Bermuda's first Internet incubator has taken on another venture which plans to fill the gap for technical assistance on the Island, it was revealed yesterday.

Ignition, which plans to provide technological assistance to local companies, will be the latest in a line of start-up businesses to take advantage of the facilities offered at the eVentureCentre.

The incubator is a joint venture between Bermuda-based Centre Group, which is part of the global giant Zurich Financial Services Group, and Paragon, a Bermuda-based technology applications constancy.

It offers moral and technical support as well as office space, computers, administrative support and a team of experts to guide new business.

Ignition plans to become what is known as an application service provider (ASP). This means that it will help companies sort out any technical problems with their computers.

A release from Ignition said: "Several factors suggest that an ASP will fill a definite need in Bermuda. Specifically, many businesses are experiencing increased difficulty in attracting and securing the computer specialists they require to service their technical needs.

"Moreover, the costs associated with ever-changing technology are difficult to predict and control for many operations.'' Ignition is a joint venture between Paragon and Sbi Ltd. and is in the advanced stages of implementing a Bermuda-based ASP to support local and global access to a variety of applications.

The company says the advantages of an ASP business solution are becoming increasingly evident as they provide predictable and affordable costs.

And they say that companies can find savings of between 30 and 65 percent because of lower total cost of ownership.

They also hope to offer guaranteed reliability with service level agreements 24 hours a day, seven days a week with continuous help desk support and system monitoring.

The company, which will be taken thought its first stages with the help of eVentureCentre until it can stand on its own feet, also plans to offer increased data security through QuoVadis Digital Certificates.

QuoVadis was the first company taken under the wing of the eVentureCentre with plans to set up a company offering digital signatures.

Ignition also plans to allow customers to access to data and applications from anywhere at anytime.

The release stated: "The worldwide ASP phenomenon began in earnest only a few years ago. With the development of high speed communication lines and the maturity of the Internet, the ability to host an application at a remote site became a viable option.

"Through the one to many model of the ASP, software applications that may have been too expensive to purchase, implement, support and maintain can now be available to any size organisation. Indeed, with the removal of the IT support component for these applications, valuable resources can be used to realise new business opportunities.'' The company says subscription to Ignition will allow users to gain access to the most current technologies and the best available software solutions and customers may choose from best of breed software and tailor the ASP environment to their specific needs.

Ignition will initially host and support common office applications such as managed e-mail, Microsoft Office application suites, accounting and Bermuda payroll (with CURE reporting), global `Team Room' (shared calendars, discussion database, document storage), captive management as well as insurance and re-insurance specific applications.

Future applications they plan include document management, customer relationship management and human resource management.