India’s start-up ecosystem is witnessing a paradigm shift as faith tech emerges as the next big frontier, according to Prashant Sachan, CEO of AppsforBharat, the country’s leading devotional and faith technology platform. With spirituality, devotion, and wellness deeply embedded in Indian culture, faith tech start-ups are rapidly building digital ecosystems that cater to the spiritual aspirations of hundreds of millions.
What is faith tech?
Faith tech is an emerging sector that leverages technology to deliver religious, spiritual, and devotional services including prayer, rituals, astrology, learning, donations, community engagement, and wellness practices. Globally, the sector has seen strong traction with platforms like Glorify (Christian faith app) and Hallow (Catholic meditation app), and India is now poised to become the largest faith tech market given its demographic diversity and religio-cultural rootedness.
AppsforBharat: India’s faith tech unicorn in the making
AppsforBharat, founded by Prashant Sachan in 2020, has created SriMandir, a devotional app that offers daily darshans, personalised rituals, prayer services, and community features. Backed by investors like Elevation Capital, Sequoia Capital, and BEENEXT, the start-up has raised over $20 million, positioning itself as the category leader.
| Key Metrics (AppsforBharat) | Details |
|---|---|
| Founder | Prashant Sachan |
| Founded | 2020 |
| App | SriMandir |
| Users | 10 million+ |
| Investors | Elevation Capital, Sequoia Capital, BEENEXT |
| Latest funding | Series A, $20 million |
| Offerings | Daily darshans, astrology, devotional content, community forums |
Why faith tech is the next big thing
In an exclusive statement, Prashant Sachan emphasised:
“Faith is central to India’s identity. We are a nation of believers with rich traditions across religions. Digital platforms that make rituals, darshans, and devotional engagement accessible in a personalised and authentic way will see explosive growth.”
Key drivers of faith tech growth in India:
- Large user base – Over 1 billion Indians identify with religious traditions, making it a massive market.
- Digital adoption among Tier II and III users, where faith-led consumption is highest.
- Growing spiritual wellness trend among millennials and Gen Z.
- Untapped monetisation potential via donations, astrology, premium rituals, live aarti experiences, and spiritual commerce.
Faith tech market potential
Reports estimate India’s faith tech sector could become a $10 billion opportunity by 2030, driven by:
- Daily devotional consumption
- Astrology and spiritual guidance
- Religious tourism and donations
- Spiritual commerce (rudraksha, puja kits, idols)
- Faith-based mental wellness
| Segment | Potential Market Size by 2030 |
|---|---|
| Devotional content & live darshans | $2 billion |
| Astrology & spiritual guidance | $3 billion |
| Donations & religious services | $2.5 billion |
| Faith-based ecommerce | $2.5 billion |
| Total | $10 billion |
Investors eye faith tech
AppsforBharat’s growth has opened investor interest in similar start-ups. Other platforms in this space include MyMandir, AstroTalk, Vama (online pandit booking), and Astroyogi, which have raised capital in recent months. Global funds see faith tech as a sticky, high-retention segment with low churn rates and high monetisation avenues.
AppsforBharat’s expansion roadmap
Prashant Sachan outlined the company’s future priorities:
- Regional language expansion: Offering content in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, and Kannada to deepen reach.
- AI-based personalised rituals and astrology services for improved user engagement.
- Integration of live darshans from major temples and virtual participation in festivals and yatras.
- Launch of spiritual commerce verticals: Selling puja kits, rudraksha malas, temple prasad, and idols.
- Community and social features: Enabling prayer groups, virtual satsangs, and bhajan communities to strengthen user networks.
Challenges for faith tech start-ups
While the opportunity is large, faith tech faces unique challenges:
- Ensuring authenticity and religious accuracy in content and rituals.
- Avoiding controversies in a culturally sensitive space.
- Building monetisation models that respect devotional ethics while sustaining business growth.
- Complying with regulatory norms on donations and spiritual services.
Industry experts on faith tech’s future
Anand Daniel, partner at Accel, noted:
“Faith tech combines community, content, commerce, and spirituality. If executed well with cultural authenticity, it can become India’s largest digital consumer segment.”
AppsforBharat vs competitors
| Platform | Key Focus | Funding Raised |
|---|---|---|
| AppsforBharat (SriMandir) | Daily darshans, rituals, community | $20M |
| AstroTalk | Astrology, horoscope, consultations | $40M+ |
| MyMandir | Community devotional content | $1M+ |
| Vama | Online pandit booking for rituals | Undisclosed |
| Astroyogi | Astrology marketplace | $2M+ |
Faith tech beyond Hinduism
While most platforms focus on Hindu devotion, experts see scope for interfaith platforms catering to Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Jainism. This can include prayer times, scripture learning, live sermons, and spiritual counselling across faiths.
Global parallels
Faith tech has boomed globally with:
- Hallow (Catholic prayer app) raising over $100 million
- Glorify (Christian meditation app) raising $40 million
- Ummah (Muslim community app) scaling to millions of users in the Middle East and South Asia
Future outlook
As India’s start-up ecosystem matures, faith tech is set to become a mainstream sector, merging spirituality with digital accessibility. With AppsforBharat leading the wave, investors are closely watching how this culturally-rooted, high-retention category evolves into a multi-billion dollar market.
Conclusion
Faith tech represents the intersection of India’s deep spiritual traditions with its rapid digital transformation. As Prashant Sachan aptly summarised:
“Technology is simply an enabler to connect people with their faith. We are building the digital temples of Bharat.”
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to verify faith-tech services and business models independently before making personal, religious, or financial decisions based on this content.
