The new partnership will build on the existing close relationship between Scotland’s largest bank for business and one of its largest universities. A dedicated member of Bank staff will work with the University’s AI Accelerator programme team to provide strategic coordination between University of Edinburgh entrepreneurs, academic innovation teams, and the Royal Bank Accelerator community, driving growth, insight and commercial impact.

Building on years of collaboration and a shared commitment to Scotland’s entrepreneurial and research-led growth, the new facilities and renewed partnership bring an expanded programme of support for Scottish entrepreneurs, as well as for alumni, staff and student founders. Through practical, in-person advice as well as large-scale sessions and boutique events, the Royal Bank Accelerator team will be on hand to help businesses scale and succeed, tapping in to the University’s innovation expertise and networks.

For founders working at the intersection of entrepreneurship and advanced research, RBS has also announced that it will provide £30,000 to the University of Edinburgh’s AI Accelerator, enabling participants to boost their offering by accessing support from academics, PhDs or other resources from across the University.

The AI Accelerator programme has supported over 100 companies so far to collectively raise over £120 million in funding and is currently recruiting for its tenth cohort.

Supporting the University’s pipeline of talent is central to the renewed partnership. RBS already engages with university students across departments, supporting initiatives that promote employability and career development. This new partnership sees opportunity for both parties to collaborate further, enhancing student experience, employability and recruitment outcomes.

The announcement comes as part of the RBS’ commitment to supporting 5,000 Scottish startups and the broader NatWest Group’s commitment to launch accelerator hubs in 10 Universities throughout the UK over the next three years, with the Universities of Oxford, Manchester, York, Brighton and Warwick signed up to the programme.

The University of Edinburgh partnership spans four key themes: Accelerator, Innovation, Research, and Student Experience and Recruitment. Each area is designed to strengthen the pathway from idea to impact, enabling founders across Scotland to access tailored support as well as helping research-led innovation to connect more effectively with industry.

The announcement forms part of the Bank’s new five point Growing Together plan, setting out how they will help build the conditions for UK-wide growth: supporting the innovators shaping the future economy, backing powerful regions, championing mid-market companies, supporting the country’s infrastructure, and boosting financial confidence for people and families.

Heidi Simpson, RBS regional accelerator director, said: “Scotland is full of talent and bold ideas and through our new alliance with the University of Edinburgh, we’re focused on helping founders turn them into real businesses.

“This partnership strengthens Accelerator support where innovation is already thriving within the university environment.

“Building on a foundation of years of collaboration, we’re supercharging our partnership to support the innovators of the future. We’re putting a complete support system in one place, with hands-on coaching, expert insight and a community that founders and students can tap into. This is about making it easier for start-ups and scaling businesses across Scotland to move faster, think bigger and turn ambition into growth that in turn benefits the Scottish economy.”

Looking ahead to the partnership, Douglas Graham, director of innovation clusters at Edinburgh Innovations, the University’s commercialisation service, said: “This new alignment of entrepreneurship expertise and resources between the Royal Bank of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh is great news for the entrepreneurs across our cohorts.

“Offering our combined support to talented founders and their emerging ideas and technologies strengthens our regional and national innovation ecosystem, and helps harness data, digital and AI for the good of all.”