A major drive which could help bring a £7 million digital boost to Birmingham is set to be launched.

The Digital Birmingham campaign - backed a by a string of partners including The Birmingham Post - will be formally launched on St Valentine's Day.

It comes as the city gets set to bid for a £7 million Digital Challenge pot of money put aside by the Government.

That cash will go to to a local authority-led partnership which best shows how the technologies can be used to help improve services and connect communities.

Birmingham City Council will be co-ordinating a bid to compete for the prize.

An initial plan needs to be submitted by April 28 and contenders will be whittled down to an overall winner in January next year.

And organisers say Digital Birmingham - which aims to make the city a European leader in the field by 2010 - could play a crucial roll in bidding for the prize.

Councillor Paul Tilsley, chairman of the campaign's executive board, said: "Digital Birmingham is the way forward and the next big step for the city and that is why there [0131]s never been a more appropriate time for businesses to get involved."

He said the campaign would be be looking to businesses, commerce and industry to help drive Birmingham through the digital revolution and bridge the "digital divide."

A programme of events will be held throughout 2006, launching on St Valentine' s Day in Victoria Square.

The campaign is set to be promoted on the big screen in Chamberlain Square from Sunday.

Attractions will include a technology tent in front of the Council House with exhibitors demonstrating a range of different digital technologies and their many uses.

It will include a "e-gadget stand" showing the very latest in day-to-day digital technologies and a free cyber cafe. Electronic games will also be available for people to play on.

A separate launch of Digital Birmingham will be made to the business sector later in the year, where businesses will be able to learn more about the initiative and will be invited to get actively involved.

The campaign - which has the slogan Going Global, Looking Local - is backed by organisations including Birmingham City Council, The Birmingham Post and Birmingham Mail, BT, Telewest, the BBC, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Birmingham Voluntary Service Council.