HI-TECH skills will be brought together under one roof in an innovation programme at the University of Kent at Medway.

Companies wishing to relocate will be invited to set up small business units with a helping hand from the North Kent Innovation Network.

The chosen firms will be offered support to manage and market their business for three years, then they will be expected to go it alone and promote and sell their own products.

The new programme at Bridge Wardens' College in Chatham's Historic Dockyard, is funded by SEEDA to improve the local economy.

A former telecoms business specialist who will be heading the event, said: "The North Kent Innovatiom Network programme has an ambitious but achievable objective - for North Kent to be recognised as a premier location in Europe for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in selected high technology sectors."

The programme begins in March when businesses will be invited to establish themselves in the units.