Business Insight began life in 1919 as Birmingham's Commercial Library to help regenerate the economy and build a “land fit for heroes” after the first world war. It has been carrying out its economic regeneration role and providing a business information service to the citizens of Birmingham ever since.
 
We are currently the UK's top public business information service with a comprehensive range of services with over 200,000 people visiting our premises each year, and some 120,000 business enquiries being dealt with annually by our staff. More importantly we have started 3,047 new businesses in Birmingham since April 2004.
 
These links enable you to access more detailed information about our work and philosophy.
 
Business Insight Services:
http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/businessinsight
Business Insight Anniversary Story – 1919 - 2009:     http://issuu.com/dlaird/docs/business_insight_anniversary_celebration_2009_draf
Business Insight Start-Up Interview:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XXs1scj9Xx4
Creative Work Film:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UVbg9Wx_5uM
 
Aims
Business Insight uses the skills and knowledge of our staff, allied with our resources to fulfil council policy aims in terms of Enterprise, Creativity and Learning with the focus on economic regeneration, and building the new Knowledge Economy for all our communities.
 
Business Insight is part of the public library service and is funded as such, with any external funding, sales or project work income reinvested to help maintain as free a service as possible for the Birmingham. This includes income from 12% of UK councils who pay for our business information support for their own areas.
 
Enterprise
Our philosophy is one of being proactive and engaging with the business community, entrepreneurs and enterprising individuals and this has lead us to being accredited as Birmingham’s largest Enterprise Agency in 2006. Our latest annual report 08/09 includes our performance statistics and programmes for the last four years,
 
Projects
Business Insight has extensive practical business experience having delivered over 25 projects in recent years as well as being a partner in many more. We welcome proposals and ideas where we can make a contribution and help with match funding. The web enables us to deliver for partners anywhere in the UK, or indeed worldwide. Our track record is available on the sub menu for this page.