Nigerian Startup Gets Funding to Build AI for Churches

Churches across Nigeria are about to get a major technology upgrade that could transform how congregations experience worship services.

Pewbeam, founded by Dára Sobaloju, just landed funding from Resilience17 to build AI-powered tools specifically designed for church services. The startup is tackling a challenge many worship leaders know well: managing presentations, scripture displays, and song lyrics smoothly during live services.

The technology works by automatically surfacing relevant Bible verses and presentation slides in real time as services unfold. Instead of volunteers frantically clicking through slides, the AI anticipates what's needed next and prepares it.

Pewbeam is also developing AI-powered lyrics capabilities and a feature called Pewnote. These tools aim to help both the teams running services behind the scenes and the people sitting in the pews.

The investment from Resilience17 arrives as part of the firm's broader commitment to backing African technology startups. For Pewbeam, the funding means they can deepen their AI capabilities and continue building around what modern churches actually need.

The Ripple Effect

This move reflects how technology is meeting faith communities where they are. Churches worldwide have wrestled with presentation technology for years, often relying on volunteers with varying tech skills to keep services running smoothly.

By removing friction from the technical side of worship, Pewbeam frees up volunteers to focus on other aspects of service. Church leaders can concentrate on their message rather than worrying whether the right verse will appear on screen at the right moment.

The startup's approach also shows how African tech companies are solving problems uniquely relevant to their communities. Nigeria has a massive faith community, and Pewbeam recognized an opportunity to serve them better.

As churches continue embracing hybrid and technology-enhanced services post-pandemic, tools like Pewbeam's could become essential infrastructure. The investment signals growing recognition that faith tech represents a meaningful market with real user needs.

For congregations, smoother services mean fewer distractions from the worship experience itself.