The funding will support the continued rollout of Poolhouse’s premium venues and the expansion of BillyQ, its proprietary vision-processing platform developed in collaboration with the team behind Hawk-Eye.

Founded by British entrepreneurs Steve and Dave Jolliffe, the creators of Topgolf and Puttshack, Poolhouse aims to bring technology, interactive gameplay and data-driven personalisation to traditional cue sports.

At the centre of the concept is BillyQ, which combines projection and precision tracking technology to overlay a responsive digital layer onto a pool table. The system provides automated scoring, real-time player analytics and a range of interactive games.

BillyQ also incorporates a dynamic handicapping model which adjusts to each player’s ability, enabling groups with different skill levels to compete more evenly.

Poolhouse’s flagship venue opened in Liverpool Street, London, in 2025, offering 21 technology-enabled pool tables alongside food and drink. The company is now preparing to expand internationally, with locations in New York City, Nashville and Australia underway.

However, Poolhouse said its ambitions extend beyond its own venues. A significant proportion of the new investment will be used to introduce BillyQ into hotels, bars, casinos, traditional pool halls and other hospitality settings.

Andrew O’Brien, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Poolhouse, said: “Poolhouse is building a platform that can scale far beyond our branded venues, combining best-in-class hospitality with a proprietary technology layer designed to unlock new ways to play, compete, and engage with cue sports.

“With Bluestone’s partnership, we are well-positioned to accelerate our global expansion and establish BillyQ as the underlying infrastructure for cue sports worldwide.”

The company also plans to develop a consumer version of BillyQ for residential pool tables, bringing its gameplay, tracking, handicapping and training capabilities into the home.

Steve Jolliffe, Co-Founder of Poolhouse, commented: “We set out to build Poolhouse because we saw the same opportunity in pool that we once saw in golf: a beloved, mass-participation game that could be transformed through technology, design, and a better player experience.

“Bluestone is the ideal partner for this next phase. Their portfolio of complementary sports, media, and entertainment businesses, combined with their global network and institutional approach, will accelerate our ambition to build a worldwide platform powering pool anywhere it’s played.”

The company’s leadership team includes Ross Butler, Chief Operating Officer and former CEO and COO of Gaucho, and Steve Lane, Head of Distribution and former Managing Director, International at Topgolf. Hawk-Eye Founder Paul Hawkins has led the vision-processing development behind BillyQ.

Bobby Sharma, Founder and Managing Partner of Bluestone Equity Partners, said Poolhouse had the potential to establish a technology and data infrastructure for the global cue sports market.

“Poolhouse is building that infrastructure with a team that has already helped define modern competitive social entertainment,” he said.

The investment reflects continued interest in technology-led competitive socialising concepts, as hospitality operators explore new ways to combine food and drink with immersive games, automated scoring and personalised customer experiences.