Noida-Based Spiritual Tech Startup Rewards Employees While Strengthening Its Position in the Global Spiritual Commerce Market
Online astrology and spiritual technology platform Astrotalk has officially entered India’s coveted unicorn club after achieving a $1 billion valuation through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) buyback. The buyback, which benefits more than 100 employees, marks another milestone for the profitable startup and reflects the growing investor confidence in India’s rapidly expanding spiritual technology ecosystem.
Unlike many startups that reach unicorn status through large external funding rounds, Astrotalk’s latest valuation has been achieved through an ESOP buyback funded entirely from the company’s profits. The company said the initiative allows eligible employees to unlock liquidity while continuing to participate in the business’s long-term growth journey.
Founded in 2017 by Puneet Gupta and Anmol Jain, Astrotalk has evolved from an online astrology consultation platform into one of India’s largest spiritual technology companies, offering astrology services, spiritual products and commerce solutions to millions of users.
Strong Financial Performance Supports Unicorn Status
Astrotalk’s growth has been backed by consistently improving financial performance. According to the company, it currently operates at an annual revenue run rate exceeding ₹2,500 crore.
For FY25, the startup reported ₹1,176 crore in operating revenue while posting a profit before tax (PBT) of ₹285 crore, making it one of the few profitable consumer internet startups in India. The company’s ability to generate healthy profits has enabled it to fund employee wealth creation internally instead of relying on additional external capital.
Astrotalk has so far raised around $34 million from investors, including Left Lane Capital and Elev8 Venture Partners. The company had previously secured a $14 million funding round in June 2024, which supported its expansion into new business verticals.
Expanding Beyond Astrology into Spiritual Commerce
Over the past few years, Astrotalk has significantly diversified its business beyond online astrology consultations. The company has built a rapidly growing spiritual commerce business through the Astrotalk Store, offering products that complement its core astrology services.
According to the company, the e-commerce platform has achieved a daily Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) run rate of nearly ₹1 crore and processed around 1.6 million orders during 2025, highlighting increasing consumer demand for spiritual and wellness products.
The company has also launched a dedicated gemstones platform, offering both precious and semi-precious gemstones backed by laboratory certification, expert astrology consultations and a replacement policy. The initiative aims to improve transparency and customer trust in India’s fragmented gemstone market while creating a more integrated spiritual shopping experience.
Co-founder Anmol Jain said the company has spent the past year strengthening sourcing capabilities, merchandising operations and new product development to build greater credibility in the spiritual commerce segment.
Employee-Centric Growth Strategy
The latest ESOP buyback underlines Astrotalk’s focus on rewarding employees alongside business growth. Employee stock ownership plans have increasingly become an important wealth creation tool for startup professionals, allowing them to benefit directly from the value created by fast-growing businesses.
By funding the buyback through operating profits, Astrotalk has demonstrated financial discipline while providing liquidity opportunities to its workforce without additional dilution. The company believes this approach helps strengthen employee ownership and long-term commitment as it continues expanding globally.
Looking Ahead
Astrotalk plans to continue investing in technology, product innovation, talent acquisition and international expansion as it strengthens its presence across spiritual services and commerce. The company aims to build a comprehensive digital ecosystem that combines consultations, certified spiritual products and technology-driven customer experiences.
With this milestone, Astrotalk has become the eighth Indian startup to join the unicorn club in 2026, joining a growing list of high-value startups across sectors including artificial intelligence, fintech, spacetech and proptech. Its profitable growth model, expanding commerce business and employee-focused approach position the company strongly for its next phase of expansion in India’s evolving digital economy.
