Natwest

Entrepreneurship is an area that clearly defines NatWest. As the UK’s biggest bank for business, we understand that SMEs are the lifeblood of the economy and that we have a responsibility to help them succeed. With micro (0-9 employees) and small (10-49) businesses making up over 99% of the UK’s 5.7 million businesses in 2018, it is vital for the sustainable growth of the UK economy that we create an environment where entrepreneurs can start, scale and succeed.

At the heart of our support for entrepreneurs is our comprehensive programme of free mentoring, insight and bespoke coaching, specifically designed to meet the needs of entrepreneurs who want to grow and scale their business. We provide entrepreneurs with full wrap-around care, connectivity and know-how, all crucial for their success and a strong national economy.

We know that every entrepreneur is different and that the motivations for starting a business can vary greatly. Therefore we have developed a variety of support programmes that focus on the specific needs of the individual. Developed over the past five years, these programmes have revolutionised the way we support entrepreneurs, and has proven to really work.

In April 2018, we brought our UK-wide network of 12 Entrepreneur Accelerator hubs in-house. Together, these hubs make up the UK’s largest fully-funded business accelerator network and are capable of supporting up to 1,000 entrepreneurs simultaneously across the country.

Our core Accelerator is a 6 to 18 month programme for entrepreneurs with high growth businesses looking to scale up. Designed to ensure that these businesses get the best chance to succeed, entrepreneurs will receive free office space, free wi-fi, free business advice and mentoring, bespoke coaching, and access to the bank’s networks and supply chains.