Digital Value Extraction: How Global Tech Captures Indian Attention
A data-driven analysis of how tech giants monetize Indian attention while value flows offshore
Agenda
India's Digital Landscape
806M internet users and digital adoption
The Attention Economy
How digital engagement drives $627B global value
Tech Giants Value Extraction
Meta, Google, Amazon capturing Indian revenue
Our Founders
Praveen Mishra and Mansi Bajpai backgrounds and accolades
Project Sudarshan
India's strategic response to reclaim digital value
Gurukul DAO Education
Digital education and economic empowerment platform
NEDM Mission
National Economic Decentralization across all states
Collaborative Value Creation
Industry partnerships and execution model
Global Context: Internet Usage Comparison
Understanding India's digital landscape in a global perspective, highlighting key metrics against worldwide averages.
While India's internet penetration is still below the global average, its rapid annual growth and high daily engagement rate underscore its significant and accelerating digital adoption.
India's Population Demographics
Understanding the demographic structure of India provides crucial insights into its digital adoption and economic potential.
India boasts a significant working-age population, highlighting a strong demographic dividend. While social media penetration is lower than the global average, the large absolute numbers still represent a massive digital audience.
Our Founders
Praveen Mishra
Founder and CEO
Praveen brings a wealth of experience in tech and data, with a proven track record of innovation and leadership:
  • Ex-Founder | GrainSmith Agrotech Pvt. Ltd.
  • Ex-Google / Global Head of META | InMobi
  • Ex-Data Scientist for Fortune 500 companies | muSigma
  • B.Tech from BITS Pilani & MBA from IIM Lucknow
  • Honored with Bharat Vibhushan & House of Commons Award for Disruptive Innovation
Mansi Bajpai
Founder and COO
Mansi's expertise spans sales, HR, and strategic leadership, driving growth and operational excellence:
  • Ex-Head of Sales | GrainSmith Agrotech Pvt Ltd.
  • Ex-HR | HCL Technologies
  • MBA Admit | University of California, LA
  • Commerce Honors Cum Laude | IMS, LU
  • Gold Medalist in Economics
  • Honored with India Business Awards 2025 & Entrepreneurs Award 30 under 30
Accolades
National & Global Honors
National & Global Honors
The Attention Economy
Where attention goes, money flows
Global Attention Economy Scale
$627B
India's Digital Ad Market
$11.4B
2024-25 (+17% YoY)
46%
Digital Media Expenditure of total ad expenses (2024-2025)
₹1 lakh crore total
30-50%
Shift from TV/print
Value Extraction
How tech giants capture Indian attention & revenue
Meta (Facebook + Instagram)
India Ad Revenue
₹22,730 cr in FY24 (+24% YoY)
Value Extraction Method
Shifted to operating-license model with royalties/infrastructure fees to US parent
Key Concern
Royalty payments surged ~95% YoY under new model
Google (Search + YouTube)
₹31,221 cr
Gross Ad Revenue
FY24 (+11% YoY)
₹28,477 cr
Paid to Google Asia Pacific
To buy ad inventory
₹2,743 cr
Net Revenue Retained
In India
Amazon (Marketplace + Ads + Cloud)
Marketplace Scale
₹25,406 cr operating revenue in FY24 (+14%)
Ongoing net losses locally
Ad Business
Part of ₹60,000 cr Big Tech ad revenues in India
Google+Meta ~₹50,000 cr, rest includes Amazon/Flipkart
AWS Money Flows
Delhi HC: AWS cloud payments not taxable as royalty/FTS
Large enterprise/government digital workloads pay offshore
Uber (Mobility Marketplace)
India Revenue
₹3,762 cr in FY24 (+41% YoY)
Value Extraction Structure
  • Driver-partners pay ~20% of fare as "service fee" to Uber B.V. (Netherlands)
  • Uber India is largely a support/promotions entity
  • Collections historically routed for Uber B.V.
