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Partners with Anghami to advance Middle East entertainment industry
Dubai - STEP Group, the fast-growing new media and technology company in the Middle East, this year celebrates the fifth edition of its flagship STEP Conference with the launch of STEP Music. Presented as STEP2017, the two events will take place at the Dubai International Marine Club with STEP Conference running from 5th to 6th April, followed by STEP Music on 7th April.
“STEP Music is a logical addition to our events portfolio and a natural evolution of the STEP Conference,” explains Ray Dargham, CEO, STEP Group. “STEP Conference has always been about the convergence and advancement of the technology, digital and entertainment industries. In line with this core mission, STEP Music and Anghami will bring together the most influential local artists, record labels, and music industry professionals to help them recognize their Arab dream while contributing to the development of the Middle East entertainment industry.”
Eddy Maroun, CEO & Co-founder at Anghami adds: “At Anghami we believe in the synergies that exist between artists, music fans and brands where everyone unites for the love of music. We’re witnessing exciting times for the music industry with music streaming creating unprecedented opportunities for rising talents, independent and established artists alike to reach their potential and scale. As a market leader, Anghami is committed to the growth of the region's music industry and is proud to partner with STEP Music for what will be a real manifestation of today's music pulse in MENA."
Since its launch in 2013, STEP Conference has become the MENA region’s largest gathering for technology, digital and entertainment industries. It has also earned a reputation as the hunting ground for investors keen to find the next tech unicorn in the Middle East. More than 10,000 entrepreneurs, investors and tech and media enthusiasts are expected to attend the annual two-day event, which is packed with talks, exhibitions and signature STEP features.
Speakers already confirmed for the 2017 conference include: Planetary Scientist Professor Charles Elachi; BBC’s Kim Ghattas; the Seinfeld of Saudi Arabia Fahad AlButairi; and Jordanian Comedian Tima Shomali.
Also returning for STEP2017 is Startup Basecamp where over 400 startups from around the world, from all industries, and at all funding stages will showcase their products and services. Companies that have gotten their funding break at previous STEP Conferences include Dubai-based startup Matic, which is the leading online marketplace for cleaning services in the GCC and attracted funding from Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP).
Other activities include food trucks, vendors, street artists, gamers and skaters. The event culminates in STEP Music Festival with performances from more than 15 of the region’s most exciting underground and up-and-coming talent – from alternative rock, to indie-pop, electronic, hip-hop, jazz, soul, funk and fusion.
Early bird tickets for STEP2017, which include access to both STEP Conference and STEP Music are available now and can be purchased from the STEP2017 website – www.stepconference.com
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About STEP Group
STEP Group is a Middle East-based media and technology company. In just under 18 months, Step Group’s news and digital content platforms stepfeed.com and yallafeed.com have gained more than 3 million unique monthly users and 6 million monthly views. Most recently the group acquired the popular and fast growing video content platform Arab Vines.
STEP Group also owns STEP Conference, the largest technology and startup conference in the MENA region, that has tripled in size every year since it began in 2012. In 2017, the company will launch STEP Music to help advance the region’s entertainment industry.
Media contacts:
Mutaz Albadri
Mojo PR
+971 (0)50 570 6785
mutaz@mojo-me.com
Waad Kibeda
Mojo PR
+971 (0)55 911 3037
waad@mojo-me.com
© Press Release 2017
