AppsForBharat, the Indian startup behind the popular Sri Mandir devotional app, has secured $20 million in a Series C funding round. The investment comes just nine months after an $18 million injection, signaling sustained investor confidence in the platform’s mission to digitize India’s fragmented religious services market.
Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital spearheaded the round, with continued backing from key investors including Nandan Nilekani’s Fundamentum Partnership, Elevation Capital, and Peak XV Partners.
Tapping into a $40 Billion Temple Economy
Religious life in India is deeply rooted, with a temple economy estimated at ₹3.02 trillion (approximately $40 billion), accounting for roughly 2.3% of the nation’s GDP. Despite this immense scale, the sector remains largely unorganized and offline. AppsForBharat aims to bridge this gap by enabling virtual prayers and offerings at over 70 temples across the country.
Since its inception in 2020, the app has achieved over 40 million downloads, boasting 3.5 million monthly active users. While the domestic market remains the core focus, the platform is seeing significant traction among the Indian diaspora in the U.S., U.K., UAE, and Australia. Notably, international users contribute a higher average revenue per user (ARPU) of $81, compared to $7–$9 within India.
Strategic Expansion and Operational Growth
With the new capital, AppsForBharat plans to establish physical logistics hubs in over 20 key temple towns, including Varanasi, Ayodhya, Haridwar, and Ujjain. These facilities will streamline the fulfillment of offerings and ritual items, with each hub expected to handle up to 50,000 orders while boosting local employment.
Founder and CEO Prashant Sachan confirmed the company surpassed a $12 million run rate at the start of 2025. The platform maintains a strong 55% six-month retention rate, driven by recurring user transactions throughout the year. To further enhance engagement, the startup is integrating AI-driven features designed to answer user queries regarding faith and rituals, while implementing strict safeguards to ensure accuracy.
The Rise of Religious Tech in India
India currently stands as the second-largest market for religious tech globally, trailing only the U.S. While the broader religious app market saw a 15% increase in global active users during the first half of 2025, India has significantly outpaced this, recording 60% growth in monthly active users.
Despite increased competition, Sri Mandir remains the leading Hindu-focused platform. Looking ahead, AppsForBharat is scaling its workforce from 300 to 400 employees and targeting a total of 500 partner temples by the end of the year. The company is charting a path toward profitability by 2027–28, with a potential public listing on the horizon as it continues to modernize ancient traditions through digital infrastructure.