Museum of Entrepreneurship contributors to be showcased at IKEA exhibition

A collection of stories from bold and creative entrepreneurs is to be exhibited by the IKEA Museum in Älmhult, Sweden for the next six months.

From a community barbershop to a chai concentrate producer, the Museum of Entrepreneurship is the world’s first digital museum exclusively dedicated to celebrating the work of entrepreneurs who change the world for better. Founded by Stefania Zerbinati, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Bayes Business School, it collects and displays stories of small business startups from all over the world, sharing inspirational insights that aim to help future generations of creators.

The exhibition, titled Who builds the future?, launched this month with a two-day conference about food, sustainable choices and entrepreneurship.

Among entrepreneurs to have their work exhibited is Joey Li (MSc Marketing and Strategy* 2020), co-founder of Leiho – a lifestyle brand that supports charities, communities and wellbeing. Joey and her business partner, fellow alumna and former classmate Thuta Khin, teamed up while studying at Bayes and began selling and donating bamboo socks before branching out into other areas. To date, the company has supported more than 50 small charities with revenues and essentials such as clean socks, hot meals, toiletries and warm clothes, while also funding creative wellbeing workshops aimed at boosting confidence and allowing beneficiaries to gain new skills. In partnership with the likes of Islington Council, Home Start Charity and The Baytree Centre, Leiho has also funded several employment projects.

On having her work selected for the exhibition, Joey said:

“It is really exciting to have the opportunity to share our journey at Leiho with visitors and aspiring entrepreneurs in Sweden!

"The exhibition is a great way to showcase start-ups as a power for good, which is the driving force behind Leiho, but also the energy and resilience required to take an idea to the market and pivot as you build the business.

“Thuta and I share a passion for tackling mental health and poverty, and were able to come together with the help of City Ventures to develop a business plan that could benefit individuals and families in need.

“Our story began with socks but it’s not just a pair of socks. Every pair has helped us lend a hand to someone in need whether that was through the support our of community or by collaborating with leading businesses.

“Being able to share our story alongside other incredibly inspiring businesses and of course Ingvar Kamprad’s entrepreneurial journey is a huge achievement. We are really looking forward to seeing the whole exhibition!”

Professor Zerbinati said the variety of projects and founders working with the Museum of Entrepreneurship demonstrated how people from any walk of life could become an entrepreneur.

Professor Zerbinati said:

“The Museum of Entrepreneurship collects stories of the entrepreneurs of our times, giving them a platform to tell their remarkable stories of inventiveness, and in many cases, selflessness, with their inspirations, motivations, setbacks and recoveries, growth and exits.

“We want to reach young people from all walks of life with the message that anybody can be an entrepreneur, regardless of time, race or place.

“I am delighted that the museum’s repository is to be converted into a physical exhibition, with our own exhibitors’ work being displayed alongside that of IKEA’s founder, Ingvar Kamprad, and his own growth story.”

The exhibition will be on display at the IKEA Museum until August 2026.

Read more about the Museum of Entrepreneurship.

Find out more about entrepreneurship at Bayes Business School.

*The MSc Marketing and Strategy programme at Bayes is now MSc Marketing Strategy and Consumer Insights. Read more about the course.