Blink My Car
Wash your car or motorbike anywhere in Beirut by booking and paying through the application.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
$1.2m | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Blink My Car was a Lebanese startup that provided on-demand, eco-friendly car cleaning services. Founded in 2015 in Beirut by Rami Hallal, Ralph Choueiri, and Joseph Khalil, the company aimed to offer a convenient alternative to traditional car washes that consume significant amounts of time and water. Hallal, who served as CEO, brought a diverse background to the venture, with an MBA from INSEAD and experience at Booz Allen Hamilton and Yahoo before co-founding the startup. This experience in strategy, product management, and partnerships was instrumental in designing the business's architecture and operational structure.
The company operated through a mobile application for both Android and iOS, and later a Facebook Messenger bot, allowing customers to book a car wash with just a few taps. A service professional would then travel to the car's location and perform the cleaning, which typically took about 40 minutes. The business model was centered on providing a direct-to-consumer (B2C) service, functioning as an online marketplace that connected users with their trained cleaning specialists. The core of their service was a waterless car wash technique. This method utilized a mixture of specialized imported products, including surfactants and carnauba wax, to lift dirt from the vehicle's surface without the need for water, claiming to save approximately 250 liters per wash. The process involved spraying the solution on the car, which would break down and emulsify dirt, allowing it to be wiped away without scratching the paint.
Blink My Car secured initial funding in 2015 with a $350,000 angel investment from Al Amir Holdings. This was followed by a significant seed round of $1.2 million in June 2017, led by the Lebanese venture capital firm Phoenician Funds. These funds were intended to fuel user growth in Beirut and support expansion into other Middle Eastern markets like Doha and Dubai. Despite its promising start, strong branding, and success in fundraising, the company ceased operations in late 2017, just a couple of years after its launch.
Keywords: mobile car wash, on-demand car care, waterless car wash, eco-friendly car cleaning, Beirut startup, automotive services, mobile application, car detailing, Lebanese tech, vehicle maintenance, direct-to-consumer service, online marketplace, sustainable car care, MENA startup, venture capital, seed funding, car cleaning app, convenience services, Rami Hallal, Ralph Choueiri