For India's wealthy elite, true convenience has never been about tapping an app. It's the silent, seamless orchestration of life by a trusted human—a house manager, a fixer, an executive assistant who guarantees access and handles complexity. Now, a new wave of startups is productizing this very privilege, transforming the discreet world of personal concierge services into a scalable offering for the country's affluent.
The New Age Digital Butlers
The past year has seen significant momentum in this niche. Swiggy, the food delivery giant, has launched Crew, a premium travel and lifestyle concierge service. Currently operational in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and the National Capital Region, Crew is not built for speed like Swiggy's core business. Instead, it caters to users willing to pay for judgment, access, and meticulous follow-through. Its services range from securing exclusive restaurant reservations and curating end-to-end travel plans to organizing events and even assisting with bureaucratic tasks like Aadhaar updates.
This renewed interest isn't limited to large platforms. Founders are diving in, with Kabeer Biswas, founder of Dunzo, reportedly raising around $12 million for an AI-led personal concierge venture. Consumer-facing startups are also carving out their space. Pinch Lifestyle, founded in 2021 and bootstrapped, acts as a horizontal layer above multiple service verticals. Its subscriptions range from ₹999 for tech support to about ₹1.5 lakh a month for high-touch service, currently catering to roughly 400 households.
Further up the value chain is Indulge Global. Backed by Zerodha's Nikhil Kamath, it offers annual subscriptions around ₹4 lakh to about 300 clients. Indulge has even introduced an AI-led plan at ₹1 lakh per year, where a trained AI agent, supported by humans, handles primary customer interaction.
The Business of Trust and Anticipation
This market operates on principles starkly different from gig economy platforms. Most concierge players rely on full-time, salaried professionals, not transactional gig labour. Indulge goes a step further by offering stock options to staff, embedding long-term trust into its model. The monetization model is also distinct. As Dipali Sikand, founder of the legacy B2B player LesConcierges (founded in 1998), explains, "Concierge does not monetize like e-commerce or platforms. You don't pay for tasks. You pay for judgment, continuity, access, and accountability."
Her company exemplifies the pure B2B segment, embedding concierge services for banks, luxury brands, and real estate developers. In this premium segment, annual subscriptions typically range from ₹3-5 lakh, scaling up to ₹8–15 lakh or more for ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs).
The service model itself has evolved. "The model back then was largely reactive, a request comes in, you fulfill it," Sikand said. "Today, concierge has evolved into anticipation and orchestration." This focus on proactive service and deep client context makes the model resistant to the demand peaks that benefit quick home-service platforms.
A Narrow but Lucrative Future
According to consultancy Praxis Global Alliance, India's personal concierge market holds the potential to grow into a $2–3 billion opportunity. While High Networth Individuals (HNIs) and UHNIs form the core, the addressable market expands to affluent professionals, global Indians, and enterprises using concierges for client retention.
Praxis data indicates that fewer than 100,000 households currently employ full-time house managers, with another 100,000 relying on office executive assistants. Madhur Singhal, Managing Partner at Praxis, believes concierge services could extend to 2-3% of households in the top 20 Indian cities, with digital offerings also reaching wealthy customers in smaller towns.
While circumvention—clients bypassing the concierge after getting vendor details—remains a perceived risk, founders argue it misses the point. Pinch founder Nitin Srivastava emphasizes they are a "horizontal solution" operating above specialized verticals. The value lies in ongoing orchestration, not just a one-time connection.
As these startups mature, they are not just selling tasks; they are selling a curated, frictionless existence. In a market where luxury is increasingly defined by time and mental peace, these concierge services are building a sophisticated, profitable business by making life play to a privileged tune.
