Topgolf founders raise €29M to launch Poolhouse to reinvent the pool with interactive venues

London-based Poolhouse, the new tech-enabled pool entertainment business, has raised $34M (approximately €29M) in its seed round led by Sharp Alpha and dmg ventures, DMGT’s consumer venture capital fund.

Other investors, including David Blitzer (owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils), Simon Sports (co-owner of Ipswich Town F.C.) Active Partners (early investors in Soho House) and Emerging Fund, an investor in F1 Arcadem participated in the funding round.  

Signature Hospitality Group, one of Australia’s largest hospitality operators, has taken an equity stake and signed a franchise agreement.

The UK company will use the funds to roll out its venues, starting with a 21,500 sqft site by London’s Liverpool Street Station.

Additionally, the company is in discussions to expand in the Middle East, North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

Steve Jolliffe, co-founder of Poolhouse, states, “Poolhouse is the most ambitious and scalable concept my brother and I have created, representing the pinnacle of our lifelong work. Today, more people play at Topgolf than on traditional golf courses in the US, and we aim to make an even greater impact on the world of pool. Whilst we have a strong track record of incorporating technology into golf balls, this project has been our most challenging endeavour yet.”

Poolhouse: Providing a library of interactive pool games

Poolhouse was founded by the founders of Topgolf (which merged with Callaway at a valuation of $2.1bn in 2021)—Steve and Dave Jolliffe.

Led by CEO Andrew O’Brien, Poolhouse provides patented technology and a Las Vegas-inspired ambiance that offers guests of all skill levels an engaging experience through a diverse library of interactive pool games.

The drinks offering is curated by the Venning brothers from Three Sheets.

Andrew O’Brien, CEO and co-founder, says, “The Poolhouse experience heralds the most significant transformation in the history of a nearly 700-year-old sport. The Jolliffe brothers changed the landscape of golf with Topgolf, and they are set to do the same to the pool.”