e-commerce
Bajaao & Hard Rock café come together for artist management
MUMBAI: BAJAAO Music Pvt Ltd (BMPL), India’s first and leading online retailer of music instruments and theirevents division in BAJAAO Consulting and Events Pvt Ltd (BCEPL) today announcedtheir partnership with Hard Rock Café to curate artistes performing at various venues from across the country. Currently, Hard Rock Café is present in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune & Delhi, and Hyderabad which will in turn allow BAJAAO to service the crux of metropolitan cities across the country.
Given the current state of the live music industry in India, which is experiencing young talent mushrooming in the country, BAJAAO Consulting and Events Pvt Ltd will have an opportunity to encourage a number of acts to center stage where this talent can continue their journey to higher levels in the music industry while they build a promising career.Hard Rock Café has been one of the first venues to consistently promote talent across the board in India & looks to strengthen its focus on the same.BAJAAO will be handling the artiste’s management for over 52 weeks i.e. approximately over a year for Hard Rock Café.
Thanks to its deep roots in the Indian music scene the company has also expanded the events division to include and execute bigger, better musical events and partnerships, which include associations with Jack Daniels Rock Awards,International Jazz Festival, Ragasthan, Red Bull Tour Bus & brands like Superdry, Diesel, Converse etc.
Speaking on the association,Ashutosh Pande, Founder-CEO, BAJAAO commented: “I look forward to unearthing amazing talent & providing them with the platform to perform. These young musicians are passionately driven with a burning desire to perform, and we would like to expose them to the industry as much as we can.Music is indispensable and will always be a part of our world. India is only now expanding its idea of live music by going beyond Bollywood and other classical forms.We are honored to work with one of the world’s most iconic brands for music& also to promote the abundant talent this country possesses.”
Also commenting on the development,Mr.AkashSharma, Manager for Marketing & Events at Hard Rock Café said: “The BAJAAOteam has worked with innumerable talented musicians since their humble beginnings from the Jam room to the live sound company. This has provided them with a level of trust & insights in this industry which few possess. Hence we are looking forward to this association with them andfor some great music at Hard Rock Café.”
BAJAAO has been encouraging young talent to be successful in the music industry for years.They have recently tied up with the prestigious True School of Musicas their gear partner powering any and all of their musical needs. The school is affiliated to the Manhattan School of Music in New York and the Academy of Contemporary Music in the UK. The firm is realizing its vision to be the one point source for all musical needs for musiciansacross the country.
There is a constant rise in independent DJs, musicians, organisersetc which willsee this industry grow exponentially in the coming years. BAJAAO will continue to provide an opportunity for many to chase their passions inorder to set the stage for music in India.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
