Urban Company's Native Business Eyes Air Conditioners After 5 Lakh Purifier Installations

Urban Company's consumer products business, Native, has crossed 5 lakh water purifier installations and is evaluating an entry into air conditioners, with board approval to explore the category but no final launch decision. NDTV Profit reported the milestone and the evaluation on November 2, 2026.

Native's Purifier Milestone and Air Conditioner Review

Native reached 5 lakh water purifier installations three years after its launch, and the business reported revenue growth of around 40% in the second quarter. Vikas Khaitan, Co-founder and COO of Urban Company, told NDTV Profit that the company remains confident about Native's growth trajectory, driven by new product launches, improving customer experience and deeper penetration in existing categories.

The company launched the Native M3 Pro water purifier, extending its filter life from two years to three years, and Khaitan said the product has received a positive response from consumers. Native's adjusted EBITDA loss stood at Rs 9 crore in Q2 FY27, while margins improved by around 200 basis points compared with the same period last year. Khaitan attributed the improvement to better operating metrics, scale, stronger capabilities and operating leverage, and he expects margins to keep improving as the business inches toward profitability over the next few quarters.

Urban Company's board has approved exploring an air conditioner entry, though the company has not taken a final call on a launch. Khaitan said the company sees an opportunity to address consumer dissatisfaction around product quality, performance and recurring repair costs, and it believes its experience servicing and repairing millions of air conditioners and its existing service network could support a differentiated proposition. Any launch would follow a measured and cautious approach, initially focusing on cities where the company has a strong presence and targeting premium consumers who value product quality and service experience. Khaitan said the proposed foray, if it materialises, would initially be restricted to India, with no immediate plans for international markets.

Earlier Moves in Urban Company's Expansion

Urban Company's board met on October 16 to consider a fresh fundraise, according to The Times of India. The company went public in September 2025 and is competing with Snabbit and Pronto in the instant house help industry, the same report said. On October 16, Entrackr reported that Snabbit recorded a net transaction value of Rs 72 crore in Q2 FY27, marginally ahead of Urban Company's InstaHelp at Rs 71 crore, and that Snabbit's burn was Rs 142 crore versus InstaHelp's adjusted EBITDA loss of Rs 174 crore.

What Comes Next for Native

Khaitan said the next phase of growth will focus on strengthening existing businesses while evaluating opportunities that can create meaningful long-term value. Urban Company remains open to acquisitions in domestic and international markets, and it recently announced plans to raise funds, with acquisitions among the potential uses of the proceeds, according to NDTV Profit. The company is not currently evaluating any other new product categories beyond air conditioners.