Bengaluru‑headquartered AppsForBharat, operator of the popular devotional app Sri Mandir, announced today that it has raised ₹175 crore (approx. USD 20 million) in a Series C funding round led by Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital, with participation from existing investors including Nandan Nilekani’s Fundamentum, Elevation Capital, and Peak XV Partners. Sri Mandir Series C marks a major leap for the faith‑tech pioneer.
🚀 Focus Areas for the New Funds
- Expansion to 20+ temple towns: Including major pilgrimage hubs like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Ujjain, and Haridwar.
- Logistics & fulfilment centres: To streamline delivery of prasad and ritual items.
- AI‑powered features: Including virtual guidance for pujas, ritual walkthroughs, personalized devotional content, and a conversational assistant.
- Local hiring: Hiring in temple towns to manage operations and generate community employment.
📈 Performance Snapshot
- Valuation nearly doubled to USD 175 million since its last round in September 2024.
- FY25 Revenue exceeds ₹100 crore; facilitated 5.2 million online pujas and offerings across 70+ temples.
- User traction: Over 40 million app downloads, approximately 3.5 million monthly active users, with 20% of demand from the Indian diaspora.
🌐 Market & Sector Context
Faith-tech is gaining momentum in India, with funding rising from USD 4.3 million in 2023 to USD 50.7 million in 2024. Globally, the sector counts over 6,000 firms, with India being a major hub for religious-technology innovation.
🗣️ Company Commentary
Founder and CEO Prashant Sachan said the funding ushers in a new phase to digitize temples, support local stakeholders, and build AI innovation into spiritual experiences. techcrunch
🔭 Future Outlook
AppsForBharat plans to be profitable by FY27–28, with ambitions for an IPO in that timeframe. The expansion includes growing temple partnerships to 500 and scaling the team from 300 to 400+ employees.
✅ Why It Matters
| Impact Area | Significance |
|---|---|
| Faith‑Tech Growth | This ₹175 Cr round shows growing investor confidence in the convergence of religion and technology. |
| Digital Temple Economy | The startup taps into India’s ₹3 lakh crore temple ecosystem, modernizing services and improving livelihoods. |
| AI-Powered Devotion | Chatbot-style guidance and smart features promise to deepen engagement and scale operations. |
