The concept combines the game of pool with cutting edge technology to create a new immersive experience, offering guests of all skill levels an engaging experience through a diverse library of interactive pool games together with a world class food and beverage offering. Poolhouse’s first venue is set to open in Liverpool Street, London, early in 2026 and they are in discussions to expand to open further venues in the Middle East, North America, Southeast Asia and Europe.
Poolhouse raised $34 million in its seed funding round from a number of venture capital firms and strategic investors from across the globe. The round was led by Sharp Alpha, a U.S. leisure-focused venture capital investor, and DMG Ventures, DMGT’s consumer venture capital fund. Other investors in the round included Emerging Fund, (investors in F1 Arcade, Flight Club and Batbox), David Blitzer (owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils), Simon Sports (a co-owner of Ipswich Town F.C.) and Active Partners (an early investor in Soho House). Signature Hospitality Group, one of Australia’s largest hospitality brand operators, has also taken an equity stake and signed a franchise agreement with Poolhouse.
On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Poolhouse CEO Andrew O’Brien commented:
“The Harbottle team did an outstanding job guiding us through the many inevitable complexities associated with a funding round of this size. Three things stood out for Poolhouse in particular: i) their pragmatic approach to resolving several more complex elements of the process, ii) superb communication within the team working with us – they were always in sync, and iii) great work rate, with many (very) late nights spent driving time sensitive tasks to punctual conclusions.”
Corporate partner Tom Macleod and managing associate Rosie Marston led the transaction, with support from corporate associates Elizabeth Compton and Jake Jacobson, and other departments across the firm. Commercial/sports partner Bob Mitchell led the licensing aspects of the transaction with support from senior associate Mike Jones.
Commenting on the transaction, Tom Macleod said:
“We are delighted to have supported the Poolhouse team on their $34m investment round, which paths the way for the launch of their first venue for this transformative new pool concept. We advised Poolhouse from its inception, providing advice on its corporate structure, licensing arrangements, employment and incentivisation matters, as well as running the investment transaction itself. This further demonstrates the breadth of H&L’s offering to emerging companies and our ability to advise on complex, high value venture capital transactions.”
Tom advises founders, growing entrepreneurial businesses, venture capital funds and angel investors on a broad range of corporate matters including acquisitions and disposals, exits, all forms of financing rounds (S/EIS, venture capital, venture debt, VCT, growth capital), joint ventures, corporate restructurings and share incentivisation schemes.
He is seen as a rising star in the industry and is known for combining excellent technical skills alongside a pragmatic, commercial approach. Tom has a particular focus on advising high-growth technology companies and is equally adept advising on early stage investments or later stage transactions for both investors and investees alike. Tom is also part of the firm’s international strategy group, with a particular focus on the USA.
Tom trained at CMS, before joining the corporate practice at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as a newly qualified solicitor. He joined Harbottle & Lewis in February 2017.
Rosie’s practice focuses on supporting startups and investors in the venture capital ecosystem. She has extensive experience advising on a wide range of corporate transactions, including venture capital and growth stage fundraisings, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder arrangements, early stage SEIS/EIS investments, convertible instruments (including ASAs, SAFEs and convertible loans), founder disputes, share incentive schemes (including EMI options), joint ventures and corporate reorganisations.
Rosie acts for startup and scale-up companies, entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capital funds, family offices and other corporate investors across a wide range of sectors, with particular experience advising clients in the technology sector.
Rosie trained and qualified at Allen & Overy, where she worked in the corporate M&A team for four and a half years, including secondments to the Singapore office and a client secondment to Virgin Management. She subsequently spent two years at law firm MJ Hudson, before joining Harbottle & Lewis in June 2023.
Rosie is passionate about improving the existing gender imbalance within the startup community and has co-written two articles about how diversity has been threatened by rule changes in the UK venture capital ecosystem, both published by FT Adviser. Read the articles here and here.
She frequently advises on mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations, fundraisings and shareholder arrangements. Elizabeth also has a particular interest in working with charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Elizabeth joined Harbottle & Lewis in May 2024. Before joining, she trained at Macfarlanes and qualified into their corporate and M&A team in September 2022 where she focused on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions for private equity houses, large corporates and management teams.
Jake advises founders, serial entrepreneurs, management, venture capital funds and angel investors on a broad range of corporate matters at all stages of a company’s lifecycle, including acquisitions and disposals, financing rounds, joint ventures, corporate restructurings and re-organisations, shareholder arrangements, and employee and management share incentivisation schemes.
Jake joined Harbottle & Lewis in 2019 as a trainee solicitor and qualified in 2021.
He specialises in all aspects of sports law, with significant expertise in advising sports focused clients on both commercial and regulatory issues.
Bob has particular experience in negotiating and providing advice on the terms of commercial sports agreements, particularly those relating to sponsorship deals, but also participation, staging, promoter and venue agreements, and advising on sports regulatory and disciplinary issues.
He advises a cross-section of clients including governing bodies (such as Cricket West Indies), other sports rights owners (including the Professional Cricketers’ Association, The Queen’s Club and the World Cricketers’ Association), and a number of sports marketing and management agencies.
In addition, Bob advises individual sportsmen and women (including the collective members of the England cricket team) on their arrangements with sponsors, governing bodies, agencies and teams. He also advises a range of brands such as Emirates and Diageo (whose brands include Guinness and Johnnie Walker) on their sponsorships of various sports rights properties.
Bob was instrumental in the creation of the Team England Player Partnership (TEPP), the body that represents the England’s cricketers in relation to commercial, employment and disciplinary matters. He has acted for TEPP and the England players for the last 25 years.
Bob is a member of the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) and until recently was a member of the ESA Board.