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Ikea and H&M launch competition to find small business stockists for new London store

Ikea and H&M launch competition to find small business stockists for new London store
Dan Martin
Dan MartinDan Martin Content & Events

Posted: Thu 7th Apr 2022

Retail giants Ikea and H&M have joined forces to mentor small businesses and give them the opportunity to sell their products in a new shop in Hammersmith.

Atelier100 is an incubator and store that will open in the London borough in May. It's the pilot for a collaboration between the global furniture and fashion brands to help creatives, makers and manufacturers grow their businesses and sell their products.

The store is based in Livat, the former King’s Mall shopping centre that Ikea franchisee Ingka Group took over and relaunched in February.

It is described as a meeting space for communities to come together and includes a pay-by-the-hour adaptive pop-up retail space for small businesses.

IKEA Hammersmith opening marks the start of a £1 billion investment in London to get closer to customers

From today, people with an existing business or an idea for one who live within a 100km radius of London are invited to apply for a place on the programme.

Twenty applicants will be selected and receive mentoring from design experts. They will also get a grant of between £1,000 and £10,000 with their products going on sale in the new store. Atelier100 will take a 25% commission on all products sold.

The product categories for the shop are home, fashion, lifestyle and culture. Entrepreneurs can apply here until 24 April.

The pilot will last for a year and if successful, venues will be developed in other cities around the world.

Marcus Engman, chief creative officer at Ikea franchisee Ingka Group, said:

"We are two creative and curious brands with closely-tied values and a shared aim: to find new and diverse ideas for the future.

"That's how the idea for Atelier100 came about. We want to disrupt the longstanding ways of reaching and engaging great talents. Through this proactive new initiative we hope to find, attract and develop the creatives of tomorrow."

Camilla Henriksson, global brand innovation manager at H&M, added:

"We see this as the start of a very exciting adventure. London is bursting with brilliant ideas and creative people, we want to meet these creators where they are. Opportunities in arts, entertainment and recreation have been the hardest hit by the pandemic.

"H&M and Ingka Group see this as an opportunity to engage directly with creatives and makers, to give them the visibility that they deserve and to support them in taking their business to the next level."

If you're an Enterprise Nation member who enters the competition and gets selected, we'd love to know! Email Dan to tell us.

Dan Martin
Dan MartinDan Martin Content & Events
I'm a freelance content creator and event host who helps small businesses and the organisations that support them. I'm also Enterprise Nation's Local Leader for Bristol. I have 20 years of experience as a small business journalist having interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs from famous names like Sir Richard Branson and Deborah Meaden to the founders behind brand new start-ups. I've worked for a range of leading small business publications and support groups, most recently as head of content at Enterprise Nation where I was responsible for the prolific output of content on the company's blog and social media. I now freelance for Enterprise Nation as the website's news reporter and as the host of the Small Business sessions podcast. I'm based in Bristol where I run and host regular events with the local small business community in my role as Enterprise Nation's Local Leader for Bristol. I also have strong connections with other major business organisations in the south west region. In total, I've hosted over 100 events including conferences with an audience of hundreds for international brands like Xero and Facebook and live web chats from inside 10 Downing Street. With my partner, I co-run Lifestyle District, a lifestyle blog focused on culture, art, theatre and photography.

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