Sri Mandir's Parent AppsForBharat Raises USD 18 Mn Funding to Accelerate Digital Devotional Services The Bengaluru-based startup plans to utilise the funds to expand the Sri Mandir app, build a robust technology stack for temples, introduce five new regional languages, and scale operations in India and international markets like the US, UK, and Canada.
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AppsForBharat, the parent company of devotional app Sri Mandir, has raised USD 18 million in a Series B funding round led by Nandan Nilekani's Fundamentum. This funding round also saw participation from Susquehanna Asia VC, Elevation Capital, Peak XV, and Mirae Asset VC.
The Bengaluru-based startup plans to utilise the funds to expand the Sri Mandir app, build a robust technology stack for temples, introduce five new regional languages, and scale operations in India and international markets like the US, UK, and Canada.
Founded in November 2020 by Prashant Sachan, AppsForBharat aims to address the unfulfilled devotional and spiritual needs of millions.
The company has already raised nearly USD 32 million across its funding rounds, including USD 10 million in Series A funding in September 2021 and USD 4 million in seed funding in August 2021.
Sri Mandir, the company's flagship product, offers services such as online pujas, ritual offerings (Chadhava), and access to over 50 temples. Since its launch, the app claims that it has been downloaded over 30 million times and has facilitated more than 27 lakh pujas for 5 lakh devotees.
Prashant Sachan, Founder and CEO of AppsForBharat, said, "We are committed to building the most trusted destination that serves the needs of millions of devotees in India and abroad, providing them the access they always wanted. Over the next five years, we aim to expand our offerings by introducing spiritual tourism, facilitating special Darshan tickets, and providing seamless delivery of Prasad and related devotional goods. Our vision is to transform Sri Mandir into an end-to-end digital tech platform that caters to every aspect of the devotional journey."
In the next 12 months, the Sri Mandir app aims to be available to devotees in 5 new regional languages, grow its temple listing by 10x across India, and develop a robust spiritual tourism ecosystem.
Ashish Kumar, Co-founder and General Partner, Fundamentum, who is joining the board of AppsForBharat, said, "India's devotional sector valued at USD 50 billion presents a massive opportunity for digital transformation. Prashant and team have built a world-class, uniquely Indian product that seamlessly blends tradition with innovation, providing a comprehensive digital experience for its devotees. With its widespread adoption among both young adults and older generations alike, we expect long-term scalability in India and global use cases emerging in the future. AppsForBharat's approach to bringing access and convenience to the devotional sector represents a compelling opportunity."
