08 businessconnect has been created to help businesses take advantage of the opportunities that Capital of Culture status brings to Liverpool. It is a business club, driven by its membership of over 3700 organisations and 4700 individuals, including sole traders, artists and multi-nationals. The club is free to join and offers members a host of benefits.

The BEM Network promotes charitable purposes for the benefit of Black and Racial minority communities, children and families in Merseyside. In particular we are concerend with the promotion of racial equality, the advancement of education and the protection of health to improve the quality of life for all. We achieve this through capacity building, campaigning, representation, advice/signposting, advocacy, networking and partnership.

A breakfast networking club,working with local business owners and entrepreneurs to generate business and to help brand awearness for every member. Business for Breakfast was formed 7 years ago and now has over 2000 members and has over 700 venues nationwide.

Clearly Eventful Networks is the trading name of Clear Contact Ltd in assocaition with www.mynetworkingpa.com .Clearly Evenful Networks provides over 3 business to business networking events within liverpool city every single month, ranging from female only events , members only and a clear mix of all contacts . We get people together to connect , make contacts and to encourage relationship buidling . We have over 150 active networkers

The aim of culturepool is to provide an environment where people feel comfortable to share, discuss and reflect on their experiences of art & culture throughout the city. We hope to visit at least one event each month within the city in the first 12 months and then expand to incorporate more community projects.

Futures is Merseyside’s new network for design professionals. Futures targets designers working in the communications field: graphic design, web design, advertising, interactive media and related services such as illustration and commercial photography. Futures is hosting a series of seminar events, networking and an online membership scheme and webspace for members’ portfolios to be showcased.

GeekUp is a community of web designers, web developers, and other tech-minded folk from the UK. It’s a grassroots knowledge sharing and networking social for folks involved or interested in the web and technology industry. Monthly events take place in Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston and Sheffield.

Greenhouse hosts a monthly networking evening for Merseyside business owners which is held at venues in Liverpool. These evenings are free to attend and regularly attracts people from the creative, digital, and professional sectors. The evening is relaxed and informal, and enables people to enhance their business contacts in comfortable surroundings. And the first drink is on us!

A worldwide networking group began by Knowledge Management Guru David Gurteen (http://gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/id/kcafes)originally to discuss the principles and practices of knowledge management as they are applied in modern organizations. Meetings of the ‘0151’ Cafe began in Liverpool in 2006. We meet regularly to discuss KM and matters related to business and organization development. Special interest groups include: KM, Art and organization, KM and SMEs, KM and networking, Communities of Practice and Social networks, Recruitment of knowledge workers, Innovation and Creativity.

The crowd… i-start is a Liverpool-based network specifically for Merseyside entrepreneurs and innovators that offers a keen focus on the ICT and digital media industries. It’s a great way to build up your business contacts and meet other support organisations. The event is run by Digitalinc, ICDC’s digital media incubator at Liverpool John Moores University and is sponsored by Gregory Abrams Davidson LLP. The reasons to attend… • Gain encouragement, advice and sources of support • Pick up fresh innovative ideas • Make new business contacts and potential partnerships • Learn from the experience of successful businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators • Background briefings on hot current topics • Incubation and how it can help get your business to a successful start • Access new investment opportunities • Understand the advantages of being your own boss • Understand how information and communication technology (ICT) and digital media can give you a major business boost!