Launched in 2022, the British Library’s Get Ready for Business Growth programme is a direct continuation of Innovating for Growth (I4G), the British Library’s flagship scale-up offering, with a significantly expanded national reach.

The three-month programme provides tailored support for scaling businesses across England and Scotland. Originally focused on the arts and culture sector, Get Ready for Business Growth is now sector-agnostic, reflecting its growing role in supporting scaleups across all industries. Designed and delivered by the British Library’s Business & Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) in collaboration with private sector partners, it is funded and supported through the British Library and delivered via the BIPC National Network. This network comprises 22 Business & IP Centres and 86 satellite services in libraries across the UK, ensuring that scaling businesses from every region can access high-quality growth support.

The programme retains I4G’s proven structure while integrating key learnings to enhance its effectiveness. These include dedicated Relationship Managers providing one-to-one guidance and a stronger focus on using the Library’s world-class research collections for business insight. Delivered virtually, the programme ensures accessibility for all participants, with three distinct streams: Scale-ups, Mentoring, and Start-ups.

Each cohort, typically 25 businesses, benefits from a structured but flexible model of eight workshops and eight one-to-one sessions: 32 hours of bespoke support in total. Participants receive expert advice on strategic development, fundraising, product innovation, IP protection, and market positioning. Every participant is matched with a Relationship Manager for tailored mentorship and connected to resources, networks, and databases that inform practical, data-driven growth plans.

To date, 279 scaling businesses have been supported through the Get Ready for Business Growth programme, including 76 scaling businesses in 2025 alone. Participants have created 269 new jobs (including part-time roles) and safeguarded at least 179 positions across the UK. Collectively, they have developed 359 new products, processes, or services, directly attributed to the programme’s support. Businesses report an average 33% turnover increase within 12 months per participant, alongside £3.9 million in safeguarded sales and £2.4 million in new revenue growth.

The programme has also driven further investment, with participating businesses securing £630,000 in additional finance and £483,000 in new R&D investment. Since launch, the Get Ready for Business Growth benefit-cost ratio has been independently evaluated at £16.84 GVA generated for every £1 of public money spent, underlining its strong economic value.

The mentoring stream continues to build leadership capability, with 110 graduate mentees (and additional mentors) trained and accredited through the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM). In 2025, 90 individuals were trained through the programme, with 99% reporting a positive change in their approach or behaviour, 99% overcoming their most urgent barriers, and 97% experiencing enduring impacts that will support growth over the next three years.

Beyond the structured programme, graduates continue to engage through the Growth Club peer network, supported by quarterly Peer-to-Peer events. Each cohort generates around 300 peer connections, fostering collaboration and sustained community engagement. Participants describe the experience as “accessible, empowering, and transformative,” with many citing improvements in confidence, leadership, and clarity of direction.

The programme has made significant progress in promoting diversity and inclusion across the UK’s scaleup ecosystem: 68% of participants identify as female, 25% as from an ethnic minority background, 9% as disabled, and 46% as from working-class backgrounds, with 353 individuals from under-represented groups supported during its first phase.

Get Ready for Business Growth is now in its second phase, running until March 2026, and has recently secured funding to continue until March 2027 as a national, sector-agnostic scaleup support initiative. Its continued success reflects the British Library’s commitment to helping entrepreneurs and scaleup founders across all sectors achieve sustainable, evidence-based growth.

British Library: Get Ready for Business Growth website