BrightStar Care Heads into Second Half of 2026 with More Than 20 Signed Agreements and 19 New Locations

Leading Home Healthcare Franchise Pairs Franchise Growth with National Quality Recognition, New Leadership, and Expanded Clinical Support

Franchise growth momentum

CHICAGO — BrightStar Care, the leading provider of nurse-led home healthcare, skilled care and medical staffing, is heading into the second half of 2026 with sustained momentum across franchise development, quality recognition, and technology. The brand signed more than 20 franchise agreements and opened 19 new locations in the first six months of the year, building a strong foundation for a year marked by national recognition, new leadership and expanded clinical support.

Rising Home Care Demand Fuels Franchise Growth

Growth in 2026 continues to reflect rising demand for in-home care, which is raising awareness of the opportunity among prospective owners. With multiple revenue streams available to franchise owners, BrightStar Care stands apart from competitors with the full continuum of care owners can deliver, from companion care, medical care, and skilled care to medical staffing solutions for corporate partners.

“Demand for in-home care is creating real opportunity, and our job is to help owners capture it,” said Pete First, Chief Development Officer at BrightStar Care. “Prospective owners are drawn to a model that combines purpose, community impact, and multiple revenue streams, and the momentum we are seeing at the midpoint of 2026 reflects that pull. With roughly half of our territories still open for development, there is meaningful room to grow.”

The pace of the brand’s development reflects that demand. BrightStar Care has signed 60 franchise agreements over the last 18 months, a sign of sustained interest from operators inside and outside of healthcare.

National quality recognition

National Recognition for Quality and Franchise Strength

BrightStar Care entered the second half of the year with a wave of national honors spanning quality, senior care, and franchising:

• Named an Enterprise Champion for Quality by The Joint Commission for the 14th consecutive year, the only home care company to earn this recognition

• Ranked No. 3 in the Senior Care category in Entrepreneur Magazine’s inaugural Top 10 Franchise Industry Rankings in June 2026

• Ranked No. 159 on the 2026 Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list, climbing nearly 30 positions from the prior year for its 16th consecutive year on the list

Leadership and clinical support

Investing in Leadership and Clinical Support

BrightStar Care strengthened its leadership team in the first half of the year, naming Josh Wall as CEO. Wall succeeds Andy Ray, who transitioned to an advisory role with the brand. Wall most recently served as COO of Unleashed Brands and brings more than two decades of franchise leadership experience, with a track record of strengthening franchise systems and guiding brands through periods of rapid expansion.

The brand also invested in its clinical team during the first half of the year, adding support for franchise owners and the clients they serve and reinforcing the nurse-led model at the center of every care plan.

Advancing Technology for Owners

BrightStar Care continued to invest in technology designed to strengthen the owner experience. The brand introduced new tools powered by AI across scheduling, sales and marketing, and daily operations. The tools are designed to take friction out of everyday operations while maintaining care quality.

“Our model is built around hands-on care, clinical oversight and trust, which makes it resilient even as AI reshapes other industries,” said First. “We are investing in technology that removes friction from everyday operations for our owners and the clients they serve, so their teams can spend more time on what matters most, the people in their care.”

With more than 420 locations nationwide, BrightStar Care continues to expand into communities where the need for dependable, nurse-led care is clear. While the brand has been franchising for more than 20 years, significant whitespace remains, and BrightStar Care is focused on placing the right owners in open territories through the second half of 2026.

In addition to supporting families at home, BrightStar Care partners with healthcare organizations to meet evolving staffing needs with experienced, credentialed professionals. Learn more at **www.brightstarfranchising.