Mr Aashish Kumbhat, Co-Founder of URBAN, spoke to The Hans India about the brand’s remarkable journey from a single-store beginning in Chennai to a rapidly growing consumer tech company with over 12,000 outlets across South India. In this conversation, he shared insights on URBAN’s upcoming expansion into West and North India, its focus on lifestyle-driven technology, and the vision to make smart, affordable devices accessible to every Indian household.⁠

URBAN has come a long way from a single-store operation in Chennai to over 12,000+ retail outlets across South India. What has been the most defining part of this journey so far?

It has been a mix of consistent focus on quality and a willingness to adapt. From day one, we never compromised on making reliable products. That earned us customer trust. At the same time, we expanded our product portfolio based on customer needs and to reflect the latest technology trends. Over the years we have moved from batteries and spare parts to personal audio to smartwatches, home audio, and more, always keeping an eye on what is relevant and required for the end user. Financial discipline was also important. While many players burned cash, we stayed profitable, invested in innovation, and steadily grew.

The combination of trust, innovation, and discipline has defined our journey.

Mr Aashish Kumbhat, Co-founder of URBAN

You’re now preparing for a significant expansion across West and North India. What strategies are in place to ensure URBAN’s smooth transition into these new markets?

Our priority is building strong local teams first. We are hiring experienced regional and state heads, and carefully selecting credible distribution partners.

We have a focused approach where we partner only with top players who have good reputations in the market. On top of that, we are running local marketing campaigns, working with influencers, and doing festive season activations to build awareness. We want URBAN products to be everywhere customers look, from multi-brand stores to supermarkets to leading gadget resellers across the region.

The idea is to gradually reach around 3,000 touchpoints across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Delhi over the next year.

⁠In a competitive consumer tech market, how has URBAN managed to carve out a strong position, particularly in the smartwatch category?

Smartwatches have been a big focus area for us. While many brands are stepping back from this segment, we doubled down. It comes down to understanding the category deeply, building good quality products at affordable prices, and addressing after-sales issues promptly.

Customers are looking for reliable devices that they can proudly wear every day, and we focus both on functional tech and stylish design. We have been able to maintain strong growth here, even when the overall market is slowing down.

⁠Your upcoming product diversification includes home entertainment and personal wellness devices. How do these new categories fit into URBAN’s larger vision as a pan-India brand?

We always try to anticipate what people need next. That’s why we are expanding into home entertainment with party speakers, and into lifestyle & wellness devices like portable Blenders & massagers. These additions reflect a shift toward lifestyle-focused tech.

Our bigger vision is to be a one-stop destination for affordable, stylish tech that simplifies daily life, no matter wherever you are in India.

Building a strong on-ground sales and service team is key to dealer and retailer confidence. How are you planning to scale this support network across India?

It starts with hiring the right regional heads and experienced sales professionals who understand the local market. We are investing in expanding our sales team aggressively to ensure partners get the support they need at every level.

On top of that, we provide training, co-invest in local marketing, and even support in-store branding efforts. This way, retailers understand the value and can offer confidence to customers instead of simply selling the products.

In some places, we are even providing shelves, branded counters, and exclusive displays to enhance the real-time product experience.

URBAN has always focused on premium design and convenience at accessible prices. How do you strike the right balance between affordability and innovation?

Instead of focusing solely on price competition or providing features that may not truly be useful but are just optically premium, we focus on understanding what customers truly need and delivering that in a smart way. For example, in smartwatches, we focus on core features everyday people care about such as health tracking, design, battery life without unnecessary functionalities that simply look good on paper. Our R&D is very focused on creating functional innovations, not just flashy tech. That way, we keep products affordable and valuable, while ensuring they look and feel premium enough to be aspirational.

⁠Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for URBAN in the next five years, and how do you see the brand evolving on a pan-India scale?

At URBAN, we don’t just see ourselves as a tech brand — we see ourselves as a lifestyle companion for millions of Indians. In the next five years, our vision is to make URBAN a name that every household recognizes, not just for gadgets, but for smart solutions that seamlessly blend into everyday life.

We imagine a future where URBAN is present in every major retail space — from bustling metros to the growing towns of India — making smart living accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Our journey ahead will be about shaping lifestyles: creating technology that simplifies routines, elevates wellness, and brings entertainment closer to home. Whether it’s the way people stay connected, track their health, or enjoy moments with family, we want URBAN to be at the heart of it.

But beyond reach and products, what will truly set us apart is our commitment to meaningful innovation. In a market flooded with noise, URBAN will stand out by designing technology that matters — intuitive, reliable, and built around the real needs of people.

Five years from now, when someone chooses URBAN, it won’t just be about buying a smartwatch, earbuds, or home audio system. It will be about choosing a brand they trust, relate to, and feel proud to carry — a brand that reflects the pace, spirit, and aspirations of modern India.