Romanian startup Bible Chat, an app for Christian communities, has secured $14 million in a Series A funding round led by True Ventures, with support from Early Game Ventures and Play Ventures, as Vestbee was told. The funds will support the startup’s product development and market expansion.
- Founded in 2023 by Laurentiu Balasa and Marius Iordache, Bible Chat develops AI-powered solutions for Christian communities, including the Bible Chat mobile app and platforms like FaithAssistant.com and AIFortheChurch.org.
- These tools offer personalized, biblically grounded support, answering questions, providing prayer assistance, and guiding users 24/7.
- Faith Assistant can be customized for churches and ministries, enabling real-time engagement and content delivery, while also providing valuable insights into community needs. The firm’s mission is to enhance spiritual connections and support faith-based organizations through advanced Christian AI.
- To date, Bible Chat has reached 10 million users and $15 million in annualized revenue, ranking 13th among the most downloaded apps on the App Store, alongside WhatsApp and Instagram.
Details of the deal
- The round was led by True Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm managing $3.8 billion in assets. The firm focuses on supporting early-stage technology startups through seed and Series A financing.
- The Series A round saw participation from Early Game Ventures, a Bucharest-based venture capital firm that recently launched its €60 million Fund II to invest in 25 to 30 early-stage startups across the CEE region, and Play Ventures, a global investor focusing on pre-seed and seed-stage gaming startups. Underline Ventures and Silicon Gardens also joined the round.
"What makes me most happy is that Bible Chat is already proving to be an inspiration for other tech entrepreneurs in Romania. The founders, Laurentiu and Marius, also make the effort to mentor other entrepreneurs, offering advice and support. This is their way of contributing to the growth of the startup ecosystem in Romania and giving back, as the Americans say," Partner at Early Game, Dan Calugareanu, commented in a press release.
- The $14 million Series A funding will help Bible Chat accelerate growth through product development, marketing, and expansion into new markets. It will also strengthen its infrastructure and support community partnerships to enhance user engagement and global reach.
"We are grateful to the investors who have placed their trust and support in our Series A round. A special thanks to Marius, and all the colleagues in our small team who have stood by me for so long," claims Laurentiu Balasa, founder and CEO of Bible Chat.
