1 Billion Followers Summit kicks off Saturday, brings together over 15,000 content creators, influencers, 420 speakers

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the third edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2025 is set to commence on 11th January 2025.

The Summit, the world’s first and largest event dedicated to shaping the content creation economy, is organised by the UAE Government Media Office under the theme “Content For Good,” and will be hosted in the UAE over 3 days at Dubai's Emirates Towers, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and the Museum of the Future.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, emphasised that the 1 Billion Followers Summit is inspired by the wise vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the exceptional insight of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to amplify the UAE’s impactful cultural mission, develop the creative economy and leverage the limitless potential of new media to enhance institutional progress and advance sustainable development.

Al Gergawi pointed out that the remarkable success of the summit’s previous editions has been a milestone in advancing the digital content industry both regionally and globally.

Al Gergawi spoke at a press conference held at the Creators HQ at Emirates Towers, Dubai, in the presence of Saeed Al Eter, Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office; Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office, representatives of key global social media platforms, and leaders of local, regional and international media institutions operating in the UAE.

The press conference addressed details of the upcoming 1 Billion Followers Summit, and the global event’s key highlights in its third edition.

Al Gergawi said, “The third edition gains significant momentum by attracting over 15,000 content creators and 420 speakers comprising the world’s top influencers and experts. The summit will also unveil the world’s largest and most valuable award for quality content creators, valued at $1 million. This initiative serves as a powerful incentive to inspire impactful ideas that contribute to communities and promote noble human values.”

Al Gergawi noted that the rapidly growing global content industry, estimated at $250 billion, presents significant potential for the UAE, given the nation's leading regional infrastructure and top global ranking in the Network Readiness Index.

He stated, "Just as we successfully established an economic sector through Dubai Internet City and our media sector through Dubai Media City, we now aim to build a sustainable content industry through regulatory frameworks, investment support, knowledge sharing, and a series of exceptional initiatives."

Al Gergawi further explained that the UAE is developing a streamlined and sustainable legislative ecosystem to facilitate the launch of content platforms and businesses. In line with this, the UAE has announced a AED150 million fund to support investment in the content industry, as well as plans for a Creators HQ a year ago, to provide content creators with high-end services and encourage their relocation to the UAE. He added that Creators HQ will soon be launched.

Remarking on the significance of this year's Summit in advancing the content economy, Al Gergawi highlighted the introduction of a dedicated economy track and the One Billion Pitches initiative. The Summit successfully mobilised over 10 investment funds, totalling AED50 million, to support content creators. Participating companies collectively manage $7 to $8 billion in assets. The Summit has received support requests from over 500 startups in 40 countries.

Saeed Al Eter remarked on the rapid growth and global anticipation surrounding the 1 Billion Followers Summit as the world's first and largest event focused on the content creator economy. He highlighted its role in connecting influencers, content creators, investors, entrepreneurs, and other key stakeholders in the digital media sector.

Al Eter also noted that, building on the success of its first two editions, the third edition features an enhanced agenda, including the launch of the 1 Billion Pitches competition and the $1 million One Billion Award. He underscored the vital role of content creation in shaping the future of digital media.

Alia AlHammadi emphasised the growing global interest in the 1 Billion Followers Summit, now in its third edition. She noted the significantly improved and expanded agenda, developed with local and global partners including venture capital firms. This collaborative effort aims to deliver exceptional outcomes and create a tangible impact, empowering content creators and driving the industry forward.

The 1 Billion Followers Summit will bring together over 15,000 prominent Arab and global influencers, content creators, and new media professionals. Attendees will exchange knowledge, share experiences, and address challenges and opportunities in the knowledge and new media sectors.

The event will feature over 420 keynote speakers, including more than 125 CEOs and global experts.

The summit features over 340 sessions spanning keynote addresses, roundtables, interactive discussions, and training workshops across 3 main tracks: economy, content, and technology. Experts from leading regional and global digital media and social platforms, along with prominent influencers, will discuss trends in digital media, best practices, and advancements in business, economy, investment, and content creation.

For the first time globally, the third edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit will bring together the world’s leading social media platforms, including Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Meta (Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp). These platforms will engage with the summit audience to discuss the future of the industry, empowering content creators and influencers to reach wider audiences and drive positive impact.

Platform representatives, influencers, and content creators will exchange ideas on the future of content creation, building impactful content, protecting intellectual property, combating misinformation, and leveraging tools like AI, analytics, and digital community-building strategies to advance humanity.

The Summit will announce the winner of the One Billion Award, a $1 million prize deemed the world’s largest and most valuable for content creators. The award, which has attracted over 16,000 entries from nearly 190 countries in just three weeks, aims to celebrate creators whose content inspires positive change, fosters unity, and shapes future generations.

The summit’s final day will announce the winners of the 1 Billion Pitches competition, the first global initiative of its kind, offering funding and support to startups and individuals with groundbreaking ideas in content creation. Supported jointly by the Summit and Shorooq, the competition was allocated AED50 million, with AED30 million funded directly by Shorooq, one of the Arab world's largest alternative investment firms, and AED20 million by the Summit.

The 1B Pitches competition received 500 applications from 40 countries, with projects spanning education, advanced technology, innovation, women’s empowerment, creativity, health, entrepreneurship, and more. Among the applicants, 250 startups and individual participants proposed pioneering ideas. Twenty-five finalists advanced to the semi-finals, with 10 shortlisted candidates competing in the final round, where the first and second winners of funding and support opportunities will be announced on the Summit’s closing day.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.