A U.K. government-backed startup accelerator program is offering to relocate young entrepreneurs from Africa to the U.K. – provided they bring along their great ideas for new businesses, according to a report in AfricanBusinessReview.

Entrepreneurs from Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa were among 200 youngsters from 40 countries around the world attending the launch today of a pioneering scheme to bring the world’s best talent to the U.K.

The Sirius Programme, spearheaded by U.K. government’s trade and investment department, will help talented graduates with innovative startup ideas move to the U.K. and fast-track their businesses from idea to reality.

U.K. Trade & Investment works with U.K.-based businesses to help them succeed in international markets and encourages the best overseas companies to look to the U.K. for trade.

The 12-month start-up support and acceleration package is open to students and recent graduates with early-stage business ideas or business plans.

Successful applicants will receive investment, a place in the program, mentoring and logistical help moving to the U.K.

The U.K. hopes to attract and relocate hundreds of entrepreneurs in the first two years of the program, with each resulting in a business that creates new jobs, brings in foreign investment and helps make a significant cumulative impact on the U.K. economy, the report said.

Advantages of starting up in the U.K. include access to 500 million customers in Europe and 62 million in the U.K. These consumers tend to be early adopters, keen to test and try new innovations, the report said.

More than 200 students and graduates attended the Sirius launch at an entrepreneurs’ festival, under way Sept. 4-6 in Manchester.

Attending the festival were Lord Karan Bilamoria, founder of Cobra Beer, and Lee Strafford, co-founder of NetStart and UK ISP PlusNet.

“We want to attract talented graduates to set up and build their business here,” said Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green. “There is a wealth of exciting business ideas out there with massive potential. Ensuring that Britain becomes the country of choice for talented graduates to start and grow their businesses will help our economy to grow, boost productivity and create jobs.”