“When people talk about innovation in Silicon Valley, faith is rarely part of the conversation,” Casey Oswald, MBA ’19 notes. “But Alex Jones has changed that.” Alex, a former lapsed Catholic, had begun feeling like something was missing in his life. To fill the void, he started exploring meditation and rebuilding his faith, but found that traditional meditation techniques and mindfulness apps weren’t the right fit. So, in 2018, he co-founded and became CEO of Hallow, an easy-to-use mobile app that offers audio-guided prayer, meditation, readings, and music to “create a daily, personal retreat” and to help “foster a relationship with God and the peace of prayer.”
As Alex explains, “The idea isn’t to invent new ways to pray, but rather to bring to the world the enormously rich pool of contemplative prayer methods that already exist within the Christian faith today.” The concept resonated. Hallow has surpassed 10 million downloads and over 225 prayers, and secured a Series-C funding round for $50 million — increasing total funds raised to $105 million. In February 2024, Hallow also became the first faith-based app to reach the top spot on Apple’s App Store — placing it ahead of Netflix, Amazon, and even TikTok. “Alex didn’t just launch a startup, he opened a new chapter in how technology can serve the soul,” Casey says. “He didn’t chase trends or optimize for virality — he built something he believed the world truly needed. He proved that it’s possible to lead a high-growth tech company without sacrificing integrity or mission.”
Fellow GSB alum Will Miller, MA/MBA ’19, agrees. “His work has not only created a new digital space for spiritual wellness but also redefined what it means to lead with purpose in the tech world. Watching Alex build Hallow with humility, grit, and deep conviction has profoundly inspired me — he’s shown that innovation doesn’t have to compromise values.” Casey adds, “What Alex has done is more than launch an app; he’s helped people rediscover prayer, community, and peace. In a noisy world, he’s created quiet. In a culture obsessed with disruption, he’s built something enduring.”
