a. The competition is open to both customers and non-customers of NatWest Group aged 18 or over who are UK residents and have a Limited Company which has been registered in Northern Ireland for between one to five years (trading between January 2021 and January 2025) with a turnover of up to £1m . The competition is not open to strategic partners, employees of NatWest Group of companies, their families or anyone associated with this competition. If you have been a Finalist or have won a prize in another NatWest Accelerator Pitch Competition you are not eligible to participate in this or any future competitions.
b. To be eligible entrants must submit a 60-second ‘video pitch’ and complete an online profile form. Guidance regarding the video requirements and information required for the online form can be found here.
c. One entry per business is allowed. Entries must be submitted on the official online profile form. All entries, including the form and the video, and the copyright for them, become the property of the Promoter and entrants agree to execute such further documents, and do any act that may be necessary or desirable, to ensure ownership of such copyright vests in the Promoter.
d. Entries must be received by 5pm on [Friday 6th February 2026 ].
Entries not submitted in accordance with these rules, or that are delayed, damaged, incomplete, altered or illegible will be disqualified. No responsibility is accepted for entries lost or delayed. Proof of sending by email OR upload to website will not be accepted as proof of entry.
e. Semi-Final and Final Selection Process:
A shortlist of 12 businesses will be invited to attend a semi-final event on 10th March 2026 at Ulster Bank Accelerator Hub.
A public vote will open one week prior to the semi-final event, whereby the public can vote for their favourite shortlisted businesses. Voting will take place online via the Belfast Telegraph website using Slido, an online voting tool. There will be no cost to vote, and voting will not be available in print. The public vote will close prior to the semi-final event, no later than 12:00 noon on 10th March 2026, and the public vote winner will be announced at the semi-final event.
The winner of the public vote secures one place in the live final.
The remaining 11 shortlisted businesses will deliver a 60-second pitch followed by a Q&A; judges will select three more Finalists.
These four Finalists will compete at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards on 25 March 2026.
f. Live Final
The live final will take place on 25 March 2026 at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards being held at Crowne Plaza Belfast, 117 Milltown Road, Shaw’s Bridge, Belfast, BT8 7XP. Each Finalist will deliver a 60 second pitch to the audience and judging panel followed by up to 3 minute Q&A.
The audience can vote, and these votes will be combined with the judges’ scores to help determine the winners. However, the judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
g. Winning Criteria
Winners at the live final will be those who, in the view of the judges:
a) present the strongest illustration of how the funding will help their business grow; and
b) deliver the most compelling pitch performance.
h. Prize Fund
A total prize pot of £60,000 will be awarded as follows:
1st place - £50,000
2nd place - £5,000
Two runner up prizes - £2,500 each
Prizes will be awarded to businesses presenting at the live final, based on the judging criteria above. The audience can vote, and these votes will be combined with the judges’ scores to help the judges determine the winners. The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. Winners will be announced at the event. Prize amount is not transferable.
i. Finalists may be asked to:
Take part in networking opportunities at the Ulster Bank Accelerator Hub, with details to be discussed and agreed between Ulster Bank and the Finalists prior to any networking events taking place.
j. Winners will be expected to:
The first and second place winners agree to participate in promotional activities related to this competition, acknowledging that their entries may be used by the Promoter for marketing purposes, which may include, but are not limited to, online platforms and the Promoter's social media channels. Additionally, they may be featured in content created by the NatWest Group marketing team and its affiliates, encompassing videography and photography.
Winners will need to commit a total of no more than 4 hours to PR & Marketing initiatives until the end of 2027.
k. The Promoter reserves the right to publish or make available such information as is necessary to demonstrate that a valid award took place including, if appropriate, the name and business name of the winner(s) and copies of the winning entries.
l. If a prize is unclaimed after reasonable efforts have been made to contact the winner[s] the Promoter will be entitled to dispose of the prize as it sees fit without any liability to the winner[s] for having done so.
m. The Promoter reserves the right to alter, amend or foreclose the promotion without prior notice.
n. The Promoter is not liable for covering travel expenses or any related costs associated with attending the semi-finals, live final, events or experiences associated with the competition.
o. How we’ll use your information:
National Westminster Bank Plc is a data controller in respect of personal information that we process in connection with our business (including the products and services we provide). We are a member of NatWest Group plc. For more information about NatWest group and its brands please visit NatWestGroup.com.
p. We collect and process various categories of personal and confidential information at the start of and throughout your relationship with us and beyond to allow us to provide our products and services and to run our business. You can find more information at Privacy Policy | Ulster Bank Northern Ireland.
The Promoter is Ulster Bank a business name of National Westminster Bank plc, 250 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AA.