The Pattern Is Clear
Indian Attention
Local Monetization
Offshore Value Capture
Value Extraction Mechanisms
Royalties
Meta → US
Ad Inventory Purchases
Google → Asia-Pacific
Service Fees
Uber → Netherlands
Cloud Charges
AWS → US
Project Sudarshan
Bharat's Answer to the "Dead Economy" Claim
Project Sudarshan Vision
"They may call us a dead economy. We call ourselves the architects of a new one."
India's bold step to transform every village, city, and sector into a self-sustaining AI-powered community economy
Core Impact
1
Job & Business Creation
Every citizen can start a business or find work through their community's AI
2
User-to-User
Personal connections & services (like custom freelancing)
3
User-to-Community
Joining a DAO under a shared agreement for growth & support
4
Community-to-Community
Linking DAOs to form entire industries and value chains
Why Sudarshan Keeps Value in India
Today's Reality
  • Global LLPs like EY earn $20B+ profit with ~20,000 partners
  • Many partners and employees are Indian
  • Indian government institutions work with them
  • Large share of profits flow outside India
Sudarshan's Solution
LLP-based Community DAOs keep earnings, IP, and reinvestment inside India
Built on Trust, Technology, and Togetherness
Trust Score
Rewards contributions, honesty, and skill, not just wealth
AI-Powered Growth
Matches people to jobs, markets, and investors instantly
Predictive Governance
Uses AI to pre-empt risks, solve policy gaps, and protect citizens
Trust & Recognition System
Vibes
Users give micro-validations to content or actions, reflecting positive sentiment and engagement.
Trust Score
An algorithm aggregates weighted "vibes" based on the giver's reputation, building a dynamic trust score for each user.
Cumulative Ranks
Transparent leaderboards are maintained across various domains and geographical tiers, showcasing proven trustworthiness.
This is not just GDP growth
It's people-powered economic sovereignty
Bharat will no longer be the source of value for others; we will be the source of opportunity for ourselves and the world
DAO – The Digital Big 4 for the People
Traditional Big 4 Model
  • Global LLP networks with thousands of partners
  • Pool expertise, brand, and systems
  • Share profits under common governance
  • Ownership remains with partners
DAO Equivalent
  • Global reach, local execution
  • Smart contracts instead of paper agreements
  • Transparent contribution tracking
  • Community-voted decisions
Why Sudarshan's DAOs are "Digital Big 4" for Bharat
Talent Combination
Like Big 4 combine partner expertise, Sudarshan combines community talent across India
Value Retention
Instead of global HQs sending profits abroad, Sudarshan DAOs keep value in communities
Democratic Partnership
Every farmer, teacher, trader, artisan, or coder can be a "partner" in their DAO
Bottom-Up Building
Community-to-community relations create whole value chains
Gurukul DAO
Reimagining Education for Bharat
Gurukul DAO Concept
Inspired by Tradition, Powered by Technology
Blends India's ancient community-learning ethos with AI-powered, decentralized governance
Purpose
Make skill-based, accessible, and lifelong learning available to every Indian — from rural villages to urban hubs

Transforms Learning into Livelihoods – Connects education directly to income-generating opportunities, ensuring skills translate into real-world careers and entrepreneurship.
How Gurukul DAO Works
Community-Owned Learning Hub
Run by members: teachers, students, parents, local leaders
AI Teacher Assistants
Personalized learning paths, doubt-solving, career guidance
Mentor Marketplace
Connects learners to verified experts, internships, apprenticeships
Trust Score System
Rewards contributions, knowledge sharing, project completions
Impact Areas
Local Skills for Local Economies
Tailored vocational and digital skills for each region's industries
Job & Business Readiness
Courses linked directly to employer and startup opportunities
Affordability & Inclusion
No central tuition monopoly; community-decided fees and resources
Lifelong Learning
From school-age students to senior citizens, continuous upskilling
Why Gurukul DAO is Different
  • Decentralized like Sudarshan, Specialized for Education
  • Keeps education revenue and intellectual capital in local communities
  • Avoids "value drain" common with foreign edtech platforms
  • Builds trust networks between students, teachers, and employers
  • Ensures learning leads directly to opportunity
Education Domain Demographics
Core working class (25-54 years) is the primary target segment at 41%
Targeting Strategy
Primary Focus: 41% Working Class (25-54 years)
Domain-specific DAOs in every sector with Gurukul DAO as training engine
Secondary Focus: 17% Youth (15-24 years)
Industry-ready by the time they join the workforce
Long-term Focus: 26% Children (0-14 years)
Early exposure to 21st-century skills alongside core curriculum
Community Care: 55+ Segment
Engage in mentorship and support roles for younger cohorts
Core Problem in Education
  • Skills–Industry Gap – Curricula often lag behind market needs, leaving graduates underprepared for real-world jobs.
