games set in Östergötland, and selected second-hand clothes. According to SVT Östergötland, Olle Nygren, a UF company member from Krisredo UF, described the fair as a fun and good sales opportunity. In Östersund, future entrepreneurs in the county gathered at Kärnan to showcase and sell their products and services.
It feels very fun. It's a good sales opportunity.
According to Aftonbladet, young creative entrepreneurs showcased their products on Storgatan. According to SVT Jämtlandsnytt, Ebba Wahlberg, a UF company member, described one product as a storage for various items, such as a phone, keys, and gym card. In Luleå, the company 'Vart är vi på väg' won this year's UF company award and will represent Norrbotten in the national UF championship in Stockholm at the end of May.
The winning company is a 'På spåret'-inspired quiz game about Norrbotten, created by high school students in their third year of the Economics program in Luleå. According to Kuriren, Molly Norström, Filippa Wedegren, Bianca Bolin, and Ella Lindfors, members of the winning UF company, described feeling super proud both of themselves and the product. Preparedness is an issue picked up by several UF companies, according to official sources.
It is a substantial increase. The reason is that we have a larger venue this year and can offer everyone a spot.
According to SVT Östergötland, Tuva Moberg, a UF company member, described how an evacuation drill at their school led to a realization that they didn't have enough articles to save lives, inspiring their entrepreneurial focus. The selection criteria for this award have not been detailed, and it is unclear how many total UF fairs occurred across Sweden on this Thursday or their exact locations. Beyond general descriptions, specific products or services showcased at UF fairs in Gävleborg, Jämtland, Småland, and Kristianstad have not been fully detailed.
According to SVT Gävleborg, Sandra Henriksson, an 18-year-old UF company member, described the challenge of lacking work experience after high school, while Gusten Norling, a 17-year-old UF company member, noted the need to open up more job opportunities due to high application rates. The total number of participants or visitors at each UF fair mentioned in the sources has not been confirmed, leaving gaps in the overall impact assessment.
We did an evacuation drill at our school and then we felt that we didn't have enough articles to save lives.
It is a storage for various items, phone, keys, gym card.
It is not so many who have several years of work experience when they finish high school.
You have to open up more job opportunities, there are many who apply for jobs but don't get any.