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One of the advantages of holding the Olympics for the host nation is the opportunities the Games offer to both large and small entrepreneurs. However, the winning of contracts and the regulations surrounding the exploitation of the Olympics brand can be complex. These pages look at how businesses can pursue the opportunities opened up by London 2012, and draw attention to the intellectual property issues associated with the Olympics brand. We also use the British Library’s patent collections to demonstrate how sport has stimulated some bright ideas.

London 2012 - opportunities for your business

Business people on starting line [10KB]

Find Games-related contract opportunities.

Using sports mega-events to improve work in global supply chains

Factory worker [6KB]

Jill Timms of the Department of Sociology at LSE writes about the Playfair campaign for the rights of workers making Olympic merchandise and the goods supplying the 2012 Games.

The Olympics and intellectual property

Registered trade mark symbol [6KB]

The development of the Olympics brand, with links to the regulations, described by patents expert, Steve van Dulken of the British Library's Research Service.

Sporting patents for Olympians

Starting block patent [8KB]

Steve van Dulken shows off some sport innovations revealed through the British Library’s patent collections.

Sporting patents for Paralympians

wheelchair patent [8KB]

Steve van Dulken looks at sport innovations aimed at disabled athletes, revealed through the British Library’s patent collections.

Sports Industry Information Guide

Book [7KB]

Information on the business of sport as found in a wide range of sources held by, or subscribed to by, the British Library.

Help us to provide a research legacy for the London Olympics

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Related external resources

Steve van Dulken's Patents blog

Social sciences at the British Library

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