  • Access Inequality – Rural and marginalized communities have limited access to quality teaching and learning resources.
  • Outdated Teaching Methods – Heavy reliance on rote learning instead of problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking.
  • Limited Teacher Training – Many educators lack exposure to new technologies, modern pedagogy, and industry trends.
  • Fragmented Career Guidance – Students lack structured mentorship and pathways to match skills with employment opportunities.
  • Underutilized Infrastructure – Many government-funded facilities are not used to their full potential for skill development.
Gurukul DAO Solution
Infrastructure Leverage
Uses both government & private infrastructure but democratizes access
AI-powered Skill Mapping
Matches learners to mentors, internships, and employers
Trust Score System
For students, teachers, trainers based on contributions and outcomes
Community Governance
Fees, curriculum, and partnerships decided by DAO members
DAO Integration
Connects skills to jobs, projects, and business opportunities
Gurukul DAO
Digital Education & Economic Engine
What is Gurukul DAO?
Digital Online University
Inside the Sudarshan ecosystem
Skills Training & Certification
Increases Trust Score and unlocks verified opportunities
Opportunities Platform
Members upload profiles, verify documents, join communities, connect with jobs
Work-Integrated Learning
Enables people to learn while working
Breaking the Education-Industry Gap
  • Addresses long-standing gap between academic learning and industry needs
  • Example: Wireless charging project done in 2008 by students, but industry adoption came in 2019
  • Gurukul DAO reduces time-to-market by funding & connecting projects directly to industry
  • Acts as organized corporate innovation hub for education
Stakeholders & Benefits
Students
Jobs, certifications, industry exposure, recognition, income while learning
Professionals
Upskill, find better opportunities, start businesses
Government
Access to ready-trained, distributed workforce in every community
Businesses
Reduced hiring friction, targeted recruitment, faster innovation
Gurukul DAO: Digital Onboarding
What it is
A multi-channel entry system via our App, WhatsApp, and Web Portal, designed for universal accessibility.
How it works
AI verifies identity & background, collects profiles (skills, education, aspirations), and assigns an initial Trust Score.
Why it matters
Ensures seamless, cost-free, and paperwork-light entry for anyone, from a Delhi graduate to a rural school student.
Gurukul DAO: AI Learning & Mentorship
At its core, Gurukul DAO is an AI-powered learning engine with seamlessly integrated mentorship, designed to revolutionize skill acquisition and career development across India.
AI Teacher Assistants
Personalized doubt-solving, adaptive learning paths, and tailored career guidance for every student.
Mentor Marketplace
Connects learners with verified experts, successful alumni, and industry professionals for real-world insights and opportunities.
Adaptive Skill Mapping
Continuously matches courses and learning modules to evolving industry needs, ensuring skills translate directly into relevant jobs.
This integrated approach ensures every learner receives individualized guidance and acquires industry-relevant skills, moving beyond a one-size-fits-all education model to empower true potential.
Gurukul DAO: Work-Integrated Learning (WILP)
What it is
A structured "Earn While You Learn" program that seamlessly integrates academic learning with practical industry experience.
How it works
  • Businesses post real projects & internships.
  • AI matches students with the right opportunity.
  • Joint DAO-certified credentials issued on completion, validating skills.
