Business & IP Centre

What a night! Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Against the Odds at the British Library, and to those who tuned in online. We hope everyone left feeling inspired, empowered by new ideas and insights and confident about turning those learnings into action.

We opened the evening with reflections from Alison Cork MBE, who shared the lessons she has learned throughout her entrepreneurial journey and set the tone with powerful words on building and backing women-led businesses. This was followed by an inspiring conversation featuring Esh*ta Kabra-Davies, Victoria Jenkins, Yandis Ying and Dr Roni Savage OBE FREng, moderated by Leanne Pero MBE.

From navigating setbacks to building confidence and resilience, the panel shared lessons and advice from their business journeys across multiple industries. The conversation continued with an engaging audience Q&A and networking session, giving attendees the chance to connect directly with experienced founders.

Couldn’t make it? We’ve got you covered all year round.

⭐ Join us for Start-up Stars at The British Library or online on Wednesday 1 July to hear first-hand stories from entrepreneurs who have grown through our scale-up programme, sharing what they wish they’d known when they started up: https://lnkd.in/eKb-wP6Q

💡 Check out our free business workshops, webinars and one-to-one support to help you start up and grow: https://bit.ly/eventsbipc

Your next business opportunity could be one conversation away...

Join us at our Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Against the Odds event on Monday 15 June at the British Library (and online) and hear from entrepreneurs who have overcome challenges to build successful businesses.

Join us in-person to meet our speakers face-to-face, ask your questions during the live Q&A and connect with fellow entrepreneurs over drinks after the panel. Whether you're looking for fresh inspiration, practical advice or valuable new connections, you never know where one conversation might lead.

Book today: https://link.bl.uk/BIPC_IEAgainstTheOdds

Tickets are selling fast! Have you secured yours? 👀

Let's see who else is joining us at the British Library and online on Monday 15 June for our Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Against the Odds event...

🌟 Alison Cork MBE 🌟

An entrepreneur, author and broadcaster, Alison has been building businesses since her student days and is the founder of National Women's Enterprise Week. Her latest venture, LEKA LEKA, reflects her continued focus on innovation and adapting to changing consumer needs. Alison will open the evening by sharing what she has learned from decades of entrepreneurship.

🌟 Leanne Pero MBE🌟

Leanne founded The Movement Factory at 15, growing it into a Nike London partner and raising over £500,000 to deliver dance programmes for young people across London. After her breast cancer diagnosis at 30, she founded Black Women Rising, supporting over 800 women of colour affected by cancer and raising over £1.1 million. She was awarded an MBE in 2023 and a Pride of Britain Award in 2025, and will be our moderator for the evening.

Don't miss out! Book your ticket now: https://link.bl.uk/BIPC_IEAgainstTheOdds

Next up on our speaker line-up... 🥤

We are delighted to welcome Yandis Ying, founder and CEO of Dot Dot Bubble Tea.

Founded as a small café in North London, Dot Dot has grown into the UK’s first premium low sugar ready-to-drink bubble tea brand, now stocked nationwide.

Yandis will share her experience of building a fast-scaling FMCG brand that blends culture, functionality and community

🎟️ Secure your ticket today to hear Yandis's story! Tickets available here: https://link.bl.uk/BIPC_IEAgainstTheOdds

Have you booked your ticket yet? 💥

At our next Inspiring Entrepreneurs event on 15 June, we're spotlighting women who have overcome barriers to build extraordinary businesses.

Find out more about our next speaker: Victoria Jenkins is the founder of accessible fashion brand Unhidden.

Drawing on her lived experience and extensive career in fashion, Victoria has built an adaptive clothing brand that challenges industry norms and centres accessibility from the start.

Victoria was recently a guest judge on The Great British Sewing Bee and launched a global partnership with Primark to bring adaptive design to the high street across 10 countries and 96 stores.

🎟️ Join us to hear Victoria share her journey - tickets on sale now: https://link.bl.uk/BIPC_IEAgainstTheOdds

Speaker highlight!

We can’t wait for our Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Against the Odds event on 15 June. Meet one of our incredible speakers who will be sharing her journey as an industry disruptor, sustainability champion and woman founder.

Esh*ta Kabra-Davies, founder and CEO of By Rotation, joins the panel to share her journey from side project to leading platform in the circular fashion economy. Esh*ta founded By Rotation, the social network for renting lifestyle premium goods, as part of her mission to transform global consumption through community-led, sustainable fashion.

Recognised by Forbes and Drapers 30 Under 30, Esh*ta’s work explores how innovation, community and sustainability can reshape established industries.

Tickets are going fast – don't miss out! Get yours today: https://events.bl.uk/events/inspiring-entrepreneurs-against-the-odds

📢 New event announcement 📢

Celebrate National Women's Enterprise Week with our panel of Inspiring Entrepreneurs on Monday 15 June at the British Library and online.

Be part of the conversation with women who have challenged conventions and built impactful businesses on their own terms, learn what it takes to turn an idea into a thriving enterprise and leave with fresh perspectives and meaningful connections to support your own entrepreneurial journey.

Speakers include:

⭐ Alison Cork MBE, founder of LEKA LEKA and National Women’s Enterprise Week, entrepreneur, author and broadcaster
⭐ Esh*ta Kabra-Davies, founder and CEO of By Rotation, the social network for renting lifestyle premium goods
⭐ Victoria Jenkins, founder and CEO of Unhidden, an adaptive clothing brand reshaping fashion through inclusivity and design innovation
⭐ Yandis Ying, founder and CEO of Dot Dot Bubble Tea, the UK’s first premium ready-to-drink bubble tea brand for retail and foodservice
⭐ Leanne Pero MBE, founder and CEO of Black Women Rising UK and The Movement Factory, an award-winning social entrepreneur, speaker, breast cancer survivor and your host for the evening

Whether you’re at the very start of your business journey, looking to grow or simply seeking inspiration from those who have paved the way, this event promises real-world lessons, plus the opportunity to put your questions directly to our speakers and connect with fellow entrepreneurs over drinks and networking afterwards.

Don't miss out! Secure your ticket now: https://lnkd.in/egBntfc6