A MULTI-million pound drive has been launched to create a network of hi-tech centres across north Oxfordshire.

The Innovation Cherwell project aims to allow small hi-tech businesses to grow in the area.

It has been put together by the North Oxfordshire Business Partnership, which made a successful bid for funds from the European Union and the South East England Development Agency (Seeda).

More than £2.3m will be spent on the venture over the next three years.

The chain of projects is based round an existing Innovation Centre at Heyford, a new innovation centre in the campus of North Oxfordshire College and another just opened at Begbroke.

The project also includes Britain's first electronic export trading club, called NOVEC, and a multimedia centre for design - E-MAC.

Dr Treve Willis, who manages several innovation centres, said: "The complexity of new technology businesses and the speed of technological change needs to be nurtured and encouraged. Innovation centres provide the environment for these embryo companies to grow.

"We have seen the success of the Cherwell Innovation Centre, at Heyford Park, where, within two years we are having to double the facilities to accommodate more and more hi-tech companies."

A second strand of Innovation Cherwell, the North Oxfordshire Virtual Export Club (NOVEC), will enable current and new exporters to trade electronically across the world.

Graham Wharton, principal and chief executive of North Oxfordshire College, said: "NOVEC will provide a whole new impetus for exporters, a new way of doing business.

"We are at the forefront of technological business trading. We are demonstrating how business transactions will be carried on in the future and giving support for those who wish to make sure their businesses are not left behind in the world markets."

An integral part of the Banbury Innovation Centre will be a multimedia design studio, funded by Seeda.

Story date: Wednesday 29 December

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.