For UP, this move is a natural step. The agency already works with several large West Coast clients and has long been active in technology, life science, and health. Setting up in Palo Alto gives the team a local anchor in the heart of Silicon Valley, while still staying true to UP’s roots as a Nordic-founded company.
UP founder Julian Stubbs met with members of the West Coast team at the new space. The conversation ranged from how to support existing clients to what opportunities lie ahead. For a business that runs with globally distributed teams — people collaborating seamlessly across Stockholm, London, San Francisco, New York, and beyond — the Palo Alto hub adds something extra: a physical place to gather, spark ideas, and meet clients face-to-face when needed.
Palo Alto was chosen because it’s a natural fit. With its deep connections to technology, life sciences, and health, the city mirrors the sectors UP specialises in. And being part of the Nordic Innovation House connects back to the agency’s Swedish heritage, while opening doors to some of the most exciting innovations happening on the planet right now.
UP has always operated as a global, cloud-based agency, but the opening of the Palo Alto hub signals a new emphasis on the United States, especially the West Coast. This is where many of the world’s most dynamic ideas are being born, and it’s an environment where UP’s combination of creative storytelling, brand strategy, and scientific understanding can really add value.
As Julian puts it:
“Our expansion into Palo Alto signals a new focus for us. The United States — and especially the West Coast — is a natural fit for UP THERE, EVERYWHERE. With our expertise in tech, life science, and health, and our heritage as a Nordic company, Palo Alto feels like home. This hub gives us a base to grow our team, deepen our client partnerships, and continue building the innovative, next-generation marketing agency our clients need.”
The opening of the Creative Hub is less about having an “office” in the traditional sense, and more about creating a place where people can connect. UP has always believed in running globally distributed teams — bringing together talent wherever it lives — and that won’t change. What Palo Alto adds is a sense of presence in a region that thrives on energy, ideas, and collaboration.
As the agency looks ahead, the goal is simple: to support existing West Coast clients even better, to grow the team, and to be part of telling the stories of innovation that are shaping the future.
The agency also recently opened a new Creative Hub in Cambridge, UK.