How ‘mobile washing’ businesses are thriving in the global market
The industry has been hit hard by the Brexit vote and Trump’s election, with sales of mobile laundry products in Britain falling by almost 30% in the last two years.
As a result, the industry is hoping to carve out a new niche in a crowded market.
The US startup MobiSoft says that mobile washing machines, which are sold to consumers via Amazon, Google and other retailers, are now “the fastest growing segment” in its market.
The business has raised $8.8 million to date from investors including Algolia Capital and Digital Transformation Group, and is expanding its network of more than 300 stores across the US.
Its products include laundry machines with built-in dryers, laundry machines that charge via a remote connection and a laundry unit that can be connected to the internet for remote washing.
But it also offers a laundry room-sized washing machine called the Smart Washing Machine that has built-ins like a power washing machine, dishwasher, dish washing and dishwasher rinse.
MobiSoft said it had invested in the technology with the aim of bringing the laundry to market in the US by 2020.
It says it has a strong network of retailers that sell its products, and expects to be a leader in the sector.
MobySoft co-founder and chief executive officer Daniella DeMoss says the company is currently working on its first US store, which will be located in the New York area.
She said that if successful, the company will eventually expand to more US cities.
“We have the opportunity to do more, to do it more rapidly than we’ve ever done before, to get into the larger markets and grow faster,” she told Business Insider.
But DeMosons strategy is also a bit more than a wash of the washing machine.
She believes the business can be useful for anyone looking to make money through digital services and is looking at how it can help companies and their employees.
“It can be a tool to get in touch with people that are really on the margins, who are really looking for a business model,” she said.
“It’s not just about getting a new customer or just making money.
We want to do good, we want to be part of the solution.
We are not trying to be the next Google.”
DeMoss said that Mobi Soft has “huge potential” to help companies grow in a rapidly changing economy, but also said that it’s important for businesses to focus on growing their margins rather than focusing on growth.
“Our focus is to build and scale the business, not to build a business around growth,” she added.
