25 September 2019
Start-up Day: What’s going on around the Network
It’s not only the British Library hosting Start-up Day 2019, this year we have over 40 public libraries around the country holding their own Start-up Days. The day aims to support start-ups and small business owners with talks, workshops and interactive sessions designed to take the first steps towards turning a business idea into a successful enterprise.
On average, our National Network helps create an average of 15 new businesses every working day[1]. Most of these were started at home, with 40% of them beginning in a home office and almost a third from the kitchen table. These new businesses are far exceeding national averages for success rates – 90% of them are still trading after three years, compared to UK-wide rates of 60%.
Here you can find a snapshot of the highlights going on around the country and discover what your local Business & IP Centre will be doing for the day…
If you’re in or near Birmingham, they will be running activities including:
- Market research using IBISWorld
- Brexit & business with Enterprise Europe Network
- Why your IP is valuable with Forresters
Our new pilot centre will be live streaming some of the British Library talks and panels and introducing the new BIPC.
Start-up Day Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
A wide variety of drop in sessions throughout the day at Cambridge Central Library with organisations and businesses including:
- Chamber of Commerce
- Prince’s Trust
- Santander
- Growth Hub
They also have free headshots with Elton Cilliers, a start-up photographer himself, as well as talks on decluttering for business, fraud and cyber-crime as well as live streaming some of the talks from the British Library.
In Peterborough, they will be holding one-to-ones on accountancy, legal advice and intellectual property, amongst other workshops.
Start-up Day Devon
Taking place in both Exeter and Barnstaple, there will be a full programme with workshops and talks on:
Exeter
- IBISWorld
- Introduction to intellectual property
- FabLab tours
- Marketing videos on a budget with BitPod
- How to avoid legal mistakes with Cartridges Law
Barnstaple
- Branding with South West Growth Hub
- Bookkeeping with Mark Ponsonby Blue Ink Bookkeeping
- Panel on the challenges of starting up
- IBISWorld
BIPC Glasgow is our only Centre in Scotland and will be running a day of workshops and talks, such as:
- Finance with Santander
- Lifecycles of a company
- Trade mark starter pack
Throughout the day there will be option to watch the live stream from the British Library as well as talk to relevant businesses and organisations at their trade stands, including:
- NLS
- Prince’s Trust
- Santander
- Codeworks
- Gilson Gray
- People Plus
- Business Gateway
- Jobs & Business Glasgow
- Trading Standards
For those thinking of starting a business in Hull, you can attend workshops and talks on:
- What you need to do in the first 90 days to increase your chance of business success
- IBISWorld
- Developing a social enterprise
- Market research with Mintel
As well as some of the talks being streamed from the British Library, BIPC Leeds will be running talks and workshops on:
- Getting inside customers’ heads with Ad:Venture
- Global trends with Mintel
- Personal branding with Stepp Digital
- How to combine profit with purpose with Agency for Good
There will also be a Start-up Stars panel, with local entrepreneurs about how they started their business.
For those in and around Liverpool you can get tips on marketing your small business and accounting, as well as hearing from local entrepreneurs, such as Owen Drew Luxury Candles.
Start-up Day is not only taking place in Manchester Central Library, but throughout the region in Ashton-Under-Lyme Library, Blackpool Central Library, Bolton Central Library, Eccles Library, Oldham Library & Lifelong Learning Centre, Preston Library and Stockport Library. You can find networking and coffee mornings, speed mentoring as well as talks on:
- Preparing your business plan with Santander
- Marketing with Tidal Wave Consulting
- How to be a healthy and confident entrepreneur with Amina Waldron
- How to tell your story with Steve Rawling
- 10 mistakes I made in year one with a local panel of entrepreneurs
For a detailed programme in your local library, please contact the library directly for their full schedule of events.
Join BIPC Newcastle for workshops on setting targets and goals, branding and IP, as well as a coffee morning with their experts in residence.
Whether you’re in Norwich, Kings Lynn, Thetford or Great Yarmouth, there will be talks for you. Each Library will have a networking coffee morning and streaming of British Library events. There will be more talks in Norwich, including topics such as getting your product to market, creative product development and start-up funding.
A full day of talks and networking will be taking place which includes how to manage your Portfolio Career and maximising the benefits of networking amongst others.
BIPC Nottingham will be hosting two presentations as well as speed mentoring and a networking coffee morning during the day.
A variety of business-related talks, which include:
- Tips when starting a business with Business Sheffield
- Researching your business with IBISWorld
- A start-up journey with local entrepreneur Katie Bain
- Using social media to boost your business
- Social enterprise and investment
- The Sheffield tech scene with Digital Llama
Our new pilot centre will be running business support clinics all day with Enterprising Worcestershire as well as hosting talks on:
- Digital marketing and social media with Quick by Design
- Crowdfunding with Be The Change Café
- Business plans with Blue Orchid
- How to assess your big idea with Blue Orchid
[1] Economic Impact Survey 2019. Analysis from January 2016 – December 2018.