RetailBook

RetailBook Announces a £4.5m Funding Round Led by Augmentum Fintech

May 12, 2025

London, UK – 12th May 2025 - RetailBook, the platform that enables retail investors to participate in primary capital market transactions on the same terms as institutional investors, today announces a £4.5 million funding round led by Augmentum Fintech, one of Europe's leading fintech investors.

Retail participation in primary markets has accelerated meaningfully in recent years and is considered essential to improving market liquidity and function. Consequently, policymakers have introduced significant regulatory change including fundamental revision to the Listing Rules and the Prospectus Regime, closely aligning RetailBook's agenda with the Government's focus on reform and growth.

In February, RetailBook significantly expanded its capability through the hire of the former PrimaryBid Capital Markets Team, individuals with unique expertise in retail inclusion. The combined team has unparalleled experience, having executed over 400 transactions across both equity and debt, in the UK and Europe.

Augmentum joins existing investors Peel Hunt, Jefferies, Rothschild & Co, and Hargreaves Lansdown in supporting the next stage of RetailBook's growth, which will see the company focus on expanding its product across new asset classes, growing its platform capabilities, and forging new partnerships with retail brokerage platforms.

James Deal, Co-CEO of RetailBook, added:

"We are delighted to welcome Augmentum and look forward to utilising their extensive expertise and network in the fintech sector. Our goal remains the delivery of comprehensive public inclusion. Retail investors are a crucial component of vibrant capital markets and we are excited by the pipeline of truly exceptional companies that are considering London as their listing venue."

Aaqib Mirza, Co-CEO of RetailBook said:

"This fundraise allows us to execute our growth strategy and continue our journey of retail investor empowerment. Strategic expansion through the hire of a team with unique expertise and an unrivalled track-record has delivered exactly what we forecast, including widening our product set to include a new fixed income service that has already raised record amounts from retail investors."

Augmentum CEO Tim Levene, who will be joining the RetailBook board, commented:

"We have had a relationship with the RetailBook team for some time, and their work to democratise investment access directly reflects Augmentum's core mantra. With recent market reforms focused on enhancing UK market liquidity and the government's emphasis on unlocking diverse capital pools, RetailBook is poised to play a crucial role. Their excellent team, strong network, and best-in-class solution will enable them to become the key channel for retail participation in public markets."

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Notes to Editors:

About RetailBook

RetailBook (www.retailbook.com) is an FCA regulated platform that enables retail investors to participate in primary capital market transactions on the same terms as institutional investors.

RetailBook pioneered retail access to primary markets in the UK, launching its first IPO to retail investors in 2015 [1], and has strategic partnerships with Crowdcube, Hargreaves Lansdown, Jefferies, Deutsche Numis and Rothschild & Co.

RetailBook has created an alliance among key market participants. Current shareholders include Hargreaves Lansdown, Jefferies, Peel Hunt, and Rothschild & Co.

Over the last twelve months, RetailBook [2] has provided retail investor access to the UK's two largest IPOs, Applied Nutrition and Raspberry Pi, and generated record Treasury-bill demand.

About Augmentum Fintech

Augmentum invests in fast growing fintech businesses that are disrupting the financial services sector. Augmentum is the UK's only publicly listed investment company focusing on the fintech sector in the UK and wider Europe, having launched on the main market of the London Stock Exchange in 2018, giving businesses access to patient capital and support, unrestricted by conventional fund timelines and giving public markets investors access to a largely privately held investment sector during its main period of growth.

Contact

For media enquiries: press@retailbook.com

Shape

[1] RetailBook previously operated as REX.

[2] RetailBook was still operating as REX when it executed Raspberry Pi.