How the Uklon franchise started and how it will work — answers for the franchisees

In May, the Ukrainian tech company Uklon, the developer of the eponymous ride-hailing service, is launching an international franchise to accelerate the company’s scaling through global expansion into new markets. Dmitry Dubrovskyi, CEO and co-founder of Uklon, shared why franchise in a ride-hailing industry is always a good choice and how the company will support franchisees during the launch of Uklon in their countries.

When did the idea of an international franchise first appear?

The idea emerged before the war. A potential partner came to us wondering if it was possible to get an Uklon franchise. We got interested and started researching the opportunities, after which we decided that launching a franchise would be our next move. The war has greatly accelerated our work. In two-three months, we managed to wrap up the offer and introduce the Uklon franchise.

What is a Joint Venture model for partnering?

We came across the idea of a Joint Venture partnership while talking to our potential partners. Some people were interested only in making an investment and choosing a region for running Uklon. Meanwhile, they were ready to leave all the operational details on our side. Joint Venture is also a scenario that might work perfectly for our partners and us.

Pros for a potential franchisee

A great advantage for an Uklon franchisee will be a strong understanding of how the sharing economy functions (for example, they worked with delivery or car-sharing services). If a person owned a taxi fleet, that might also be an advantage. Generally speaking, experience in ride-hailing is more important than just the experience of launching a franchise in any other industry.

How will the Uklon team support the franchisee?

In addition to Uklon software and detailed franchise process descriptions, we will help with the entire franchise launch. Also, we are going to assist with the initial staff training, with the launch of all required business departments and financial models.

Why franchise in a ride-hailing industry is a good choice?

Business in the ride-hailing industry is very sustainable. Everyone needs to move around the city, even despite Covid or martial law. Running a business in ride-hailing can be complementary to other businesses (delivery, e-commerce, car-sharing, or car rental). Also, working with mobility services is very scalable: you might start with launching a taxi, then grow operations to scooter rental, and so on.