Flagship UAE creator-economy occasion, the 1 Billion Followers Summit has revealed that its Creators Ventures Accelerator—run by Creators HQ in partnership with 500 World—has attracted 1,131 purposes from content material creators and digital startups throughout greater than 70 nations.
The programme seeks to establish and incubate promising creator-led startups, offering mentorship, information sharing, and entry to funding networks to assist them construct sustainable companies within the rising international content material economic system.
Individuals will likely be showcased on the fourth version of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, to be held from January 9 to 11 2026 at Emirates Towers, the Dubai Worldwide Monetary Centre, and the Museum of the Future, beneath the theme “Content material for Good.”
At a look
- 1,131 purposes from 70 nations
- 609 certified for the following part
- 20 individuals to hitch the primary cohort
- Funding of as much as AED50m ($13.6m)
- Finalists introduced at 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026
Subsequent part
Of the 1,131 candidates, 609 certified for the following stage after assembly participation standards.
They embrace 347 content material creators from greater than 70 nations—led by India, adopted by Egypt, the USA, the UK, and Syria.
The accelerator additionally drew 262 purposes from digital startups and enterprise platforms.
From these, 20 candidates will likely be chosen for the inaugural cohort.
A specialised crew of enterprise capitalists and digital-media specialists will assess the tasks on innovation, creativity, social and financial impression, execution high quality, enterprise planning, scalability, and funding potential.
They may also present mentorship all through the programme to help long-term development.
AED50m funding alternative
Individuals will be a part of an intensive 10-week coaching programme combining 500 World’s company-building experience with its ecosystem devoted to the creator economic system.
Within the first part, organisers will invite 20 individuals to current their concepts on stage, advance 10 to the semi-final, and choose three finalists.
The winners, introduced on the closing day of the summit, will obtain an funding alternative and funding of as much as AED50m ($13.6m) from Creators HQ and business traders.
World creator economic system
Khadija Hussain, Govt Director of Authorities Communication on the UAE Authorities Media Workplace and Deputy CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, mentioned the response highlights the UAE’s rising position as a magnet for inventive expertise.
Hussain mentioned: “We’re happy with the large response to the Creators Ventures Accelerator programme, which displays the UAE’s rising stature as a worldwide hub for purposeful content material creation and innovation and its potential to draw prime inventive expertise from world wide”.
She added that the programme affords an unprecedented alternative for creators and rising digital firms to show concepts into sustainable ventures.
“The Creators Ventures Accelerator programme serves as an interactive platform that brings collectively creativity and innovation inside a single ecosystem.
“This built-in mannequin reinforces the position of content material creation as some of the important sectors of the brand new economic system, giving taking part creators a real alternative to turn out to be influential enterprise leaders.”
She emphasised that via its collaboration with 500 World, the summit offers creators and startups with the instruments to develop their tasks into globally aggressive firms.
Empowering creator entrepreneurs
Mei Chel Tan, Managing Accomplice at 500 World, mentioned the partnership demonstrates the agency’s dedication to nurturing innovation within the creator economic system.
“The creator economic system is a major contributor to in the present day’s international social and business outcomes, with the potential to drive actual financial worth and innovation,” Tan mentioned.
“We’re thrilled to companion with Creators HQ on this initiative, via which we’re empowering content material creators and creator applied sciences to construct and scale significant companies and options.”
The Creators Ventures Accelerator underscores 500 World’s purpose to leverage its enterprise capital experience and international platform to assist creators and entrepreneurs rework concepts into high-impact companies and advance creativity worldwide.
UAE digital and inventive economic system
The accelerator operates beneath Creators HQ, the UAE and Center East’s first devoted content material creator hub and a part of Visioneers, in partnership with 500 World, one of many world’s most energetic enterprise capital companies.
By combining mentorship, funding, and worldwide publicity, the initiative advances the UAE’s technique to construct a diversified digital and inventive economic system that empowers entrepreneurs to compete globally.
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