NatWest signs four university partnerships to fuel UK entrepreneurial growth
NatWest has announced partnerships with four leading UK universities to strengthen the UK’s innovation and startup ecosystem, driving growth, business productivity and creating high-value jobs across all regions of the country.
The University of Manchester, University of Brighton, and University of York have signed partnerships with NatWest to provide targeted support for early-stage businesses, student entrepreneurs and University spinouts. In addition, the bank is also a partner of Equinox, a major new economic growth partnership spearheaded by the University of Oxford. The bank aims to have signed a further six University partnerships by the end of 2027.
These new partnerships, fulfilling the bank’s university manifesto commitment in March, will bring the NatWest’s Accelerator to start-ups, growth business, students, staff and alumni, and broaden collaboration between these Universities and the bank. Through the partnerships with York and Brighton, the bank will also create onsite Accelerator hubs where entrepreneurs can run their business day to day and benefit from networking, mentoring and export support, adding to the 12-strong network of existing Accelerator hubs which the bank runs across the UK.
Universities have become a key focus in the government’s industrial strategy, which recognises that R&D-led and innovation-centred businesses have a significant role to play in accelerating economic growth. This investment between NatWest and the UK’s university ecosystem will support entrepreneurs to commercialise their ideas, aligning the bank’s expertise to business growth.
Robert Begbie, CEO, commercial & institutional banking, NatWest Group said: “Our Accelerator community has always been about empowering entrepreneurs to scale and succeed. By partnering with leading universities and surpassing our 2025 ambition, we’re showing how collaboration can drive sustainable growth across every region of the UK. In turn, this will create opportunities that align with national priorities and help build a stronger economy for all.”
Professor Kiran Trehan, pro-vice-chancellor for enterprise, partnerships and engagement at the University of York, said: “York & North Yorkshire is a region powered by brilliant ideas and entrepreneurial talent, and this accelerator is a decisive step in strengthening the support that drives our economy. We’re bringing students, staff, regional founders, and scale-ups into a connected ecosystem that gives entrepreneurs the space to test bold ideas, while enabling our world-class academics to advance their commercial potential. NatWest’s in-person programmes will deepen the ambition, leadership, and entrepreneurial capability that sustain a competitive regional economy, while the University’s expanding international partnerships ensure that the ideas developed here can create impact on a global stage.”
Through these new partnerships, NatWest aims to target high-growth businesses who, with the correct support, could experience rapid expansion in their market share, revenue or headcount. Many of these businesses sit in sectors such as technology, healthcare tech, life sciences and fintech –termed the Innovation Economy – as these sectors offer considerable potential to the growth of the UK economy.
In March, the bank has also announced that it would grow it’s Accelerator community to 10,000 members in 2025; today it has announced that it has surpassed that ambition. The plan is to grow that ambition further in 2026 and beyond connecting and engaging a UK community.
New data released today by NatWest demonstrates that 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, 9 out of 10 businesses who complete the bank’s Accelerator programme are still trading three years afterwards, against a control group of 4 out of 10.
The bank has also today opened a new flagship Accelerator hub in London at its 250 Bishopsgate headquarters, which was opened by CEO Paul Thwaite, and featured the Round 2 final of the NatWest Accelerator Pitch competition the bank has run over the course of 2025 where entrepreneurs can win their share of £100,000.
Since its launch in 2015, the NatWest Accelerator has supported thousands of businesses, providing access to coaching, networks and expertise – including market leading support via partnerships with Google and JCDecaux. Today’s announcement signals a renewed commitment to innovation and inclusivity, ensuring that the next generation of entrepreneurs has the tools to thrive.