An innovation centre has attracted 16 new companies in its first year of operation.

The Culham centre's first companies -- Reaction Engines, Oxford Scientific and Toumaz Technology -- have all enjoyed success over the past year.

Oxford Scientific and Reaction Engines have each won Government Smart awards to develop new inventions, while Toumaz Technology has received venture capitalist funding to expand into larger offices at the centre. New arrivals have included Acro Aeronautical Services, Agenda PR & Marketing, Business Link, Richard Butcher, Eclipse Learner Systems, Laplacian, Mgenie, N2N Neutronics, Packaging Products Direct, RemoteSec, The Target Practice and Total Audio Visual Solutions.

Dr Cleve Forty, fusion and industry business manager for the UK Atomic Energy Authority, which owns the centre, said: "We have a mix of technical and business services companies where there is the opportunity to share ideas and tap into both the expertise of companies in the centre, as well as the fusion scientists on the site."

He said Culham Innovation Centre had been held up as a model for other European fusion laboratories hoping to commercialise their discoveries.

The centre is one of 12 in and around Oxfordshire managed by Oxford Innovation, a spin-off of The Oxford Trust, a charity set up by Oxford Instruments founders Sir Martin and Lady Wood.

Chief Executive Dr David Kingham said: "Oxford Innovation is delighted at the growth of Culham Innovation Centre.

"The mix of companies creates a vibrant environment in which start-up technology businesses are encouraged to develop."