Nat West joins forces with University of York on enterprise

As part of the collaboration, the University will become home to a dedicated, onsite NatWest Accelerator hub, providing a physical space for entrepreneurs to hone key entrepreneurial skills, test ideas, connect with peers and grow and scale their business.

In addition, aspiring entrepreneurs will be able to access a range of digital resources via an app, providing round the clock guidance and support.

The University is one of just four institutions in a new wave of partnerships, joining a cohort that includes the Universities of Oxford and Manchester.

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Among these, York is one of two to secure a physical onsite hub, cementing its status as a leading centre for enterprise and innovation in the North of England.

Robert Begbie, CEO Commercial & Institutional Banking, NatWest Group said: “This partnership is about bringing the best of the University together with the best of NatWest.

“It uses NatWest’s 10 year experience of accelerator hubs and puts that together with the amazing research and entrepreneurialism that there is at the University to create more businesses that support the local economy and help Yorkshire grow.

“I think the role of a good bank is to help the wider economy and the wider communities in which it operates in, so partnering with impressive reputable institutions such as universities allows us to bring what we’re good at together with what universities are brilliant at and that’s for the greater good of the community.”

The partnership comes as new data from NatWest reveals that businesses completing their Accelerator programme grow their turnover by an average of 104% per year.

By launching this hub in York, the University and NatWest say they are directly contributing to the region’s economic vitality – strengthening a vibrant start-up and scale-up ecosystem, supporting the creation of high-value jobs, and ensuring that world-class research developed in York translates into sustainable local businesses.

This kind of ecosystem, they say, not only boosts innovation and productivity but also helps retain talent, giving people strong reasons to build their futures in the region.

Professor Kiran Trehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise, Partnerships and Engagement at the University of York, said: “York and North Yorkshire is a region powered by brilliant ideas, and this accelerator is a decisive step in strengthening the support available to our aspiring innovators.

“By bringing students, staff and regional founders into one connected ecosystem, we are giving entrepreneurs the space to test bold ideas, while enabling our world-class academics to commercialise their research.

“NatWest’s in-person programmes will build the essential leadership and business skills that our region’s entrepreneurs need to thrive, while our expanding international partnerships ensure that ideas developed here in York can create impact on a global stage.”

The initiative significantly expands the University’s existing enterprise support, ensuring that York’s entrepreneurs have access to a diverse and holistic range of expertise, funding pathways and industry networks to suit their specific growth stage.