THOUSANDS of pounds are up for grabs for the county's top technology entrepreneurs.

Kent Science Park has launched the third annual Kent Start-Up Challenge to encourage people with good ideas to turn them into successful businesses.

Prizes worth £100,000 are designed to attract scores of entries to a contest won last year by Telabria, a broadband specialist that has worked with brewer Shepherd Neame to install networks in rural pubs.

Hans Christian Iversen, chairman of the Start-Up Challenge Assessment Panel, said the challenge offered entrepreneurs the chance to "realise their dreams".

He added: "All sponsors are dedicated to ensuring that the winning businesses start on the best possible footing."

Winners are given support to develop their ideas, including free rent (worth £10,000) at one of three South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) enterprise hubs in Sittingbourne, East Malling or Canterbury.

The winning entrepreneur will also receive legal help from Cripps Harries Hall worth £10,000, business advice from EMC Management Consultants (£7,500) accounting and tax planning advice from Reeves and Neylan (£5,000), and specialist help from patent and trade mark experts Brookes Betchellor LLP (£3,000).

The package also includes up to 10 days free business mentoring from Business Link Kent, free business and banking support from NatWest for 18 months, and membership of Locate in Kent corporate programme for a year.

The second-placed winner will receive similar but scaled-down benefits.

Telabria used the support it won last year to develop a proprietory network platform, based on wireless standards, to deliver and manage broadband network connectivity over microwave frequency radio. The company says the system offers scaleable networking where existing solutions are uneconomic and technically non-viable.

Jim Baker, chief executive, said: "Winning the Kent Start-Up Challenge has provided Telabria with a very positive profile-raising opportunity in the county and will undoubtedly help us realise our vision of wireless broadband connectivity for all.

"The quality of advice has been tremendous and I am sure we will continue to benefit from winning this competition."

Application forms are available by visiting www.seedaentreprisehub.co.uk or calling Sharon Mannering on 01795 411501. The closing date for entries is April 1 next year, with the awards presented in May.

Challenge sponsors include the enterprise hubs at Sittingbourne, Canterbury and East Malling, Cripps Harries Hall, EMC Management Consultants, Business Link Kent, NatWest Bank, Reeves and Neylan, Brookes Batchellor, Locate in Kent, Pollett and Cole, Lawshare, Kent County Council and the Kent Messenger Group.