British Library Business and IP Centre

British Library

Information last verified: August 2026 · Source: bl.uk

Stage

Idea / pre-product, MVP / early product, Early revenue, Scaling

Location

UK-wide

Equity

No equity taken

Cost

Free

Delivery

Hybrid

Any sector

Idea / pre-productMVP / early productEarly revenueScaling

The Business & IP Centre is a free service from the British Library and a national network of more than 70 libraries. It gives founders free access to around £5 million worth of business intelligence, including market research, company data, industry reports and funding databases that normally sit behind expensive paywalls. Alongside the data you can book free one-to-one sessions with business and intellectual-property specialists, search patents and protect your IP, and join a busy programme of free workshops and events, in person or online. It covers every stage, from first idea to scaling, and is open to anyone. If you are early and watching every pound, it is one of the most underused free resources for UK founders.

Why this programme

Build product / validate MVP

Free access to around £5 million of market research, company data and industry reports to size your market and test ideas

Access to mentors / operators

Free one-to-one sessions with business and intellectual-property specialists

Community / workspace / ecosystem

A busy programme of free workshops and events across a national network of 70+ libraries, in person and online

Find customers / partnerships

Market and industry data to find and understand your customers, plus IP and patent search support

Interested in British Library Business and IP Centre?

Head to their website for programmes, eligibility and how to get involved.

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