Mahakumbh 2025: How Startups are Making a Mark at Prayagraj Home to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recognised 140,803 startups, India is the third largest startup ecosystem globally. It is fair to expect startups to bring their innovation and solutions to the UP metropolis.

Often referred to as the land of spirituality and philosophy, one of India's key powers and differentiators has been its rich and diverse cultural heritage deeply rooted in spiritual traditions and philosophical wisdom.

Occurring once every 144 years (after 12 Purna Kumbh Melas), the Mahakumbh Mela is currently underway at Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. During its 45-day course, it is expected to attract over 45 crore devotees, including 15 lakh foreign tourists. The gathering is expected to generate a revenue of INR two lakh crore.

Apart from being the rarest and most spiritually significant gathering worldwide, this Mahakumbh Mela is being termed as a confluence of devotion and technology courtesy of the tech deployment done by the state government largely.

Home to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recognised 140,803 startups, India is the third largest startup ecosystem globally. It is fair to expect startups to bring their innovation and solutions to the UP metropolis.

Here are five startups who are doing their bit at the digital Mahakumbh-

1. Paytm- Fintech giant Paytm announced several initiatives ahead of the epic gathering. This included event-custom-made Bhavya Mahakumbh QR and the 'Suraksha aur Suvidha ka Mahasangam' campaign which offered pilgrims the chance to win Paytm Gold worth INR one crore and lakhs of cashback daily. "With millions of pilgrims expected to travel to Prayagraj, we are bringing our innovative digital payment solutions and exclusive offers to the event, ensuring a seamless and convenient experience for everyone involved," read the official statement.

2. Sri Mandir- The spiritual-tech startup is working towards making the Mahakumbh experience accessible and helping devotees feel deeply connected to the event. Its offerings include personalized pujas at Triveni Sangam, Maha Daan services for remote contributions, and delivering the holy Triveni Sangam Jal to homes. For visiting devotees, the startup is providing VIP snan services, guided devotional experiences, and comfortable accommodations in association with the Vedashram Trust. "We are also working with the Sri Panchayati Mahaniravni Akhada to ensure all rituals are performed with authenticity. We have made significant efforts to strengthen our app, logistics, and partnerships to deliver a smooth and enriching experience," shared Prashant Sachan, Founder & CEO, Sri Mandir. On the financial front, Sachan expects a 40–50 per cent growth in revenue.

3. MildCares- GIMS Medical Incubation Centre-incubated femtech startup MildCares in collaboration with the Satyakam organisation has set up a stall at Mahakumbh to shed light on menstrual hygiene awareness through educational sessions, demonstrations, discussions, and addressing taboos. Catering to over 1,000 pilgrims at Prayagraj, co-founder Rachna Vyas said, "Even today, menstruating women experience certain restrictions when it comes to places of worship, and this stigma is evident here as well. Despite numerous shops here, none of them offer menstrual hygiene products. We aim to change that while providing stand-and-pee devices for women struggling to find clean washrooms around."

4. Park+ The auto-tech super app launched Prayagraja's first smart parking management system ahead of the Mahakumbh 2025. The app will let people easily discover, book and prepay for a car parking spot at a government-approved parking area. Meanwhile, car owners will also be able to use their FASTag to pay for a parking spot, without any human intervention. "We expect over 25+ lakh cars/vehicles to converge into Prayagraj in these 45 days. Devotees will be able to discover, pre-book and pre-pay for a safe and secure parking spot, on the Park+ App…Our aim is to remove parking anxiety for all car owners coming to Maha Kumbh and ensure they have a seamless experience," said Amit Lakhotia, Founder & CEO, Park+.

5. CHUK- The flagship brand of Pakka, Chuk announced an alliance with MahaKumbh Mela Trust to become the official tableware supplier for the event. Providing sustainable and eco-friendly tableware products, the deal was forged at INR 1.75 crore with an upper limit of INR 2.5 crore, depending on the event's requirements. The initiative aligns with the UP govt's RACE drive (Reducing Plastic and Achieving Clean Environment)to promote the concept of plastic-free communities.

Apart from them, market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping solutions Elis launched Webapp to provide information about facilities such as stay, snan ghats, parking, roads (with live traffic), weather updates, entry and exit points, lost and found centres, e-rikshaw stands, police stations, fire stations, and hospitals. Taking a step further into the tech meets devotion, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has partnered with blockchain firm Chaincode Consulting to issue non-fungible token (NFT)-based train tickets to all passengers travelling to the Mela.