iWorld
Voot Studio partners with German Broadcaster Deutsche Welle
KOLKATA: Voot’s brand solutions arm, Voot Studio, has partnered with German international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, to stream the progressive series ‘HER- Women in Asia’. The series is based on the inspiring real-life transformational stories of women from the Asian sub-continent.
The series will stream exclusively on VOOT from 11 June.
With topics ranging from online dating to beauty, ‘HER- Women in Asia’ comprises six episodes, each 15-minutes long, highlighting the stories of women from different walks of life residing in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, and Taiwan. The series focuses on telling universal and existential stories with each episode showcasing three women who share their experiences about online dating, marriage, career, beauty, and more.
Viacom18 Digital Ventures AVoD head Chanpreet Arora said VOOT Studio has been successful in driving a brand’s message and reach by providing the right platform and relevant audience engagement opportunity. “Our collaboration with Deutsche Welle’s ‘HER- Women in Asia’ is a step further in this direction to bring forth stories that are relevant and have a universal appeal. We are happy to partner with them to showcase an engaging and inspiring series that will strike the right chord with our viewers on Voot,” added Arora.
DW, Asia, distribution manager, Daniel Schulz said, “Our goal is to promote versatility and ensure that real-life stories on important topics like women’s empowerment, cultural diversity, environment, technology, and sustainability are accessible to people across the globe. We are constantly working not only to meet the audience’s expectations of being a credible news destination but also to create motivating stories and educational programs for curious minds.”
According to DW distribution representative for India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, Jaya Oberoi, said there is demand for high-quality ‘infotainment’ formats which give voice to serious messages. “India is a key market that offers tremendous opportunities. We aim to focus on co-production collaborations to provide digital content which is relevant and to steadily grow in the regional space,” said Oberoi.
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.
