Bulwell Riverside Library Business and Intellectual Property Center Officially Opened to Support Entrepreneurs

Last week saw the official opening of the local Business & IP Center at the Bulwell Riverside Library.

Additional centers at the Beeston, Mansfield Central and Sutton-in-Ashfield libraries will also officially open in May and June.

At these locations, entrepreneurs and business owners can meet BIPC Advisors to discuss their business and access online reports and resources worth over £5million combined across the country.

The expansion of new sites beyond the Nottingham urban area is part of a wider expansion of the British Library’s national Business & IP Center network, made possible by a £13 million investment from the Treasury.

BIPC Nottinghamshire offers information and access to free resources, training and events – both online and in person.

With a range of specialist partners and experts in residence, companies can attend specialist webinars, get personalized advice and connect with fellow founders for inspiration and practical advice in a regular Business Club . Businesses and entrepreneurs can also access free online accounting assistance and advice on how to protect their intellectual property.

Nottingham City Council portfolio holder for leisure and culture, Cllr Eunice Campbell-Clark said:

“Now, for the first time, Bulwell businesses can access a dedicated space to work or meet and connect with others.

“They can use a range of databases containing real-time up-to-date information on thousands of local, national and international businesses and markets.

“The detailed reports that can be downloaded from the databases typically cost a business several hundred pounds, but are completely free for Bulwell businesses.

“In this time of post-pandemic recovery, we are all working extremely hard together to build trust and drive economic regeneration and growth.

“It is now up to us here at Bulwell to make the most of the excellent resources available through our BIPC and to encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of what they can offer.”

Nigel Hawkins, Head of Culture and Libraries at Nottingham City Council, said:

“There is no such thing as a typical entrepreneur. People from very diverse backgrounds come through the doors of our libraries.

“Mothers-to-be, young people, the elderly, the unemployed, people with disabilities – graduates – those who have no qualifications.

“Anyone with a business idea – regardless of their situation or background – is welcome to use our services and get help getting started or growing.

“It is exciting and positive that libraries can now play a new role in terms of harnessing the potential of businesses and making such an important contribution to economic regeneration.”

Two local businesses based in Bulwell were present at the launch, Laura Hardwicks, founder of Hardwicks Canine Grooming and Natalee Onyeche, founder of Skin Solace.

Natalee recently rebranded Skin Solace as a sophisticated luxury brand to reflect the high quality ingredients and make her customers feel pampered. Its products are often displayed in the John Lewis pop-up area and also in the Nottingham Castle shop.

Natalee was referred to the Business & IP Center Nottinghamshire where she had access to a range of business databases and IP advice which helped her grow her business, work out her financing options and register its mark.

“Having BIPC there and their huge amount of resources has really been a godsend for me. If I need information, I can go to them and get that support. Having this available for free in a local community is awesome. I don’t need to travel far to get this support. It’s literally on my doorstep.

Natalee’s best advice to aspiring business owners: “My best business advice would be to take care of your intellectual property.”

Laura started the business just over 2 years ago and is now looking to expand the business by opening a new location and offering fully qualified dog grooming classes. Laura was directed to Bulwell’s Business & IP Center, where she gained access to a range of business databases such as COBRA, received business mentorship from Smorgasbord’s in-house experts and attended a series of webinars who helped her understand her business, work out her financing options, get a new location and plan for expansion.

“In my opinion, one of the biggest challenges for small business start-ups is that there is so much technical jargon to try to understand. and I found the process, terms and language too confusing. Being able to speak with the advisors at the Business & IP Center made everything so much easier and more digestible – now I know exactly what it’s all about!”

Laura’s best advice to aspiring business owners: “Contact the Business and Intellectual Property Center. »

Details
The Business & IP Center is free to join and open to everyone.

Whether located in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire or neighboring areas of the East Midlands, entrepreneurs can visit nottinghamcitylibraries.co.uk/bipc to find out more about when sites are open, or email bipc@nottinghamcity.gov.uk to request more information and speak to an Advisor.

Business & IP Center Nottinghamshire services are free for start-ups and small businesses thanks to funding from the British Library and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.