More than 400 founders, investors, academics and business leaders gathered at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford yesterday (18 June) for the final of the NatWest Accelerator Oxford Pitch Competition.
In what attendees described as one of the standout events in Oxford’s innovation calendar, five exceptional founders pitched to judges from the likes of Google and JCDecaux, for a share of £100,000.
The Oxford final is part of the bank’s UK-wide competition which will award £1 million across 2025–2026 to help early stage businesses grow and scale.
Oxford local and former midwife, Nina van Schaick wowed judges to claim the top prize of £70,000. Her company Peripear is a pioneering MedTech business which has developed a patented device designed to reduce perineal tearing during childbirth, with the potential to improve outcomes for millions of women globally.
Second place went to Lucy Hope an Oxford alumna and the founder of Daughters of Mars Ltd. Lucy secured £20,000 for her pioneering work developing a bioactive tampon, designed to prevent bacterial vaginosis.
Gary Izunwa, co-founder of Join Tangent Ltd, took third place, as well as receiving an additional marketing prize from JCDecaux, for his AI powered video recruitment platform which was praised for its commercial potential.
Fellow finalists, Olympic gold medallist Matt Richards and his company Sponza Ltd and Roxanne Stephenson‑Brown of Find Care Compare Ltd were also applauded for the strength and originality of their ventures, reflecting the breadth of innovation emerging across the UK. The five finalists were picked out of over 600 applicants.
Emily Fallon, Regional Director 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, 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 an inspiring keynote from Professor Constantin Coussios, whose story behind OrganOx served as a powerful reminder of the profound human impact that breakthrough ideas can achieve when successfully scaled.
Hosted in partnership with Enspire, the University of Oxford’s entrepreneurship team, the event underlined NatWest’s growing role at the heart of the region’s innovation ecosystem.
As the UK’s biggest bank for business, NatWest continues to play a leading role in supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey, from early‑stage ventures through its Accelerator programme, to wider community initiatives such as Financial Foundations and Thrive, helping individuals and businesses build confidence, resilience and long‑term success.
Images from the event:
- Judges, from right to left: Emma Crystal (Coutts), Graham Drury (Google), Thanh Catachanas (JCDecaux UK), Dr Olga Kozlova (Oxford Unveristy), Michael Tefula (startup advisor) (JPG, 365 KB)
- The winning founders, from left to right: Lucy Hope, Nina van Schaick, Gary Izunwa (JPG, 329 KB)
- Winner Nina van Schaick (JPG, 230 KB)
- The Oxford event was the most attended NatWest Accelerator Pitch competition to date. (JPG, 386 KB)
- The event was held in Oxford Said’s Nelson Mandela Theatre. (JPG, 478 KB)
