
Bloobloom secures three million pounds funding to bolster expansion
The funding was led by Pembroke VCT, which had initially invested 2.5 million pounds into Bloobloom as part of a 4.8 million pound fundraise in 2022. For this latest round, the venture capital trust contributed two million pounds, alongside an additional one million pounds from Social Impact Enterprises.
Through the fundraise, Bloobloom said it was 'well-positioned to scale its operations', expand internationally and grow its retail presence in the UK, where it currently operates seven stores across London.
Founded in 2017, Bloobloom is dedicated to a tech-focused approach to eyewear, utilising its proprietary AI technology platform, Theia, to perform readings and interpretations of prescriptions in order to select the correct lenses for customers and analyse their eye health.
The company has continued to grow since its inception, reporting over 100,000 active customers with a sales retention rate of 90 percent. Bloobloom further stated that it welcomed a revenue growth of 2.3x from FY23 to FY24.
In a press release, co-founders of the brand, Fares and Abbas Manai, said in a joint statement: 'We are both excited and grateful as we embark on this next phase of growth, in partnership with some of the finest investors in the UK. This latest round of funding will enable us to continue enhancing our technology platform and to maintain the outstanding service we provide to our customers online, in store, and beyond, thanks to our Pair for Pair programme.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
Crystal Palace to know European fate by August 11 after submitting appeal to CAS
The London club, who won last season's FA Cup, were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League after falling foul of UEFA's rules governing multi-club ownership. European football's governing body determined that as of March 1, American businessman John Textor had control or influence in Palace and French club Lyon. Where one or more club are found to have shared ownership, they cannot play in the same competition, and Lyon held on to the Europa League spot by virtue of their higher league position. Palace's place in the second-tier competition was taken by Nottingham Forest. The CAS issued a statement on Tuesday confirming it had received an appeal by Palace and would render an operative decision – without written reasons – on or before August 11. A date for the hearing has not yet been scheduled, the court said. The CAS confirmed Palace were seeking to take either Forest's or Lyon's place in the Europa League. Textor has agreed to sell his stake in Palace to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, but the move came too late to satisfy UEFA. Palace's prospects looked brighter when Lyon were relegated to France's second division by the country's football finance regulator. Lyon had reached a settlement with UEFA agreeing to be excluded from European competition if their appeal against that sanction failed, but they managed to overturn the initial decision and hold on to their top-flight place. The CAS said parties were currently exchanging written submissions. Palace fans have staged protests against the ruling, and club chairman Steve Parish told The Rest Is Football podcast last week: 'We are still fighting. There's an appeal process, so we go to CAS which is the court for arbitration and, you know, we're very hopeful. We think we've got great legal arguments. 'We don't think this is the right decision by any means. We know unequivocally that John didn't have decisive influence over the club. 'We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it's a fact.'


Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Brits set to be hit with €20 charge as soon as they enter Greece on holiday
Greece has introduced a new cruise tax which will see people charged depending on the season and port on the European Union holiday hotspot, MSC Cruises has warned British holidaymakers now face a €20 (£17.35) levy the moment they set foot in Greece following the introduction of fresh regulations in the popular European Union destination. A new cruise tax has been rolled out, meaning passengers will be hit with varying disembarkation charges depending on which Greek island port they visit and the time of year. From July 21, 2025, island-hopping by cruise ship became considerably pricier for all travellers. Between June 1 and September 30, visitors will be stung with a €20 fee when stepping off at Mykonos and Santorini ports. All other Greek ports will impose a €5 (£4.34) charge during this peak period. The levy reduces during the shoulder months of October and from April 1 to May 31, dropping to €12 (£10.41) for Mykonos and Santorini whilst other ports charge €3 (£2.60). Throughout the winter period from November 1 to March 31, the fee falls to just €4 (£3.47) for the two popular islands and €1 (87p) for remaining ports. The charge applies to each passenger at every port where they step ashore. MSC Cruises has already notified customers via email that the additional cost will be passed directly onto guests. The cruise operator explained in correspondence: "This tax, similar to those already in force for hotels and other types of accommodation facilities, is designed to support local infrastructure, promote sustainable tourism, and improve the visitor experience." "For your convenience, MSC Cruises will prepay this tax for you directly to the Greek authorities. We will simply add the tax to your onboard account the night before each call in a Greek port." They explained: "MSC does not determine or control this expense, which is established and imposed by the Greek authorities and applied to all cruise companies operating in Greece." The message also noted that passengers who remain aboard will have the fee automatically waived. The new travel permit is to strengthen security and the borders of the Schengen zone, reports Birmingham Live. The €20 doesn't apply only to Greece, but also other popular holiday destinations, such as Spain and France, will be affected. This also follows news from EU's Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs revealing that European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) were going to be introduced in the final quarter of 2026. As previously reported by the Mirror, ETIAS will not be mandatory until 2027. Brits might want to do some research before they head off to a sunny-drenched destination, as they might be stung with a fee. The bigger the family, the more expensive it will become!


South Wales Guardian
3 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Minister insists fuel supplies not under threat despite oil refinery closure
State Oil – the parent company of Prax Group, which owns the Lindsey refinery in North Lincolnshire – collapsed into administration last month, putting hundreds of jobs at risk. Michael Shanks pledged to support the workers who are facing redundancy, but said there is little action the Government can take to improve the statutory redundancy offer. Speaking in the Commons, he said: 'We have worked urgently to ensure the safety of the refinery site, the security of fuel supplies and to protect workers. 'This has also allowed time for bidders to express an interest in the site. 'Following a thorough process, the official receiver has rigorously assessed all the bids received and concluded that sale of the business as a whole is not a credible option.' He added: 'A package has been offered to all those directly employed at the refinery, which guarantees their jobs and pay over the coming months. 'And alongside the usual support that is offered to workforces in insolvency situations, the Government will also immediately fund a comprehensive training guarantee for those refinery workers to ensure they have the skills needed and the support to find jobs, for example, in the growing clean energy workforce.' The Lindsey site is one of only five large oil refineries remaining in the UK after the recent closure of the Grangemouth plant in Scotland. Prax Group is led by majority owner and chairman and chief executive Sanjeev Kumar Soosaipillai, who bought the Lindsey oil refinery from French firm Total in 2021. Shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie, who tabled the urgent question, claimed 625 jobs are at risk as he pressed the minister for an update on its investigation into the collapse of the company. He also asked: 'What, if any, assessment has been made into the UK's resilience given the steep reduction in our refining capacity over the past six months? 'What, if any, assessment has been made on the increased reliance on imports that will be necessary as a result of the reduction in British refining capacity?' Mr Shanks said fuel supplies had 'adjusted' in the past few weeks, adding: 'Our assessment suggests there isn't an immediate risk to fuel supplies locally or in the wider area, but we'll continue to monitor that.' On the investigation, he said: 'There is not much I can update the House on at the moment, because the insolvency service is carrying out that investigation.' Conservative MP Martin Vickers, whose Brigg and Immingham constituency includes the oil refinery, said he wanted to see 'the maximum support given to those workers'. Mr Shanks replied: 'We have looked and pushed and pushed to see if there is more action Government can take to change or to give any additional payments. 'It's not possible for Government to do that, not least because the insolvency service has to follow very specific rules in terms of creditors and what their parameters are to operate in the event of an insolvency. 'But I do think the owners of this company have profited from this business, and they should do the right thing by the workforce that delivered that for them.'