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Highlights

  • Equity Fundraise Success: RetailBook raises up to £4.5 million, led by Augmentum Fintech plc.

  • Strategic Independence: Peel Hunt to reduce its stake in RetailBook below 50% following the fundraise.

  • Key Partnerships: Augmentum joins existing shareholders Hargreaves Lansdown, Jefferies, and Rothschild & Co.

Peel Hunt (LSE:PEEL) has announced that its platform RetailBook, a comprehensive solution for issuers seeking to access retail capital, has successfully raised up to £4.5 million in an equity funding round led by Augmentum Fintech plc. The fundraise, which includes a previously announced £500,000 from 16 April 2025, will be used to fund RetailBook's next stage of growth.

Of the £4.5 million target, £3.1 million has already been raised as of Friday 9 May 2025, with the remainder expected to complete pending regulatory approval.

Since its operational independence from Peel Hunt in April 2024, RetailBook has been pursuing a strategy to position itself as an independently owned and managed industry utility. In line with this, Peel Hunt has opted not to participate in the current fundraise, and upon completion, its equity stake in RetailBook Holdings Limited (RBHL) will fall below 50%.

Strategic Shift and New Partnerships

RetailBook’s move to welcome new strategic partners is a key element of its long-term strategy. In addition to Augmentum, existing investors include major industry players such as Hargreaves Lansdown, Jefferies, and Rothschild & Co. This funding round underscores RetailBook's growing presence in the retail capital market and its ability to attract strong investment partners.

Steven Fine, Chief Executive of Peel Hunt, commented on the milestone, saying, "This is another significant step for RetailBook, which became fully operationally independent of Peel Hunt with its own FCA authorisation in 2024. It has since recruited the former capital markets team of PrimaryBid and now adds Augmentum to its shareholder register. We wish RetailBook every success in its role as the go-to retail access platform."