Under the arrangement, STAC personnel will be based directly within the bank’s new Edinburgh Accelerator Hub on Princes Street. STAC entrepreneurs will gain full access to Accelerator services, while the more than 700 businesses in the Edinburgh Hub will be able to draw on STAC’s deep tech capabilities and content.

The move builds on a partnership first established in Glasgow in 2025, where 500 businesses in the RBS Accelerator Hub have accessed STAC’s technical expertise over the past year.

Extending the collaboration to the capital brings Glasgow and Edinburgh’s startup communities closer together and creates a more joined-up ecosystem across Scotland’s two largest cities. It also supports the bank’s commitment to back 5,000 Scottish startups in 2026, a ten-fold increase on the previous year.

The announcement follows the opening of the Edinburgh hub one month ago and a wide-ranging partnership with the University of Edinburgh.

At the end of April, STAC CEO Paul Wilson took part in a group discussion with Rick Haythornthwaite, chair of RBS-owner NatWest Group, on innovation and scaling in Scotland at the new hub building.

Darren Pirie, RBS head of accelerator, said: “It is fantastic to be able to bring STAC expertise in high growth sectors to strengthen our offering to our Edinburgh Accelerator community.

“This expanded partnership exports our successful Glasgow collaboration, which in its first year has already made deep tech expertise available to the 500-strong startup community in our Accelerator hub there, to Scotland’s capital, creating a more joined up eco-system for entrepreneurs across the country.

“This announcement builds on our commitment to supporting 5,000 Scottish startups in this year alone, to drive forward Scotland’s innovation economy.”

Paul Wilson, STAC Accelerator CEO, said: “We’ve developed a strong partnership with Darren and the Royal Bank Accelerator team, built on a shared commitment to helping deep tech ventures grow.

“This arrangement allows STAC to bring its specialist acceleration expertise into Edinburgh while leveraging RBS’s strengths in market access, funding pathways, and tailored financial services for deep tech venture growth.

“By co-locating in the new Royal Bank Accelerator on Princes Street, STAC can help founders access the focused support, commercial networks, and financial expertise that deep tech companies need as they move from breakthrough ideas to scalable businesses.

“Edinburgh has the talent, research strength, and ambition to become one of the UK’s leading centres for deep tech. We’re pleased to be working alongside the Royal Bank in a space designed to bring ambitious founders, industry partners, investors, and institutions together.”