iWorld
Helo partners with Bollywood Music Project to create virtual content
MUMBAI: Helo, a social networking app recently partnered with Bollywood Music Project (BMP) to create virtual content for their app. BMP featured, on its Helo app handle BollywoodMusicProjectLive virtual chat sessions and short impromptu performances of 11 leading Bollywood vocalists of our country and viewers of Helo had the opportunity to view and engage with unique content. The week-long series was a resounding success, with over 5.5 lakh unique viewers combined.
Known for coming up with unique, effective and impactful IPs for brands, Event Capitalalong with Truly Musical conceptualized and executed the initiative, taking on-board well known artists, creating separate individual slots and increasing user engagement, all whilst driving massive viewership and engagement on the platform. The initiative had over 10,000 concurrent live users and had an average engagement rate of 5 per cent. With many digital players going online to create content, their aim was to stand out from the clutter and create highly targeted entertainment.
Mega music stars like Amit Trivedi, Vishal Bhardwaj, Rekha Bhardwaj, Hariharan, Aditya Narayan, Sukhwinder Singh, Shefali Alvares, Mohammed Irfan, Divya Kumar and Anusha Mani & Sangeet Haldipur performed and interacted at the virtual event. Each artist was given a 30-minute time slot to entertain the audiences not only through live signing but also live Q&A. The artists also took this opportunity to guide the audience with safety measures and precautions during the on-going global pandemic.
Cultivating ecosystems and communities out of IP’s, Event Capital’s efforts are focused on creating sustainable journeys for brands. Starting of primarily in events, the company has grown into a 360-degree content and branded entertainment solutions provider.
Branded Entertainment, Event Capital business head and COO Shyam Chhabria said, “Event Capital has grown into one of the most trusted brand partners today in the experiential marketing industry. We realized in order for Helo to connect with and be relevant to their consumers, it was imperative to engage viewers taking into account the current scenario. With the springing up of numerous live and virtual sessions, we felt it was necessary to streamline and create relevant content for our partners and were overwhelmed with the response we got on the partnership; the spike in the reach stands testimony to the success of the event.”
TM Truly Musical partner Alaap Gosher said commented: "People are constantly glued to different platforms and are experimenting with things they have never done before. To create an engaging and memorable experience at times like this, it's important to understand and use different mediums, which help create a similar experience & emotions as a live gig. The virtual experience allowed us to infuse newer elements like, actual fan interaction with the musicians. The activity turned out to be a success not just for the brand but also for us as a new way to create sustainable & meaningful brand relationships with consumers.”
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.
