Keeping Connections Alive
In a world where families and friends are often separated by cities or countries, staying emotionally connected has become more complex. That’s where Blissful Buddies, founded by Pradnya Jadhav comes in as a solution. It bridges the distance between loved ones through customised gifts and personalised celebrations. This idea has changed the perspective of how we celebrate festivals
'For the moments you can’t be there, we will' — is the purpose for which team Blissful Buddies is working on.
The idea came from a very personal place. “As someone who has seen friends and family struggle to convey love across distance, I wanted to build a bridge that keeps emotions alive,” says Pradnya Jadhav, founder, Blissful Buddies. That’s how the startup was established—a service designed to bridge those emotional gaps.
“We don’t just deliver gifts, we deliver experiences that make people feel remembered, valued and loved—no matter where they are,” adds Pradnya.
Finding direction
As a student working in SrujanHub - Entrepreneurship Development and Incubation Centre (EDIC), a Sri Balaji University, Pune (SBUP) initiative, Pradnya immersed herself completely in transforming the idea into a scalable business model. “SRUJAN helped me see the structure behind the sentiment. Through mentoring sessions, brainstorming discussions and market validation, SRUJAN guided me to refine my business model, brand positioning, target audience, and pricing strategy,” she says.
That’s also where the brand’s core idea took shape—Celebration as a Service. “The focus was always on emotional connection, but SRUJAN helped me turn that into something people could experience and trust,” she grins.
The IMC 2025 experience
As the idea shaped into prototype, the founder aimed for the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025. At IMC 2025 Aspire platform, Pradnya’s goal was not to chase funding. “I went there for visibility and networking with people who could understand what we are trying to do,” she recalls. However, the response was overwhelming. “We are currently in touch with a few angel investors who expressed interest in supporting our next phase of expansion,” she says.
Pitching her idea on the Aspire stage was an unforgettable experience. “It was humbling and empowering at the same time. Standing amongst such talented founders and hearing the panel appreciate our approach of integrating AI and personalisation in event planning—it gave me confidence that we are solving genuine problems,” says Pradnya. “That day taught me how powerful storytelling can be,” she adds.
Over 600 visitors stopped by the Blissful Buddies stall at IMC 2025. Many shared their own stories of distance and connection, that reaffirmed why Blissful Buddies should exist. Further, interactions with mentors from T-Hub and SRUJAN were particularly inspiring. “They showed us how to use technology to scale emotions—not replace them.”
The experience at IMC gave her a strong momentum to focus on the next stage of growth. “Our immediate plan is to expand from Pune to other metro cities and integrate AI-powered personalisation tools on our website. We also aim to launch a mobile app that helps users plan celebrations within minutes,” says Pradnya. She’s equally passionate about collaboration by partnering with local artisans and bakeries to deliver regionally curated experiences.
The team behind the vision
Pradnya leads a small, close-knit team made up of creative juniors from her college who manage social media, content and community engagement. “We’re united by creativity, discipline, and a shared vision to make celebrations meaningful,” she grins.
Currently pursuing MBA in Marketing, balancing academics and startup has not been easy for Pradnya. “There were times when logistics went wrong or clients changed plans last minute. But, every challenge made us stronger. We overcame these hurdles through teamwork, adaptability and strong communication,” she says.
Looking ahead
Team Blissful Buddies aims to build India’s first celebration service startup, combining technology, creativity with compassion. “Our long-term goal is to redefine how people celebrate love, emotions and milestones, no matter the distance,” concludes Pradnya.