Indian Startup UClean Goes Global: Enters UAE, Plans 1,000+ Stores Across 9 Nations
India’s leading laundry and dry-cleaning franchise, UClean, has taken its innovative “live laundry” model beyond borders, launching operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of its expansion into nine countries.
From 700 stores across India to new outlets spanning nations like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Somalia, and Mauritius, UClean is now setting its sights on 1,000+ global stores within the next 18 months. The brand currently caters to more than 2 million customers across 200 cities worldwide.
“Expanding into the UAE signifies the growing global trust in Indian-origin brands,” said Arunabh Sinha, Founder and CEO of UClean. “Just as Domino’s and Subway changed global food franchising, UClean is reshaping how the world experiences professional laundry care. The strong franchise interest in the Middle East reinforces the success of our model.”
The global franchise industry, estimated at USD 160 billion in 2023, is projected to cross USD 250 billion by 2031. UClean aims to harness this growth by offering entrepreneurship opportunities through its standardized, easy-to-scale business model.
A pioneer of India’s live laundry concept—where customers can see their garments being cleaned in real time—UClean is also expanding into home care and upholstery cleaning, positioning itself as a complete cleaning solutions provider.
Founded in 2017 by Arunabh Sinha and Gunjan Taneja, UClean has attracted roughly $1.6 million in investments from Franchise India Holdings, Rajiv Jalan, and US-based investor Anubhav Chopra. Early partners include celebrities Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu.
With this latest venture, UClean plans to deepen its Middle East footprint while exploring untapped markets across Africa and South Asia. The company is also expanding its UClean Pathshala training initiative to help global franchisees maintain the brand’s quality standards.
