Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
Long road to profitability
Financial Express Pune
|February 23, 2026
HOMELANE HAS THROWN ITS WEIGHT BEHIND FRANCHISEES TO EXPAND BEYOND METRO MARKETS
FOR BENGALURU-BASED HOME interior solutions startup Home Lane, artificial intelligence (AI) is turning out to be the key lever for retail expansion. At the heart of the strategy are franchise-owned and franchise-operated (FOFO) stores that are expected to cut both cost and time to customer doorstep.
Co-founder & CEO Srikanth Iyer says the company will penetrate larger urban markets with franchise-owned and company-operated (FOCO) stores but expansion into tier 2 and 3 cities will be spearheaded by franchisees.“Our strategy is to go beyond metros and build a strong presence in fast-growing residential hubs,’ he says. Home Lane currently operates 26 live studios based on the FOFO model. The Peak XV-backed startup plans to move rapidly into cities like Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Nashik, Allahabad, among others. By the year end, it plans to increase its presence to 100 cities in India and add 100 stores operating on the FOFO model.
This story is from the February 23, 2026 edition of Financial Express Pune.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Financial Express Pune
Financial Express Pune
An enduring partnership
IF HORIZON 2047 VISION IS BACKED BY POLITICAL WILL, IT COULD SERVE AS ATEMPLATE FOR MIDDLE POWERS
4 mins
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
Proptech startups win over investors with scalable models
IF INVESTORS ARE paying attention to proptech startups, it’s because India’s digital rails and better execution talent has made it possible to build scalable, high-trust workflows in a category where trust and outcomes matter.
2 mins
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
Data centre power demand to rise 6 times by 2030, may strain Grid
INDIA'S DATA CENTRE capacity is projected to surge nearly sixfold from about 1.5 GW in 2025 to 8-10 GW by 2030, while electricity consumption from the sector is expected to rise sharply from 10-15 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2024 to 40-45 TWh by 2030.
1 mins
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
K’taka may follow Australia, ban social media for U-16
THE KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT is considering curbing the use of social media for children below 16 years of age.
1 mins
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
Parametric insurance can help cushion climate-linked blows
A RECENT REPORT highlights that India experienced extreme weather on nearly every day of the first nine months of 2025, heatwaves, storms, floods, and landslides left a deep human and economic impact.
1 mins
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
India, US defer meeting on trade pact
FOR INDIA, THE changed circumstances present an opportunity to renegotiate the framework of an interim deal with the US, for which both sides issued a joint statement on February 7.
3 mins
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
Maha brace for Budget session face-off over plane crash row
First session in Maharashtra's legislative history in which both the assembly and legislative council won't have a Leader of Opposition
1 mins
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
Trump trade gamble to continue
THE SUPREME COURT may have ruled 6-3 against President Trump’s use of an international emergency law to impose tariffs.
1 min
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
Supply reset
THE QUIET SUPPLY-CHAIN OVERHAUL RESHAPING HOW INDIA BUYS ITS MEAT
3 mins
February 23, 2026
Financial Express Pune
Save the soul & soothe the spine, India’s new travel itinerary
Young travellers blend spiritual and wellness
1 mins
February 23, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size