Japam, a spiritual stuff online shop from Mohali, popped up on Shark Tank India Season 5. It’s cool to see how brands based on faith are using tech to grow their businesses in India. Ritoban Chakrabarti, the guy who started Japam, got a ₹1.5 crore investment for just 1% of his company, plus a small cut of future sales until the investors get their money back. Basically, they think the company is worth around ₹150 crore, which says a lot about how good they think the brand is and how much it could grow.
Japam sells things like rudraksha beads and other ritual items online, going after people who want real, traceable, and easy-to-get spiritual products. Since the wellness market in India is getting bigger, Japam fits right in with the trend of people wanting brands that have a clear purpose and get their stuff from good sources.
On the show, Chakrabarti wanted ₹1.5 crore for 1% of the company because he really believes in its future. Varun Alagh and Namita Thapar made a deal: ₹1.5 crore for 1% equity, plus 1% of sales until they earn their ₹1.5 crore back. It shows that investors are interested in reliable businesses even if the areas are extremely competitive.
Japam wants to build trust, which is super important in the religious world. By running their things online, they keep tabs on the whole customer experience, from teaching people about the products to helping them after they buy. Other shops are doing similar things with sharing stories and building communities.
They’re going to use the new money to fix up their product and tech, get more products, and grow through marketing and better shipping. Everyone wants to sell their things everywhere. So Japam will probably try to get more customers online, maybe work with other companies to reach more people without losing trust.
The spiritual market in India has historically been physical and disorganized, but now the shops are giving it structure, transparency, and size. Japam being on Shark Tank India puts them in a group that are organizing old ways of doing things with new age commerce stuff. The sales-cut thing aligns growth with being smart about money, which is something investors like to see.
As things mature, Japam shows how brands with solid roots can use tech to sell across the country. With money, advisors, and a concentration on trust, Japam could become a major player in the spiritual landscape in India. It’s a cool story for the year.
