• Khadija Hussain: “The program represents an unprecedented opportunity for content creators and emerging creators enabling companies to transform their ideas into sustainable ventures”
  • Mei Chel Tan:  “The Creators Ventures Accelerator empowers content creators and content enablers to build and scale meaningful businesses and solutions”

UAE, Dubai – The 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest event dedicated to the content creation economy and organized by the UAE Government Media Office, has announced that the Creators Ventures Accelerator, part of the second edition of the Creators Ventures Accelerator program organized by Creators HQ - the first content creator hub in the UAE and the Middle East and part of Visioneers in partnership with 500 Global, one of the world’s most active venture capital firms1, has attracted 1,131 applications from content creators and digital startups operating in the content industry, representing over 70 countries.

The program aims to identify and incubate promising creator-led startups. Participants will be showcased during the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, which will take place from January 9 to 11, 2026, across Emirates Towers, the Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future, under the theme “Content for Good”.

The program also aims to equip participants with the skills, tools, and support they need to sustainably grow their businesses—through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and access to networks—empowering them to build the next generation of leading companies in the creator economy.

The Creators Ventures Accelerator program attracted strong interest from individual creators, business platforms, and emerging creator-related digital startups. A diverse collective of pioneering content creators and creator-led companies spanning Creator IP, AI Creator solutions, creator monetization, media, gaming, wellness, and technology each redefining how creators, brands, and audiences connect, create, and grow in the digital economy.

An Unprecedented Opportunity

Khadija Hussain, Executive Director of Government Communication at the UAE Government Media Office and deputy CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, said: “We are pleased with the tremendous response to the Creators Ventures Accelerator program, which reflects the UAE’s growing stature as a global hub for purposeful content creation and innovation and its ability to attract top creative talent from around the world.”

She added that the program represents an unprecedented opportunity for content creators and emerging digital companies to transform their ideas into sustainable ventures.

“The Creators Ventures Accelerator program serves as an interactive platform that brings together creativity and innovation within a single ecosystem,” Hussain explained. “This integrated model reinforces the role of content creation as one of the most vital sectors of the new economy, giving participating creators a genuine opportunity to become influential business leaders.”

She emphasized that through its collaboration with 500 Global, the 1 Billion Followers Summit provides creators and startups with the tools they need to expand their projects and grow them into leading companies capable of competing globally.

Supporting Creative Minds

Mei Chel Tan, Managing Partner at 500 Global, said: “The creator economy is a significant contributor to today’s global social and commercial outcomes, with the potential to drive real economic value and innovation.”

She added: “We’re thrilled to partner with CreatorsHQ in this initiative, through which we’re empowering content creators and creator technologies to build and scale meaningful businesses and solutions.”

The Creators Ventures Accelerator underscores 500 Global’s commitment to leveraging its venture capital expertise and global platform to enable talented creators and entrepreneurs to transform ideas into high-impact businesses and advance creativity and innovation worldwide.

Outstanding Participation Figures

Out of the 1,131 applications for Creators Ventures Accelerator, 609 qualified for the next phase after meeting all participation criteria. These included 347 content creators representing more than 70 countries - with India leading the top five countries followed by Egypt, USA, UK and Syria.

Several innovative digital startups and business platforms also made a remarkable showing, with 262 startups and business platforms applying. From among these, 20 applicants will be selected for the inaugural cohort of the Creators Ventures Accelerator program.

A specialized team - comprising leading venture capitalists and international experts in digital media and venture capita - will assess the projects based on criteria such as innovation and creativity, economic and social impact, execution quality and marketing potential, business planning and profitability, as well as scalability and investment attractiveness. They  will also provide guidance and mentorship throughout the program’s various stages to strengthen the long-term success of the selected projects.

Nurturing the Projects

The participants will take part in an intensive 10-week training program that combines 500 Global’s expertise in company-building with its extensive ecosystem network dedicated to supporting the creator economy.

In the first phase, 20 participants will present their idea on-stage, after which 10 will advance to the semi-final round, and 3 finalists will be selected. The selected participants will be announced on the closing day of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, receiving an investment opportunity and funding of up to AED 50 million from Creators HQ and investors in the content creation industry to further develop their project—creating an ideal environment to transform innovative ideas into scalable, globally competitive ventures.

About the 1 Billion Followers Summit

With a goal of reaching over a billion people worldwide, the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest event dedicated to shaping the content creator economy, organized by the UAE Government Media Office, brings together top global social media influencers across all online platforms. The summit explores how new media can drive positive societal change and fuel sustainable economic growth for nations. It is a key component of the UAE’s drive to foster a vibrant content creator community.

For more information, please visit www.1billionsummit.com

About Creators HQ

Creators HQ is the first content creators hub in the UAE and the Middle East, launched under the Content Creators Support Fund—an initiative announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, during the second edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit in 2024—Creators HQ provides a foundation for creators, innovators, and creative initiatives to thrive.

Creators HQ is part of Visioneers, the UAE's largest content management and development platform. Visioneers encompasses 21 companies and platforms, including the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the New Media Academy, the Communications Center, the History Academy, Arab Nation, Masdar News, UAE Nation, UAE in Numbers, Whoweyya, Al Mal Channel, Wasl, Xposed, and AI Media Lab.

For more information, please visit: www.creatorshq.com

About 500 Global

500 Global is a multi-stage venture capital firm with US$ 2.1B in assets under management2 that invests in founders building fast-growing technology companies.

500 Global focuses on markets where technology, innovation, and capital can unlock long-term value and drive economic growth and development. The firm works closely with key stakeholders and advises governments on how best to support entrepreneurial ecosystems and economic development in emerging markets.

500 Global has backed over 5,000 founders representing more than 3,000 companies operating in 80+ countries. It has invested in more than 35+ companies valued at over US$ 1 billion and 150+ companies valued at over US$ 100 million (including private, public, and exited companies).

Its 175+ team members are located in more than 25 countries and bring experience as entrepreneurs, investors, and operators from some of the world’s leading technology companies.

1  Based on PitchBook’s 2024 Global League Tables.
2 Assets under management (AUM) calculations are based on internal estimates as of March 31, 2025.