The 8th of November 2026 marks Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, two important religious festivals celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs around the world.
With an estimated one billion people celebrating Diwali and approximately 30 million Sikhs observing Bandi Chhor Divas globally, these festivals represent significant opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs.
Startups are increasingly tapping into this festive market, developing innovative hardware and software solutions that help people connect with their communities, embrace traditions and bring a technological twist to their celebrations.
To mark the occasion, here are four startups using smart technology to transform the way people celebrate Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas.
NADS Technology
NADS Technologies, which operates the TED Tech Products brand, is an electronics and smart lighting manufacturer that develops products combining traditional festive décor with modern electronics.
The startup’s standout product is its water-sensor LED diyas. When water is poured into the diya, the sensor triggers the LED, causing it to illuminate without requiring a traditional oil flame.
They have developed other diyas, such as the 3D Reflection Diya, which is designed in a certain way that allows the light to pass through the design body, creating colourful 3D-style patterns on the surrounding surface.
NADS Technologies has also expanded into app-controlled triangular LED wall panels, app-controlled hexagonal lights and music-synchronised lighting controls. The business stands out because it develops and manufactures the electronics behind its products, including its printed circuit boards and custom LED electronics.
Nikunj Singh, CEO; Sunil Vishwakarma, CTO; Amit Singh, CFO; and Devesh Rawat, CMO, founded the startup in 2019. While the company has expanded its product portfolio since its inception, it has not publicly disclosed any external funding rounds.
DevBhakt
DevBhakt is a Pune-based faith-tech startup using artificial intelligence to make Hindu religious practices, temple services and pilgrimage planning more accessible.
Its main product, Om AI, is a multilingual conversational AI platform that allows devotees to ask questions, access religious services through conversation and find temples. Om AI is able to understand questions around Hindu scriptures, rituals and festivals in over 10 Indian languages.
The app also acts as a digital spiritual passport, providing a record of temple visits, pilgrimages and devotional activities.
The app can be used to help unite Diwali worshippers and also help these individuals find places to pray during this occasion.
The company was founded in 2020 by co-founder Ishwari Kanade Gend. Gend is a digital content creator and community builder. She has also completed a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Computer Application at Manipal University Jaipur.
The company has not disclosed any funding but was selected for the Sarvam AI Startup Programme, an initiative by Sarvam AI designed to support early-stage and growing companies building AI applications tailored for Indian languages and global markets.
Phool
The Uttar Pradesh-based startup, Phool, uses technology to transform discarded flowers from temples into useful products such as incense, organic fertiliser and sustainable materials.
This process, known as flowercycling, involves sorting floral waste from temples, cleaning, drying and processing the flowers into usable products.
Phool has created Fleather, a plant-based material made using flower waste that is designed as an alternative to animal leather. It has also developed Florafoam, a biodegradable material intended to offer an alternative to conventional foam packaging.
Flowers play an important role in Diwali. Marigolds, roses and other flowers are commonly used in puja ceremonies, temple offerings, rangoli decorations and festive displays.
However, once the celebrations and religious rituals are over, large quantities of these flowers are discarded. Some end up in landfills or waterways, where decomposing organic matter can contribute to pollution. This technology creates an opportunity to make Diwali more environmentally conscious.
Phool was founded in 2017 by Ankit Agarwal, co-founder and CEO, and Prateek Kumar, co-founder. The startup has received notable sustainability credentials such as Fair for Life Fairtrade certification and Ecocert Organic and Natural certification.
It has been reported that Phool’s total funding is over $9.2 million across five funding rounds. Investors include Sixth Sense Ventures and actress Alia Bhatt.
Sikh-Pro
Sikh-Pro is a technology platform developed for the Sikh community. It uses AI and mobile technology to help Sikhs access Gurbani, the sacred compositions and hymns found in the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib.
The app also helps Sikh worshippers access daily prayers, religious teachings and community services. The app was launched on Google Play in July 2026.
It also contains Sikhi AI Assistant, a conversational assistant designed to answer questions about Sikh teachings, history and Gurbani using religious sources. The company says it aims to keep responses grounded in Gurbani and established Sikh sources.
During Bandi Chhor Divas, Sikh-Pro can help users stay connected to their faith by providing access to Gurbani, daily prayers and educational resources that support their understanding of Sikh teachings and traditions associated with the occasion.
Sikh-Pro was founded by the brother-and-sister team Hitesh and Saloni Singh. The company is targeting the global Sikh diaspora, including communities in India, the UK, Canada, the US and Australia.
Funding has not been disclosed, but it has received recognition from DPIIT as an EdTech startup and has been selected for the Stage 3 ELEVATE Shakti programme, a specialised track under the Government of Karnataka’s flagship ELEVATE grant-in-aid initiative, managed by the Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology, and Science & Technology.
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