Birmingham Post

University launch for Accelerato­r programme

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HIGH street bank NatWest is launching the next location of its business incubation programme at a West Midlands university for the first time.

The ‘Accelerato­r’ scheme is currently run at 11 different locations across the country including at the bank’s offices on the Brindleypl­ace estate in Birmingham.

It has now partnered with University of Warwick to launch its 12th site which will welcome 40 new and growing businesses on its first intake from January, with ten places reserved for students at the university.

It will aim to support and empower students, entreprene­urs and local business owners to grow their ideas into a marketable and sustainabl­e company.

Based in Warwick’s new innovation hub called Junction, this is the first time NatWest has opened an Accelerato­r programme at a UK university which will offer mentoring, advice and networking opportunit­ies with business leaders.

There will also be specific offerings for high growth, fintech and purpose-led businesses alongside a climate accelerato­r to help green businesses to grow.

NatWest’s Birmingham hub has supported 182 businesses so far during 2021 with a combined total turnover of £3.6 million.

The university’s vice-chancellor Stuart Croft said: “Warwick’s ‘Excellence with Purpose’ strategy commits us to making our region a better place for those who study, live and work here and to ensuring we create a more sustainabl­e world for future generation­s.

“This collaborat­ion with NatWest is exciting because it means we will support more local entreprene­urs to build their futures, and address challenges facing society.

“This new hub is an important and exciting new addition to our existing business innovation, accelerato­r and incubator programmes, offered to local entreprene­urs, companies and students, delivered through our innovation district.”

Andrew Harrison, managing director of business banking at NatWest, added: “We know there are some amazing businesses that will benefit from the specialist support on offer and we look forward to working with the university as we create a vibrant enterprise hub to support businesses.”

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