How the British Library’s Business & IP Centre could help you
At every stage in the lifecycle of a business, entrepreneurs and business owners will have times when they need support and guidance.
We’ve been providing some of this support through Breakthrough since 2011, and now we’re working with the British Library’s network of Business & IP (intellectual property) Centres to make that support even more widely available.
Small businesses are the driving force of the UK economy. They are the largest employers, the innovators and the change-makers that are integral to a healthy and thriving nation. In recent years the UK has become recognised as one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business with a record number of new businesses starting every day and 10% of the working-age population being self-employed.
British Library BIPC Network Democratising Entrepreneurship report, 2019
Start-Up Day
Start-up Day is a day of free talks, expert workshops and tailored advice designed to get your business idea off to a flying start.
How to start-up your business on a shoestring
This panel is about How to start-up on a shoestring, with Alice Mayor, founder of We Built This City, Sam Colwill, founder of BathroomsByDesign and Pip Murray, founder of Pip & Nut, moderated panel with Santander.
Start up on a shoestring
Times have been tough recently. Whether you find yourself out of work, changing career direction, or just looking for a lift, we’re hoping we can help.
Starting a side hustle
Times have been tough recently. Whether you find yourself out of work, changing career direction, or just looking for a lift, we’re hoping we can help.
How to build your business without burning yourself out
This panel is about How to build your business without burning yourself out, presented by Dane Krambergar from Mind (Mental Health at Work Campaign) and Julie Deane OBE, Business & IP Centre Entrepreneur in Residence and founder of Cambridge Satchel Company.
Running annually since 2016, Startup Day is the BIPC network’s day long focus on all things startup. Over the year’s they’ve explored topics such as starting your business on a shoestring, starting a side hustle, how to look after your mental wellbeing, market research and many more. Startup Day 2021 will focus on green growth and sustainability.
For anyone who wants to learn more about the core principles and benefits of making their business sustainable, as well as keeping up to date on best practices, please take a look at the full programme of online events running throughout the day on Thursday 11 November Start-up Day - The British Library (bl.uk).
What support does a Business and IP Centre provide?
The British Library Business & IP Centre National Network provides entrepreneurs and SMEs across the UK with free access to databases, market research, journals, directories and reports worth thousands of pounds. There’s a programme of free and low-cost events and workshops on a range of topics including business planning, marketing and intellectual property, all delivered in the familiar surroundings of city libraries.
Business & IP Centres are physical hubs, providing shared workspace in existing library buildings, with manned reception desks and friendly staff on hand to guide people to the help and resources that they need to start and run successful businesses. The centres are uniquely placed to help people to protect and commercialise their ideas by giving them the skills, knowledge and confidence to do so in a trusted and accessible place, and anyone can walk into a centre to seek help or use the resources.
Through our collaboration with the Business & IP Centre network we’re able to help even more people and businesses prosper at the times that matter most to them and from the minute they have that first spark of an idea.
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