PUNE: When a former monk with strong connections in the music world, and a former corporate executive get together, the resulting venture is likely to be unique, to say the least.

Ashwin Srisailam, a former monk turned entrepreneur, who has hung out with Michael Jackson in the past and counts AR Rahman among his friends, and Diane Bacchus-Quddus got together to set up Ahhaa in 2015. The app, launched by AR Rahman, was then a platform for inner growth and fulfilment. After being selected for acceleration at Pune-based Edugild in 2016, it has since undergone a change in what it is doing. Srisailam told ET that the focus has now shifted to creating 'Ahhaa spaces' or meditation zones in corporate and educational campuses.

"The aim is to help with inner growth using content for inner well-being. The first such space is coming up at Avantika University in Ujjain, followed by one each at the HCL campus and at Cambridge University Press campus in New Delhi," he said. This would be a light design lab geared towards immersive content using virtual reality.

Bacchus-Quddus said, "While the content has been created based on insights from us (the founders), the music for the Ahhaa Space has been specially licensed by AR Rahman himself. The content will focus on four key areas, insights, inspiration, music and meditation."

The trigger for setting up this venture was the realisation that most people working corporate jobs, and students, face a high degree of stress in their daily lives, which impacts both their personal and professional life. These spaces would use virtual reality, audio and video content presented over small three-five minute capsules on specific topics, aimed towards inner growth and 'feeling awesome'.

The plan is to expand this over time to other educational institutes, as well as collaborate with other people, including celebrities, to create content. According to the founders, the world has 3.2 billion workers, and the expected market opportunity is pegged at $320 billion and growing at 12.2% if one is to take an average spend of $100. Ahhaa pegs the available market for this venture at $16 billion if it takes 50% of the available market as its target at $169 billion annually.

At present, it has Ajay Malik on board as an investor, along with ex-Washington DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, and Richard Ross, Partner at Perkins Coi as advisors, among others. Over time, the company will create more content as it expands to other places as well.

To start with, the spaces would be 1000 sq ft, but will move to smaller caf-like formats as well over time.

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A startup that focuses on creating meditation zones in corporate campuses - Economic Times