New NatWest hub aims to help Black Country firms grow

Professor Prashant Pillai, pro vice chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, Councillor Stephen Simkins, deputy mayor of the WMCA and leader of Wolverhampton City Council, Solange Chamberlain, chief executive officer of NatWest's Retail business. <i>(Image: supplied)</i>
Professor Prashant Pillai, pro vice chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, Councillor Stephen Simkins, deputy mayor of the WMCA and leader of Wolverhampton City Council, Solange Chamberlain, chief executive officer of NatWest's Retail business. (Image: supplied)
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A NEW business hub has opened to help drive growth and innovation across the region.

NatWest has launched an Accelerator Hub at the University of Wolverhampton, offering coaching, networking, funding support and specialist banking services to start-ups and scaling businesses across the Black Country.

Professor Prashant Pillai, pro vice-chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: "Wolverhampton and the wider Black Country are home to a huge amount of talent, ideas and industrial strength.

"The new NatWest Accelerator will help us turn more of that innovation into successful businesses and high value jobs, by linking our research, facilities and graduate talent directly into the bank’s national networks and specialist support."

The hub forms part of NatWest’s Growing Together plan and expands its Midlands accelerator network, which already includes hubs in Birmingham, Warwick and Tyseley.

It aims to support businesses in sectors including advanced manufacturing, engineering, construction, digital, creative and technology enabled services.

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