AIQ secures £2M convertible facility from Hong Kong's CISL for data-centre push

What's the deal? London-listed AIQDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has entered a convertible loan note agreement to raise up to £2 million ($2.7 million) from China International Securities Ltd (CISL), a Hong Kong-based securities firm. The notes are unsecured and interest-free, and AIQ issued an initial £0.5 million tranche on July 3, 2026.

The terms: The remaining £1.5 million may be drawn in tranches through August 14, 2026. The notes convert into new ordinary shares at 5p each, expire on July 3, 2028, and cap CISL's resulting stake at 25% of AIQ's issued share capital.

What's the endgame? Proceeds will fund working capital, data-centre construction, and subsidiary AIQ Vision, with part potentially used for debt repayment. AIQ Vision aims to build and operate a computing services platform, positioning the company as an "AI Infrastructure" provider and Global ICT Services Provider.

Why now? AIQ ties the opportunity to surging demand for generative AI and tightening data sovereignty rules, as economies require critical data to be stored within their borders. The deal marks a step up for the company, which alongside the new notes amended its existing 2022 convertible facilities.

CISL is a subsidiary of a leading Hong Kong financial services group with experience in capital markets, corporate finance, and underwriting. AIQ said the firm was "primarily attracted to the Company by the prospects for AIQ Vision" and expects it to be a "supportive long-term partner."

The signal: The financing is small in sector terms but telling — thinly traded London micro-caps are increasingly turning to convertible loan notes as quasi-bridge funding when equity markets are unreceptive. For AIQ, it underlines both persistent funding needs for capital-intensive data-centre plans and investor willingness to back them with equity upside rather than straight debt.

Read more: ADVFN

Image credit: NeoSpire