Finalrentals, which specializes in car rental in Dubai and United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), is launching a franchise initiative. The company has already signed three franchisees, in U.A.E., Poland, Malta, and Ireland and aims to grow to 15 by the end of this year, according to Ammar Akhtar, founder and CEO of Finalrentals.

The franchise initiative is 100% digital. “Franchisee can be doing business from Day 1 by just adding their cars and locations into the Finalrentals platform,” Akhtar said. 

Akhtar said the unprecedented upheaval in car rental brought on by the coronavirus pandemic creates opportunity for new entrepreneurs.

“Every industry goes through a shift every 25 years,” Akhtar said. “For car rental that time is now, and Finalrentals is ready for that shift. We believe in partnerships and we believe in creating value. … let’s build a great future together” he further added.

The initial focus for franchising is in the E.U. and U.S., Akhtar said, with plans to expand globally “slowly but surely.” 

Potential franchisees that already own a car rental company can keep their brand, including displaying two logos simultaneously though the franchisee must adhere to Finalrental’s brand guidelines. The ideal scenario, Akhtar said, is for entrepreneurs to use Finalrentals as a solo brand and grow it in their territory.

"Finalrentals is a symbol of entrepreneurial excellence and the brand has grown organically over the years. We are looking for entities that can take this initiative forward with an entrepreneurial mindset, which is actually one of the strengths and core values of Finalrentals," said Akhtar.