Both NatWest and X‑Forces Enterprise are Gold Armed Forces Covenant employers, reflecting their shared commitment to supporting the armed forces community. The initiative, launching ahead of Armed Forces Day (27 June), aims to support more service leavers, veterans and their families as the number of veteran‑owned businesses continues to grow across the UK.
For some, the transition from military to civilian life can present challenges, particularly when it comes to translating skills and accessing the right opportunities. Entrepreneurship is an increasingly important route: research supported by X-Forces Enterprise found that around 6% of small businesses in Great Britain are veteran-owned, representing approximately 340,000 veteran-led small businesses. These enterprises span sectors from defence, logistics and security to construction, retail, and hospitality plus many more.
Through the partnership, the armed forces community will receive tailored support via the NatWest Accelerator, including mentoring, expert guidance, peer networks and access to funding opportunities. A new dedicated section within the Accelerator app, created specifically for ex-military entrepreneurs and their families, will enable founders to connect, collaborate and share experiences.
Darren Pirie, Head of Accelerator and Partnerships at NatWest, said: “The armed forces bring exceptional leadership, resilience and problem-solving skills to business. By working with X-Forces Enterprise, we want to remove barriers and help more ex-military founders turn their ambitions into successful, sustainable companies.”
Ren Kapur MBE, CEO at X-Forces Enterprise, said: “We are delighted to be the exclusive Armed Forces Community partner with NatWest on this important initiative. It is a great testament to Big Business supporting Small Business and offers our beneficiaries and the wider military community practical support to thrive, overcome hurdles and build resilience in a fast-changing economy.”
NatWest’s Accelerator community supports early-stage and high-growth businesses through a network of 14 UK hubs, alongside university partnerships and a calendar of pitch events where entrepreneurs can secure funding to help grow and scale their businesses. Participants also benefit from tailored mentoring, expert guidance and access to investor networks to support their long-term development.
Data from NatWest shows that businesses completing the Accelerator grow turnover by an average of 104% year-on-year, compared to 20% among a control group. Nine in ten Accelerator graduates are still trading after three years.
The initiative forms part of NatWest’s Growing Together plan, which focuses on supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening regional economies and unlocking business growth across the UK.
This work forms part of NatWest’s wider efforts to back UK entrepreneurs and strengthen regional growth through its Growing Together plan, which focuses on expanding opportunity, supporting innovation and helping businesses scale across the country. It also reinforces the bank’s long-standing commitment to the armed forces community. NatWest is a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and supports service personnel, veterans and reservists through employment pathways, dedicated programmes and tailored support designed to help them succeed both during and after military service.
Case Study – Defence Darts Ltd
After 18 years in the Royal Air Force, mother of three Zara Durrant who lives in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, is turning the skills, resilience and networks built during military service into a new chapter as founder of Defence Darts Ltd.
What began as a grassroots community in 2024 connecting serving personnel, veterans and reservists through darts has grown into a nationally and internationally recognised platform with more than 1,500 members, major events and new commercial opportunities.
As Zara prepares for life beyond the RAF, support from X-Forces Enterprise and the NatWest Accelerator community has helped her move from community builder to business owner, providing access to practical learning, coaching, networking and introductions to help shape Defence Darts into a sustainable organisation.
As niece of Glen Durrant, a three-time Lakeside World Champion, a PDC Premier League Champion and now one of the sport's leading commentators, Zara watched, followed and understood darts from an early age.
When she joined the Royal Air Force, she quickly realised that darts was deeply embedded within military culture.
Zara Durrant, Founder and Managing Director of Defence Darts comments:
“You'll find dartboards in crew rooms, messes and bars across the Armed Forces. It's a sport that brings people together regardless of rank, age or background.”
She created the Defence Darts Community as a way to communicate with darts players across the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force while she was leading efforts to gain official recognition for the sport across Defence. At the time, there was no central place to keep players updated on the progress of the proposal, so she created a community to bring people together and share the information.
“As the community grew, we gave ourselves an identity and a name: the Defence Darts Community. What started as a communication platform quickly became something much bigger. Players from across the services began connecting, supporting one another and building friendships through a shared passion for the sport.”
Defence Darts Ltd was formally established as a business earlier this year and now delivers major events such as Operation Bullseye being held in July, online competitions and corporate partnerships, all designed to build connection, wellbeing and opportunity across the Armed Forces community.
Through one of Operation Bullseye’s sponsors, Zara was introduced to X-Forces Enterprise, a charity that which supports serving personnel, veterans and military families to start or grow a business.
“Transitioning from the RAF into business ownership has been a big shift, but it has also shown me how valuable the skills I built through military service really are. Defence Darts started as a passion project to create connection and opportunity for the Armed Forces community, but as it grew, I knew I needed the right support to make it sustainable.
“X-Forces gave me the confidence and practical knowledge to start thinking like a founder. As the team at X-Forces got to know me, my story and what Defence Darts had achieved, they invited me to trial the community within the NatWest Accelerator programme and join the Accelerator App.
“The timing couldn't have been better. I needed access to networks, business knowledge and opportunities to take Defence Darts to the next level.
“Since joining the NatWest community, I’ve attended networking events including Collaborate MK, through an introduction from Debbie Lewis, NatWest Community Leader for Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes.
“These opportunities have connected me with business leaders, entrepreneurs and potential partners I would never otherwise have met.
“For someone transitioning from military service into business, having organisations like X-Forces and NatWest providing that support network has been incredibly valuable.”
