Celebrating three years of the build your business programme

Over the past three years, BIPC Northamptonshire has been proud to deliver the Build Your Business Programme, funded by North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). This project has supported local people to turn ideas into reality, build confidence, and grow sustainable businesses across Northamptonshire.

As the programme comes to a close, we want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible achievements made possible through collaboration, commitment, and the entrepreneurial spirit of our community.

Supporting Ambition Across Northamptonshire

Thank you to North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council for the funding and support over the past three years. As a result, the Build Your Business Programme has supported:

• 1107 entrepreneurs on their business journey

• 221 new businesses started by individuals who received support from BIPC Northamptonshire

• 108 businesses awarded grants, with a total of £216,000 worth of grants awarded to help entrepreneurs invest in their growth

These figures represent far more than numbers. They reflect people gaining confidence, taking risks, creating jobs, and contributing to the local economy.

Through 1-to-1 business advice, workshops, mentoring, specialist sessions, and access to vital resources, we’ve been able to meet entrepreneurs wherever they are on their journey, from idea stage through to trading and growth.

Intellectual Property: Protecting Great Ideas

A key part of the Build Your Business Programme has been helping founders understand and protect their intellectual property. Over the last three years, we’ve supported:

• 82 individuals with intellectual property queries, from trademarks and copyright to more complex commercial considerations

We’re incredibly grateful to Franks & Co and Robert Sansby from Lucidity IP, whose expertise has enabled us to support more advanced and specialist IP queries, ensuring our entrepreneurs are well-equipped to protect and leverage their ideas.

Thank You to Our Incredible BIPC Team

None of this would have been possible without the dedication, professionalism, and passion of the BIPC Northamptonshire team and the wider library service team, who worked tirelessly to support our business community every day.

A huge thank you to Kirk Underwood, David Tonks, Dean Goldsmith, James Elliott, James Stancombe, Becky Wilkinson and Jo Hoyer. All guided and supported by the leadership of Patricia Greaves, whose vision and commitment have been central to the programme’s success.

Your collective hard work, flexibility, and belief in our entrepreneurs have made a lasting impact.

Celebrating Our Delivery Partners and Experts in Residence

Collaboration has been at the heart of the Build Your Business Programme, and we are deeply thankful to our outstanding delivery partners and experts in residence who brought specialist knowledge, inspiration, and practical insight to our entrepreneurs:

• Susie Mitchell, Florence & James Marketing Ltd

• Susan Liverman, The Kindful

• Trudie Avery, The Logo Lady

• Marie-Louise O’Neill, Lovely Evolution

• David Wilson, Rob Harrison and Phil Ingle, Glued

• West Northamptonshire Council’s Women’s Forum

• Gareth Jones, Entrepreneur in Residence

Your workshops, mentoring, and lived experience have added enormous value, helping entrepreneurs not only build skills, but also confidence and resilience.

Looking Ahead

While the Build Your Business Programme has ended, its impact will continue to be felt for years to come through the businesses launched, the ideas protected, the networks formed, and the confidence gained. We are immensely proud of every entrepreneur who took part and grateful to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for making this programme possible.

Although this chapter has drawn to a close,  BIPC Northamptonshire, along with their amazing delivery partners, are still supporting local entrepreneurs through one to ones, workshops, webinars and networking events. We look forward to continuing to support ambition, innovation, and business growth across Northamptonshire in the years ahead.