More than 400 founders, investors, academics and business leaders recently gathered at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, for the final of the NatWest Accelerator Oxford Pitch Competition, one of the city’s most anticipated innovation events.
The competition, held on 18 June, brought together some of the UK’s most promising entrepreneurs, with five finalists pitching their businesses to a distinguished judging panel that included representatives from Google Cloud, JCDecaux UK, Coutts and the University of Oxford. The finalists were selected from more than 600 applicants and competed for a share of a £100,000 prize fund.
Taking first place and securing £70,000 was Oxford-based entrepreneur and former midwife Nina van Schaick, founder of Peripear.
The pioneering MedTech company has developed a patented device designed to reduce perineal tearing during childbirth, a complication that affects millions of women worldwide. Judges praised the venture’s potential to deliver significant improvements in maternal health outcomes on a global scale.
Second place was awarded to Oxford alumna Lucy Hope, founder of Daughters of Mars Ltd, who received £20,000 for her work developing a bioactive tampon aimed at preventing bacterial vaginosis.
Third place went to Gary B, founder of Join Tangent Ltd, whose AI-powered video recruitment platform impressed judges with its commercial potential. In addition to securing third place, the company also received a marketing prize from JCDecaux.
The remaining finalists, Olympic gold medallist Matt Richards and his company Sponza Ltd, alongside Roxanne Stephenson-Brown of Find Care Compare Ltd, were also recognised for the originality and strength of their ventures, highlighting the diversity of innovation emerging from across the UK.
The Oxford final forms part of NatWest’s nationwide competition programme, which will distribute £1 million between 2025 and 2026 to support early-stage businesses as they grow and scale.
Emily Fallon, Regional Director of NatWest Accelerator and one of the evening’s hosts, said: “What we saw tonight is exactly what NatWest is here to support; ambitious founders building innovative, scalable businesses with real world impact.
“As the UK’s biggest bank for business, our focus is on backing entrepreneurs with more than just funding. It’s about connecting them to the networks, expertise and opportunities they need to grow and succeed.
“Through our partnership with the University of Oxford, and our commitments as a signatory of the Equinox Charter, we’re helping ensure that world-class ideas don’t just start here, but scale here, strengthening Oxford’s position as a global hub for innovation.”
The evening also featured a keynote address from Professor Constantin Coussios, co-founder of OrganOx, whose entrepreneurial journey offered attendees an insight into the transformative impact that successful innovation can have on healthcare and society.
Hosted in partnership with EnSpire, the University of Oxford’s entrepreneurship team, the event showcased the strength of Oxford’s innovation ecosystem and the collaborative support available to emerging businesses.
The competition forms part of NatWest Accelerator, one of the UK’s largest entrepreneurial communities. The programme currently supports more than 20,000 members through a network of 14 hubs and a digital platform, with ambitions to expand to 50,000 members nationwide.
As investment continues to flow into Oxford’s thriving technology, healthcare and research sectors, events such as the NatWest Accelerator Oxford Pitch Competition underline the city’s growing reputation as a leading destination for entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth.
