NatWest targets five-fold growth in Accelerator community

NatWest has announced that it is planning a major expansion of its support for UK entrepreneurs by aiming to grow the Accelerator community to up to 50,000 members, a five-fold increase on the 10,000 ambition set for 2025.

This plan follows a strong 2025, when NatWest exceeded its ambition by growing the community to 12,000, beating in a single year the total number it had supported over the previous 10 years in total and underlining the acceleration of the scale and impact.

Robert Begbie, CEO, Commercial & Institutional Banking, NatWest Group said: “We know that to build the economy of the future we need to back the innovators who will power it. Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind innovation, job creation, and long-term economic growth across the UK. By raising our ambition for 2026, and building on the momentum we achieved in 2025, we’re reinforcing our commitment to back founders at every stage – from idea to scaleup – and help them turn ambition into sustainable success.”

The NatWest Accelerator brings together a range of initiatives designed to connect founders with expertise, investors and peers. This includes:

• Hubs and university partnerships are central to the Accelerator community, delivering local tailored interventions designed to meet local needs. NatWest has partnered with the Universities of Manchester, Oxford, York, Brighton, and Warwick to establish Accelerator Hubs in their campuses to continue expanding the community. It plans to set up hubs in up to 10 universities over the next three years
• Accelerator journeys support high potential startups to scale, offering expert support, networking, and tools through 12 UK hubs and via the online community in the NatWest Accelerator App – working with Google to provide access to digital tools, training, and specialist expertise
• Pitch events and forums, giving entrepreneurs opportunities to showcase their ideas, build networks, and access funding with events held across the UK

The expansion announcement forms a part of the bank’s new five point ‘Growing Together’ plan, setting out how the bank will help build the conditions for UK-wide growth: backing powerful regions, championing mid-market companies, strengthening the country’s infrastructure and housing foundations, boosting financial confidence amongst families and young people, and supporting the innovators shaping the future economy.

Drawing on its regional footprint and expertise, the bank aims to bring businesses, communities, and policymakers together to tackle structural barriers, unlock productivity, and spread opportunity across the UK.

Blair McDougall, Minister for Small Business, said: “This commitment from NatWest is the exact kind of action we need to unlock the huge potential of small businesses up and down the country. The UK is home to some of the brightest and most ambitious entrepreneurs and through our plan for small business and modern Industrial Strategy we are backing them with increased access to finance and support.”

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By expanding its entrepreneur support, NatWest is helping strengthen the Accelerator community, which is built around peer networks, local cohorts, and access to experts, mentors, and investors – all designed to help early-stage and high-growth businesses launch, scale, and thrive. According to its own data, businesses who go through its Accelerator programme grew their turnover by 104% year-on-year, against an average of 20% in a control group. In addition, nine out of 10 businesses who complete the bank’s Accelerator programme are still trading three years after, against a control group of four out of 101.

Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Starting a business is challenging, but ultimately hugely rewarding. The British Chambers of Commerce warmly welcome NatWest’s commitment to support 50,000 entrepreneurs in 2026. Expanding the Accelerator programme will give more founders access to the practical advice and peer networks they need to grow with confidence. With help from organisations like NatWest and the Chamber network – the businesses of tomorrow can step forward with ambition and confidence.”