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Business & IP Centre (BIPC)

Helping your business with Intellectual property (IP) support and access to business resources.

At the heart of our Business & IP Centre (BIPC) is a commitment to helping businesses protect, develop, and grow their ideas. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, understanding and managing your Intellectual Property—from trademarks and patents to design rights and copyright—is crucial to long-term success

They offer free one-to-one IP advice clinics, virtual workshops, and access to over 5,000 specialist databases that can help you research markets, competitors, and trends. These tools are essential not just for business planning, but for making informed decisions about how to protect and leverage your IP assets

The BIPC team can guide you through the complexities of IP, helping you check patents, explore licensing opportunities, and understand how to safeguard your brand. They can also work closely with the Department for Business and Trade, giving you access to global insights and opportunities

Whether you're looking to register a design, identify new markets, or simply understand your audience better, they are here to support you—with no hard sell, just expert help when you need it most.

Why IP Matters for Your Business

IP ensures your innovations, designs, and brand identity are legally safeguarded from imitation or misuse.

Registered IP can become a valuable asset, increasing your company’s worth and appeal to investors or buyers.

IP rights can help you license your products, enter new markets, and collaborate with partners more confidently.

A protected brand signals professionalism and reliability, helping you stand out in competitive markets.

Understanding IP helps you steer clear of infringing on others’ rights, reducing the risk of disputes or fines.

Knowing your ideas are protected gives you the freedom to create and invest in new products or services.

IP can be a strategic tool to differentiate your business and maintain market leadership.

How Our IP Specialist Can Help You Protect and Grow Your Business

At the Business & IP Centre (BIPC), their Intellectual Property (IP) specialist is your go-to expert for understanding how to protect your ideas and turn them into valuable business assets.

Whether you’re developing a product, brand, design, or creative work, their IP specialist can help you:

  • Identify what IP you have and what can be protected—such as trademarks, patents, copyright, and design rights.
  • Navigate the registration process for UK and international IP rights.
  • Avoid infringement risks by helping you check existing patents and trademarks.
  • Understand licensing and commercialisation opportunities to generate income from your IP.
  • Access free tools and databases to research competitors, markets, and trends that impact your IP strategy.

This support is free, confidential, and jargon-free, helping you make informed decisions with confidence.

And if you need help beyond IP, they also offer access to specialists in:

  • Marketing – to help you reach the right audience and build your brand.
  • Bookkeeping – to set up simple, effective financial systems.
  • Insurance – to understand the cover you need and manage business risks.

They are here to help. 

Get Specialist Support

Kim Rothman

Kim Rothman

Development Officer, Lincs Inspire Ltd

Lincs Inspire

Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) at the at Grimsby Central Library.

Business & IP Centres open the path to entrepreneurship for anyone with a business idea, regardless of their background. Consistently, over half of those who use a BIPC to set up a business are women and a third are from under-represented ethnic backgrounds. The Business and IP Centre (BIPC) Grimsby is part of the Humber partnership for the British Library Business & IP Centre national network. They offer access to business resources along with Intellectual property (IP) support. This service is available to aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups and more established SMEs in North East Lincolnshire.

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Need to speak to someone?

Monday to Friday, between 8:00am and 6:00pm

T. 01522 782067

E. businesslincolnshire@lincolnshire.gov.uk

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