Silicon Valley – the golden gateway to dot com dreams. The home of Google and its kin. And the destination for WebMission08. We hear about some pretty interesting entrepreneurial ventures here and this is one to get the pulse racing.

The concept: 20 hot British web entrepreneurs will compete for seats on a trip to the heart of the global online space. Applicants to join the mission will ultimately be chosen by a panel including technology investor, former TV Dragon and Growing Business columnist Doug Richard and editor of TechCrunch Mike Butcher.

The prize: Those that make it through and board the flight, will have won the unparalelled opportunity to network furiously with companies in the Valley, VCs, and attend the Web 2.0 Expo and Momentum (events specifically for companies with market momentum held at Microsoft’s offices). All the while they’ll be gaining valuable insight and developing a contact database to make you drool.

It’s the brainchild of super-networker Oli Barrett of www.dailynetworker.co.uk and social innovation network Polecat (polecatting.com). Devised with a mind to connecting next generation web businesses and entrepreneurs to their American counterparts and the most influential players in the space, sponsors include UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), Microsoft, and national enterprise campaign Make Your Mark.

WebMission08 is open to UK-based innovative companies with at least two years’ trading or compelling evidence of fast-track potential. These companies need to be able to provide references from key sponsors and industry players, demonstrate a commitment to sustainable business practices, and a readiness to do business in the US or be an attractive investment proposition for the VC community there.

Whetted your appetite? For more on this go to www.webmission08.com or if you have questions, email info@polecatting.com.