British Library’s Business & IP Centre celebrates 20 years

• Since 2006,the British Library and its nationwide network of BIPCs have supported more than 300,000 people, helped to launch 68,800 businesses and create an additional 28,300 jobs, with every £1 of public money invested in the service contributing £6.63 to the UK economy.
• A special event celebrating the 20th anniversary – Start-up, Start Here – will be taking place at the Library on 3 March and will feature live discussions from several expert speakers, including Martha Keith of Martha Brook stationery and the Business Secrets Club, leadership coach Rasheed Ogunlaru and Alison Lewy MBE of Fashion Angel.
• Throughout March, BIPC hubs in libraries across the UK will host their own Start-up, Start Here days, including in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Nottinghamshire and Southampton.

The British Library’s Business & IP Centre, the UK’s first business hub of its kind, will mark its 20th anniversary this year. To celebrate the milestone, the Library will host Start-up, Start Here on 3 March with an all-day event at its St Pancras site. Since its foundation in 2006, the Centre – which now operates as a network of over 70 hubs inside central and local libraries nationwide – has supported over 300,000 people and helped launch 68,800 businesses. Providing aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with free access to industry-leading tools, resources and mentorships, the British Library’s Business and IP Centre is driven by the mission that entrepreneurship is for everyone. 

Start-up, Start Here

Hosted across the British Library’s entrance hall and Business & IP Centre, the free event puts the spotlight on start-ups. Starting at 09.30, the day’s programme of live interviews, panel discussions and more includes:

• Best Business Lessons: BIPC experts Alison Lewy MBE of Fashion Angel and leadership coach Rasheed Ogunlaru reveal the real-world learnings and insights about what makes a business truly successful.
• Meet the Experts: visit the British Library’s BIPC, meet the team and ask them your burning business questions. These drop-in sessions will be led by industry professionals including: Alison Lewy MBE; Bob Lindsey; David Warrilow; Dean Williams; Foluke Akinlose MBE; Jeremy O’Hare; Marianne Olaleye; Melissa Addey; Michael Murdoch; Nicola Millington; Nkem Ekwukoma; Rasheed Ogunlaru; Rebecca Thomson; Sadia Ali; Same Lane; Seema Rampersad; Vaskan Jermakian and Vee Roberts.
• Let’s Talk Business: Moderated by Foodication Restaurants Restaurant Consultant and Operator Vasken Jermakian, this panel discussion explores how the BIPC can assist in your start-up journey. Expert panellists include: Local Marketing Made Easy founder Rebecca Thomson; The Legal Storyteller founder Nkem Ekwukoma; The House founder Michael Murdoch; and Puff Puff Ministry Co-founder and Creative Director Marianne Olaley.
• My Start-up Story:BIPC ambassador Martha Keith – the brains behind Martha Brook stationery and the Business Secrets Club – shares how she built her brands and why BIPC is an important resource in every entrepreneur's toolkit in a live interview hosted by Insight2marketing founder, Vee Roberts.

Entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to explore a pop-up market featuring products made by BIPC alumni, such as RoniB’s Kitchen, Yi Crafts, Naila Ahmad London, Indie Novella and Renard Press. Several events on the day will be livestreamed, too.

The anniversary celebrations will continue across the UK throughout March, with BIPCs across the nation hosting local Start-up, Start Here days, in cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Southampton and regionally in counties including Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire and across Yorkshire and the Humber and the North East.

British Library’s Business & IP Centre turns 20

Across 20 years, the BIPC has evolved from a standalone hub in the British Library in London to a supportive national network designed to give anyone with an idea a strong start in business. The Centre continues to offer a range of tools to budding entrepreneurs, including free access to the UK’s largest collection of IP and market data, guidance from information professionals on how best to search and apply the available data to their idea, as well as workshops and webinars designed to help people develop skills and build a roadmap for their business. These are supplemented by 1:1 clinics, mentoring and networking events held across the year. For every £1 of public money invested in the service, the BIPC generates £6.63 in return. 

