NatWest has announced plans to grow its Accelerator community to 50,000 UK entrepreneurs in 2026, a five-fold increase on its original ambition for 2025, as demand for practical, non-financial support among founders continues to rise.
The move follows a breakout year for the programme. In 2025, NatWest supported around 12,000 entrepreneurs — more than it had backed in the previous ten years combined, underlining how sharply demand has grown for peer networks, mentoring and hands-on guidance as running a small business becomes more complex and more pressured.
For many founders, particularly sole traders and owner-managers, access to capital is only part of the challenge. Time, confidence, skills and isolation increasingly sit alongside cashflow as barriers to growth. NatWest says its expanded Accelerator community is designed to address those realities, bringing together local cohorts, expert mentors and founder-to-founder support rather than focusing solely on lending.
The expansion forms part of the bank’s wider Growing Together plan, which aims to support regional economies, mid-market businesses and the next generation of growth companies. NatWest has been clear that it sees its role as more than just a funder, positioning itself as a connector between founders, universities, investors and policymakers.
Data shared by the bank suggests the model is working. Businesses that completed the Accelerator programme grew turnover by an average of 104% year-on-year, compared with 20% growth among similar businesses outside the programme. Crucially, nine in ten Accelerator businesses were still trading three years later, a stark contrast to the wider small business survival rate.
Robert Begbie, CEO of Commercial & Institutional Banking at NatWest Group, said the ambition reflects a belief that founders need backing at every stage, not just at the point of borrowing.
“Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind innovation, jobs and long-term growth,” he said. “By scaling the Accelerator, we’re reinforcing our commitment to help founders turn ambition into sustainable businesses.”
The programme’s growth has been welcomed by business groups and government, but its appeal is particularly clear among founders who don’t fit the venture-capital mould. Through its hubs and university partnerships, including collaborations with Manchester, Oxford, York, Brighton and Warwick, NatWest offers free co-working space, one-to-one coaching, workshops and access to networks that many small business owners would otherwise struggle to afford.
The Accelerator also operates digitally through the NatWest Accelerator app, giving founders access to tools, training and peer support regardless of location. Pitch events and forums provide opportunities to raise visibility, test ideas and connect with funders without the pressure of a traditional funding round.
Leeds-based production company Mood Films joined the Accelerator after launching in 2024, having moved from creative collaboration into business ownership with little formal experience. Through the programme, the founders accessed coaching, workshops and peer support that helped them refine their offer and approach larger clients with confidence.
For many founders, that kind of support can be the difference between surviving and scaling — particularly in an environment where costs are rising, income is lumpy and late-paying clients remain a constant headache.
As NatWest pushes towards its 50,000-founder target, the expansion reflects a wider shift in how support for small businesses is evolving: less about glossy growth stories, more about giving real people the tools, confidence and networks to keep going.