Why it matters
Closes the academia–industry gap, ensuring students graduate with valuable work experience and verified, industry-recognized credentials, ready for the workforce.
Gurukul DAO: Gig Economy Layer
What it is
A dynamic micro-project marketplace within the Gurukul DAO, specifically designed to empower students with real-world work opportunities.
How it works
  • Students engage in short-term gigs (e.g., content creation, tutoring, coding, graphic design) directly related to their skills.
  • Instant earnings are credited, and project completion is meticulously recorded in their immutable DAO portfolio.
  • Positive client feedback and successful outcomes significantly boost their Trust Score and rankings within the Gurukul ecosystem.
Why it matters
It provides students with immediate income and crucial portfolio-building experience, eliminating the traditional waiting period for degree completion or job placement. This accelerates their entry into the skilled workforce, transforming education into immediate economic empowerment.
Pricing Model: Affordable & Scalable
Transparent pricing that grows with the learner, ensuring widespread adoption and economic empowerment.
Individual Learners
₹87 ($0.99)/month
  • Access to courses
  • AI mentorship
  • Certifications
Institutions
Bulk licenses: ₹60–70/learner/month
  • Admin dashboards
  • Institutional Trust Scores
  • Custom integrations
Government & State Programs
Custom pricing for mass rollouts (e.g., state-wide ITIs).
Payments routed via government budgets are reinvested locally through DAO.
Freemium Access
Free to join, explore communities, and attend open courses.
Paid unlocks advanced certifications, internships, and gig opportunities.
This tiered model makes Gurukul DAO affordable enough for every learner and scalable enough for entire states, driving inclusive growth.
NEDM
National Economic Decentralization Mission
Core Mission of NEDM
Scale Smart State Model
Extend Project Sudarshan to every state in India
Create Domain DAOs
In agriculture, business, education, healthcare, tourism, energy, infrastructure
Decentralize Economy
Enable communities to govern, trade, and innovate directly through digital platforms
Reclaiming the Attention Economy
Today's Reality
  • Even if buyer & seller are Indian, ad spend often goes to foreign platforms
  • Meta, Google capture value from Indian attention
  • Value flows offshore through various mechanisms
NEDM Solution
  • DAOs bring back attention economy to local and regional players
  • Keep value circulation inside India
  • Promote local businesses through local community networks
The Gig Economy Layer
Income Generation
Immediate financial support, reducing economic barriers for students.
Portfolio Building
Verifiable record of real-world work experience for career advancement.
Trust Building
Positive feedback directly enhances reputation within the community.
This model offers a low-risk, high-frequency engagement for students to test and prove their skills in practical scenarios.
From Value Extraction to Value Creation
In today's economic warfare, DAOs act as India's economic defense system
Decentralize Ownership
Keep transactions and profits within communities
Stop Brain Drain
Create local opportunities for skilled talent
Community Empowerment
Tools to access markets and investors
Economic Sovereignty
Knowledge, innovation, and value circulating within India
The Gurukul Ecosystem: A Symbiotic Cycle
The Gurukul ecosystem acts as a bridge between industry, business, and the entire education spectrum — from kindergarten to doctorate. It creates a self-sustaining, opportunity-rich environment where learning and earning reinforce each other.
Academia
Supplies industry-ready, skilled talent
Industry & Business
Provides projects, internships, and mentorship
Businesses
Access trained, certified, motivated individuals
Learners
Gain certifications, expertise, income, and opportunities
Collaborative Value Creation
Industry Collaboration
Organizations like RailTel offer real-world projects and digital service requirements through Kaushal Bhavan.
DAO as Execution Centers
Post-election, domain-specific DAOs function as sales and execution hubs for their respective sectors (e.g., web maintenance for IRCTC).
Innovation & Sales
DAOs drive innovation via AI-suggested ideas and sell products, services, and projects developed by DAO-employed teams.
Local Empowerment
This model generates local employment, efficiently meets government and industry needs, and keeps value creation rooted in the community.
Thank You
Questions?
For more information, please contact us at [email protected]