By Maggie Hartford Enterprise experts from Oxfordshire could help to transform the Millennium Dome in London into a centre for hi-tech business.

Oxford Innovation, based in Mill Street, Osney, is in talks with Dome bidder Legacy, which is interested in setting up an innovation centre similar to the successful network run for start-up companies in Oxfordshire.

Managing director David Kingham said: "If Legacy can offer us decent terms, the things that have worked in Oxfordshire could work in the Dome.

"There is a strong science and technology base in the colleges and universities of London, and Greenwich is not far from them.

"We are also looking at providing a home for financial services start-up companies that might work with companies in Canary Wharf.

"Our area of speciality is growing new businesses on strange sites. If you can understand what is going on in the local economy and then build the premises that are friendly to new businesses and offer the structure they need, that is as effective as giving financial aid. In London, that could work extremely well."

He added: "It is not just about taking space in the Dome. It is about stimulating the economy and growing new businesses.

"It will be many months maybe years before we could do anything there."

Oxford Innovation provides space for 110 companies in its centres in Oxford, Milton Park, Rissington, Upper Heyford, Begbroke, Banbury, Harwell and Culham.

More than 85 per cent of the start-ups go on to become commercially viable businesses and many grow rapidly.