Royal Bank of Scotland has named Pounce Padel as the winner of its first ever Accelerator Pitch competition, held to mark the opening of the bank’s new Edinburgh Accelerator Hub on Princes Street. The event underscores Royal Bank’s plan to dramatically scale support for Scottish founders, with a target to back 5,000 entrepreneurs in 2026.
The live final on 24 April 2026 brought six Scottish startups together to compete for a £30,000 prize pot in front of judges and a packed audience. Finalists were tasked with delivering rapid‑fire pitches and Q&A, showcasing their commercial traction, innovation and growth ambitions.
Pounce Padel, which designs and manufactures high‑performance padel rackets specifically for women, secured the top cash award of £15,000. Medical Ascend, a medical training platform, took second place and £10,000, while hormonal health startup Gloriah collected £5,000 for third.
As well as the funding, Pounce Padel and non‑alcoholic drinks brand Sabliere will receive an out‑of‑home advertising campaign delivered by JCDecaux UK, giving both early‑stage businesses national exposure as they scale. The combination of capital and brand‑building support is designed to accelerate go‑to‑market plans and help the companies reach new customers quickly.
The competition took place as Royal Bank of Scotland officially opened its new Accelerator Hub in the heart of Edinburgh, which doubles the space available for founders to access free coworking, meeting rooms and support. Now in its 10th year, the Scottish Accelerator programme has helped build a community of high‑growth startups and scaleups, with alumni including consumer and tech brands that have created hundreds of jobs.
The launch also coincided with the announcement of a new partnership between Royal Bank of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, aimed at strengthening the spinout pipeline by combining academic research with commercial expertise and funding. The alliance brings together Scotland’s largest business bank and one of its most research‑intensive universities to support the country’s innovation economy.
Georgie Rennie, founder of Pounce Padel, said the experience of competing in the live final was both “exhilarating and fun” and credited the Accelerator for hands‑on support in growing the business. She added that visibility from the Pitch win, alongside the funding and advertising campaign, gives the company a powerful platform to expand in the fast‑growing global padel market.
Darren Pirie, Head of Accelerator at Royal Bank of Scotland, said the event highlighted the depth of talent in Scotland’s startup community. He praised the “grit, courage and conviction” shown by all six founders who pitched under strict time pressure in front of a live audience.
“With the opening of our new Princes Street hub and our partnership with the University of Edinburgh, our Accelerator community is going from strength to strength,” he said. “We welcome anyone, anywhere in Scotland with the ambition to start and grow a business.”
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Royal Bank’s Accelerator programme gives entrepreneurs free access to mentoring, specialist coaches, networks and flexible workspace through hubs in Edinburgh and Glasgow, alongside a dedicated app. In 2026 the bank has set a goal to support 5,000 entrepreneurs, a ten‑fold increase on the previous year and more than the total helped over the previous decade.
Founders interested in joining the UK’s largest bank‑led entrepreneurial community can apply via the Royal Bank / NatWest Accelerator app. The bank says expanding its Accelerator footprint is central to strengthening Scotland’s high‑growth business base and boosting the wider innovation ecosystem.
