Business benefits under one roof

. British Library Business & IP Centre delivers on first-year targets

. Second phase of London Development Agency £2.4 million funding announced

. More than 26,000 users in just nine months

Since the British Library's Business & IP Centre opened its doors in March 2006, it has earned the reputation of being the essential first port of call for people looking to research, develop, protect and market their business ideas.

By making an unrivalled combination of business information, market research and IP (intellectual property) resources freely available under one roof, the Business & IP Centre has benefited thousands of entrepreneurs and SMEs - and has met or exceeded all its key performance targets in the process.

Now the London Development Agency (LDA), which provided the initial £1million funding to enhance the Centre, has announced £2.4million to fund the further development of the facility and its services. The LDA sees Knowledge Capital becoming increasingly important in the 21st Century Knowledge Economy and protection and exploitation of these intangible assets is going to be crucial as the global marketplace intensifies.

This additional investment follows an extensive evaluation of the Business & IP Centre's performance since opening, highlights of which include:

• Some 26,400 business users (April-December 2006)
• More than 2,500 business advice sessions delivered
• Unrivalled diversity of users (55% of all users are women; 40 % of all users are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups; 5% of users are people with disabilities)
• Sell-out programme of Inspiring Entrepreneurs role model events featuring panellists such as the late Anita Roddick, John Bird, Karan Bilimoria, Martha Lane-Fox, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and David Tang

The British Library's Chief Executive, Lynne Brindley welcomed the LDA's continued backing for the Centre: "The Business & IP Centre provides a unique combination of excellent facilities and free, impartial expertise. Such a wealth of resources all under one roof has made the Centre the first port of call for UK's budding entrepreneurs. It's no exaggeration to say that the future of our economy is being shaped right here at the British Library."

London Development Agency Chief Executive Manny Lewis said: "This is a unique facility which makes Intellectual Property advice and guidance available to everyone. I am delighted that our support has and will continue to help people turn their ideas into new businesses and new jobs in the capital. This will ensure London will maintain its reputation as a world class centre for innovation and creativity to thrive."

To find out more about the Business & IP Centre and watch testimonials from a selection of the 26,000 users visit www.bl.uk/bipc to view a short film introduced by Tim Campbell, winner of the first series of the Apprentice and founder of The Bright Ideas Trust

To arrange an interview with a Business & IP Centre case study or for further information please contact the British Library Press Office:
Lawrence Christensen on 020 7412 7114, email Lawrence.Christensen@bl.uk) or
Suvi Kankainen telephone 020 7412 7105, email: suvi.kankainen@bl.uk

1. The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. Further information is available on the Library's website at www.bl.uk, which currently receives almost 2 million 'hits' or visits per month. The London Development Agency awarded the British Library Business & IP Centre £1 million in May 2005 to help transform it from a successful pilot project into a permanent national resource. Access to the Business & IP Centre is free, but users need a Reader Pass; for more information visit: www.bl.uk/bipc


2. The London Development Agency works to improve quality of life for all Londoners and drive sustainable economic growth www.lda.gov.uk