Britain's best-kept secret for start-ups

I have 1:1 meetings with female founders all the time, whether it's getting to know members of our community, reviewing and discussing pitch decks to submit to Ada Ventures, or something else entirely. Even when these women aren't members of our community (or even -- gasp -- if I'm meeting with male founders 😲), I can't resist connecting them with resources or people who might help them.

One resource I mention repeatedly to UK founders is the BIPC. Have you heard of it?

I can't remember how I discovered our local BIPC in the Oxford Library. Someone must have recommended it to me. It stands for Business and IP Centre, and there is a network of more than 20 regional centres (with many more local centres), housed in libraries all over the UK and supported by the British Library. Their objective, according to their website, is to

...support small business owners, entrepreneurs, inventors and anyone with a business idea. Offering insights and access to free resources, training and events - both online and in-person - we're here to help you start or develop a successful business.

Have I mentioned that all the resources provided by the BIPC are free? Here's just a snippet of what they can provide (all centres are slightly different):

• Lightboxes for photographing products and green screens for video

• Soundproof booths you can use to record podcasts or take meetings

• Larger spaces where you can hold free events for free

• 1:1 business or IP advice

• Free workshops and webinars

• Networking events, start-up meet-ups and other in-person meetings

They also have really knowledgeable staff who can advise you on your business or help you access their databases for market research or searching for grants. I have driven the 45 minutes to the BIPC in Oxford just to use their databases, and it was absolutely worth it due to the personalised help I received.

The BIPC is the best-kept secret for start-ups, and I'm telling everyone! Here's the link to learn more: https://www.bl.uk/bipc/

Enjoy!

PS: If you're a female founder of a tech start-up and want more great resources and support for your business, join our community! It's only £15/month (with a 10% discount if you subscribe for the year!).

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