Shares in British business incubator Axiomlab plc leapt 30 percent on Monday after Energetix, a company it helped develop and part owns, said it may float.

Energetix, which specialises in the research and development of renewable and energy efficient technologies, said it may float on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) later this year.

By 1309 GMT shares in Axiomlab, which last year bought a 40 percent stake in Energetix for 625,000 pounds ($893,600), were up 30 percent at 3-1/4pence.  Some 4.5 million shares had been traded, compared with the usual volumes of well under one million.

"We are looking into the possibility of placing the business on AIM in the next 12 months," Energetix Chief Executive Adrian Hutchings told Reuters.  He added that the company was looking into various ways of raising funds and had not yet definitely decided to float.

Energetix is a joint venture between Axiomlab and Energetic Communications Ltd.

Axiomlab’s aim is to help small UK technology and software businesses with expertise and capital in the early stages.  The company has been trading on AIM since August 2000.

((Toni Vorobyova, UK Stock Market Team, Tel. 0207 5423214, Fax 0207 5422120, antonina.vorobyova@reuters.com))

(($1 = .6994))