After a decade getting behind UK businesses, NatWest Accelerator is aiming to help even more to increase their sales, secure funding and improve their leadership skills in 2025. Your business could enjoy practical tools, expert support, and join a helpful community – through our new digital network.
For 10 years, NatWest Accelerator has been helping businesses get going and get growing. To celebrate this milestone, we’re launching NatWest Accelerator Pitch with a total prize pot of £1m to be given out over a series of competitions throughout 2025 and beyond. The prize pot for the first competition is £100k and we want to hear you pitch your success and your plans for growth.
Have you got brilliant ideas and a burning passion to grow your business? Yes? Then it sounds like you’re ready to enter the NatWest Accelerator Pitch competition.
To enter, send us a 60-second video telling us how the funding will grow your business. Our judges will select five Finalists to attend our first live final in Manchester on 31 July 2025, with a second edition of the competition coming to London later in 2025.
At the live events, the Finalists will get to deliver their best ‘Dragon’s Den/Shark Tank’ pitches. The best three at each event will share in the £100k prize pot, with the overall winner scooping £70,000 for their business. So, what are you waiting for?
To enter
Your business must be a registered limited company
Your business must be registered in the UK
Your business must generate up to £1M in revenue
Your business must have started trading between 1st January 2019 and 1st January 2024
You as business owner must be 18 or over and a UK resident
You can be a customer or non-customer of NatWest Group
You must not be an employee of NatWest Group of companies, their families, or anyone associated with this competition
Your business does not have to be based in Manchester or London to enter our competitions.
Prepare a 60-second video pitch (please see video guidance below)
Complete online form for Manchester - London coming soon
Make sure your video is uploaded and submitted within the form
For Manchester, entries open 27 March 2025 and the closing date for entries is 5pm 25 May 2025
For London, entries are coming soon
Please read the full terms and conditions and privacy policy. Please note, T&C's are specific to each competition.
Our three winners of NatWest Accelerator Pitch at each live final will walk away with…
1st place - £70,000
2nd place - £20,000
3rd place - £10,000
Monetary prizes will be in the form of a grant, and will be paid via BACS transfer which will take between two-three working days to be received in winners account, subject to winners providing full business account name, account number and sort code in a prompt and timely manner. Winners have three months to spend the money. Following payment our grants monitoring officer will reach out on month three, six and twelve to check in on how the grant has impacted your business.
Ready to showcase your business and win big? Here’s what you need to tell us:
Impress us with your business: Who are you and what’s your business all about? Keep it short and punchy.
Boast like a boss: Don’t be modest. Share your successes and milestones. What makes your business stand out?
Getting biggie with it: If you win the cash, what are you going to do with it? How will it help you grow and by how much?
What's so special about you?: Why should the judges choose you over everyone else? What’s your USP?
General Guidance:
Be Authentic: Let your passion and personality shine through
Be Clear and Concise: Stick to your most powerful points and make every second count. Remember your video shouldn't be longer than 60-seconds
Be Specific: Provide a clear plan and vision
How to film:
Good Lighting: Ensure you’re in a well-lit space, facing the light source
Clear Sound: Choose a quiet location to avoid background noise
Steady Camera: Use a tripod or place your camera/phone on a stable surface
Framing: Position the camera at eye level and make sure you're centred in the frame
Practice: Do a few practice runs to get comfortable
There will be five applicants selected for the live final in Manchester on 31 July 2025 (Finalists). Five finalists will also be selected for the London event to follow later in 2025, with competition dates to be announced
Finalists will be chosen by a panel consisting of representatives from the NatWest & Royal Bank Accelerator teams
Finalists will be those who, in the view of the judges:
present the strongest illustration of how the funding will help their business to grow
demonstrate a strong track record of setting and achieving goals in business
The judges' decisions are final; no correspondence will be entered into
Manchester Finalists will be confirmed by 14 July 2025 and notified by email and phone, at least two weeks before the live final
At the live finals, Finalists will give a 10-minute live pitch about:
their business
their journey
how the prize money will grow their company
why they should win
Finalists will also feature in video and photo content produced by NatWest marketing and affiliates and will attend networking events on the day at the NatWest Accelerator Hub.
Winners at the live finals will be those who, in the view of the judges…
best show how the funding will help their business to grow
deliver the strongest pitch performance
present the most exciting, innovative ideas for growth
Please note, applicants successful in reaching the final will be required to:
attend a live final pitch day
respond in a timely manner to pre-event invites and communication
feature in media activity including but not limited to, print, online and broadcast opportunities. This will not take up more than 4 hours of time in 2025
take part in video content creation including but not limited to, the day of the live finals and post event follow-ups
respond in a timely manner to NatWest communication following the competition for future media activity
Entries open: 27 March 2025
Closing date for entries: 25 May 2025 - 5pm
Finalists confirmed by: 14 July 2025
Live final: 31 July 2025
Please note: your business does not have to be based in Manchester to enter this competition, however, you will be expected to be able to travel to Manchester if selected for the finals.
Please note if you are a runner-up or winner, you are not eligible to participate in any future competitions.
Enter now
Please note: your business does not have to be based in London to enter this competition, however, you will be expected to be able to travel to London if selected for the finals.
Please note if you are a runner-up or winner, you are not eligible to participate in any future competitions.
Coming soon