THE Isle of Wight Innovation Centre and Enterprise Hub is celebrating success this week with the first company to move on to bigger and better things.

Vectis Innovations is the first of the clutch of hi-tech, innovative companies in the Island's Innovation Centre and just nine months after setting up is buying its own premises.

The Internet recruitment

company now employs four people and is on the hunt for two more full-time sales people to cope with the workload.

Vectis Innovations is the brainchild of managing director, Andrew Bird, filling the gap in the market for a dedicated Internet recruitment site, matching personnel with opportunities in the adventure and activity holiday sector. He explained, "The sector draws much of its workforce from the student population, either working through their holidays breaks or taking a gap year - the Internet is the perfect vehicle to recruit this predominantly graduate workforce."

Andrew continued, "The Innovation Centre has proved an ideal venue to launch our business. The main benefit for Vectis Innovations has been the ease of access to the centre, we knew we would be expanding quickly and so didn't want to be tied in to a long lease. The second plus point was the cabling to the office suites, we have literally been able to plug in our phones and computers and start working - having set up businesses in the past, this is generally one of the biggest headaches."

Mike King, Isle of Wight Enterprise Hub director said, "The Isle of Wight Innovation Centre and Enterprise Hub is still very young itself - we opened our doors to tenants in February last year and Vectis Innovations was one of the first to come in. We are proud to have played a part in the growth and success of the company and will continue to offer support as the business grows."