With easily accessible Centres found at local libraries, the national network of the British Library’s Business & IP Centres broadens access to new career pathways for communities across the UK. As a result, the BIPC continues to engage with typically underrepresented groups in business: over 60% of BIPC users are women, nearly 40% are from a minority ethnic group and 15% have a disability. BIPCs are also there to support businesses when they are ready to scale and grow, with 90% of businesses that have used BIPC resources still operating three years after launching, compared to the national average of 50%.

Isabel Oswell, BEM, Director of Business Audiences at the British Library, said: ‘For the past 20 years, the British Library’s Business & IP Centre has supported people from all walks of life to set up and run successful businesses. We are proud that over 90% of businesses who start with our support are still trading after three years. As we celebrate this 20th anniversary, our commitment remains the same: to arm everyone with the knowledge, tools and networks they need to turn their idea into a viable venture. We look forward to continuing this work for the next 20 years.’

Tim Campbell MBE, BIPC ambassador, said: ‘For 20 years, the British Library’s Business & IP Centre has helped people turn ambition into action. By giving entrepreneurs free access to business resources, training, mentoring and powerful networks, the BIPC has built confidence where it matters most – right at the start. This milestone recognises the Centre’s impact far beyond individual businesses. It is an essential part of the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem, making business ownership feel achievable, not exclusive, and encouraging people across the UK to take the leap and back themselves.’

Amelia Christie-Miller, Founder and CEO of Bold Bean Co, said: ‘When I first started thinking about Bold Bean Co, I was driven by passion for the cause, but to get investors - not to mention to get up each morning to deliver a business plan against all odds – you need more than this. Visiting the British Library’s Business & IP Centre was game-changing for me, I was able to dig into the data and business cases behind beans that gave me courage and conviction to actually get the business off the ground.’

Image caption: Top L-R: Pip Murray, founder of Pip & Nut; Martha Keith in conversation with Charlie Bigham at Start-up Day, 2024; Martha Keith, founder of Martha Brook stationery and the Business Secrets Club; Deepak Ravindran, founder of Oddbox. Bottom L-R: BIPC networking session; Sonal Keay, founder of THIS IS SILK, BIPC Intellectual Property workshop; Amelia Peckham, founder of Cool Crutches.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Start-up, Start Here takes place at the British Library’s Business & IP Centre on 3 March from 09.30–15.00. Reserve your free ticket to Start-up, Start Here.

About the British Library

We are the national library of the UK and we are here for everyone. Our shelves hold over 170 million items – a living collection that gets bigger every day. Although our roots extend back centuries, we aim to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow and far into the future. Our trusted experts care for this collection and open it up for everyone to spark new discoveries, ideas and to help people do incredible things. 

We have millions of books, and much more besides. Our London and Yorkshire sites hold collections ranging from newspapers and maps to sound recordings, patents, academic journals, as well as a copy of every UK domain website and blog. Our public spaces provide a place to research, to meet friends, to start up a new business or simply to get inspired by visiting our galleries and events. We work with partners and libraries across the UK and the world to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to use and explore our collections, events and expertise. And we're always open online, along with more and more of our digitised collection.

See www.bl.uk

About the BIPC

The British Library’s National Network of BIPCs are based in libraries across the UK and offers:

• Free access to high-quality UK and global market intelligence, customer insights and company data (worth over £5m), combined with intellectual property advice and guidance.
• Free and low-cost workshops, one-to-one support and mentoring delivered by library staff and business experts.
• Programmes designed to support people to start-up, run and grow their businesses.
• Topical and inspirational networking events, featuring role model entrepreneurs.
• Accessible and welcoming spaces with access to PCs, desks and Wi-Fi, plus co-working and maker spaces in some locations. 
• A comprehensive package of online support, including webinars, one-to-one business and IP advice sessions and screening of our programme of inspirational panel discussions. 

See www.bl.uk/bipc