Washmen raises $6.2 million in Series B
Priya Wadhwa
What's the Deal
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Washmen raises $6.2 million in Series B

UAE's largest retail laundry and dry clean operator.

A Dubai-based dry cleaning and laundry service, Washmen has raised $6.2 million in its Series B round.

AddVenture, a global VC based in Russia and returning investor in Washmen, led the round, which was also joined by Germany-based leading consumer goods company Henkel, Lebanon’s Cedar Mundi Ventures and B&Y Partners and UAE’s Clara Ventures.

This round takes total investment raised so far by Washmen to $7.8 million.

“We see a clear trend of consumers outsourcing more and more tasks as part of their lifestyle. Understanding this shift in consumer behaviour and accompanying it with a high-quality service offering is part of our consumer-centric approach. We are very happy to have found an innovative and dynamic partner in Washmen, driving its disruptive business model in the region.”
Thomas Schuffenhauer, Director New Business Laundry & Home Care at Henkel

Founded in 2015 by Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui, Washmen started out as an asset-light model which connected customers with existing laundromats. Over the course of 4 years, it has grown to own its supply chain, and launched its own 30,000 square feet laundry and dry cleaning facility in June 2019.

Through its mobile application, Washmen allows users to order laundry or dry cleaning services. They can simply select pick up and drop off times, and the delivery boys will collect and deliver the clothes within 48 hours. The startup also launched a next day delivery service at a 50 percent premium.

The startup claims to have become the largest retail laundry and dry clean operator in the UAE. It said it will be using the recently raised funds to consolidate its UAE operations while expanding its technology development office in Beirut, Lebanon.