Under the patronage of Mohammed bin Rashid.. The One Billion Followers Summit begins on January 11, with the participation of 15,000 content creators and influencers and 420 speakers.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, the activities of the third edition of the One Billion Followers Summit 2025 will begin on January 11, the first summit specialized in shaping the content industry economy, and the largest of its kind in the world, which is organized by The UAE Government Media Office will spend 3 days in the Emirates Towers, the Dubai International Financial Center, and the Museum of the Future in Dubai, under the slogan “Purposeful Content.”

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, confirmed that the “One Billion Followers Summit” is inspired by the sound vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, and the exceptional thought of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE. The Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, in promoting the UAE’s influential civilizational mission, developing the creative economy, and investing in the unlimited potential provided by new media, which contributes to raising the horizons of institutional work and enhancing the process. Developmental.

This came during a press conference held at the influencers’ headquarters in the Emirates Towers in Dubai, in the presence of Saeed Al Eter, Head of the UAE Government Media Office, Alia Al Hammadi, Vice President of the UAE Government Media Office, and major global social media platforms, in addition to the leaders of local, regional and international media institutions operating in the UAE. .

During the press conference, details of the agenda of the One Billion Followers Summit and developments in its third edition were reviewed, in addition to highlighting the most prominent events hosted by the global event.

The largest and most expensive international award

Mohammed Al Gergawi said during the press conference, “The third edition of the summit is gaining great momentum through the participation of more than 15,000 content makers and more than 420 speakers from the most prominent influencers and experts in the world, and the launch of the largest and most expensive global award for purposeful content makers, worth one million dollars, which represents a great incentive.” “To provide inspiring ideas, contribute to serving communities, and consolidating noble human values.”

He added that the goal is to build a sustainable content industry economy in the region by supporting this sector organizationally, investment and knowledge through a series of exceptional projects and initiatives.

Mohammed Al Gergawi pointed out that the content industry sector is an emerging global economic sector, with a global size of about $250 billion, and the UAE is working to maximize the benefit of the great opportunities it provides, as the country has the best structure for the growth of this sector in the region, and the UAE is the Today, it ranks first in the world in the telecommunications infrastructure readiness index.

Al-Gergawi confirmed by saying: “We also built an economic sector through Dubai Internet City and then a media sector through Dubai Media City… Today we seek to build a special economic sector for the content industry.”

He pointed out that the UAE government is working to build an easy and continuous legislative and procedural system in order to facilitate the establishment of platforms and companies for content makers. The UAE government, as part of its directions to develop the economy of this sector, announced a fund of 150 million dirhams to support investment in the content industry in the country, and it was also announced The Influencers Headquarters was established a year ago with the aim of providing advanced services to all content creators and facilitating the process of their relocation to the Emirates and launching their businesses and companies.. which is being opened during the coming short period.

Strengthening the content industry economy

Regarding the vital role that the new edition of the One Billion Followers Summit plays in enhancing the content creation economy, His Excellency pointed out that this year’s edition includes the economics track and the investment program with content creators, “One Billion Pitches,” and the summit has succeeded in raising more than 10 investment funds worth 50 million dirhams aims to support content creators, and the total assets managed in the content creation sector by participating companies is between 7 and 8 billion dollars. During the previous period, the summit received requests for support from more than 500 companies. Originating from 40 countries around the world.

For his part, Saeed Al-Eter said that the One Billion Followers Summit has become, in a short time, one of the most important and anticipated events in the world, as it is the first summit specialized in shaping the content industry economy, and the largest of its kind in the world, which brings together in one place influencers, content makers, companies operating in this sector, and investors. Entrepreneurs and everyone interested in the future of digital media and its developments.

Growing global interest

For her part, Alia Al Hammadi confirmed that the great and noticeable momentum witnessed by the One Billion Followers Summit in its third edition this year, and the growing global interest, was accompanied by great development in various matters related to the new edition and the expansion of its agenda to include effective programs that work to empower creators in all aspects of content industry and more. It relates to the economy and financing of this industry.

More than 15,000 content creators from the most important Arab and international influencers and content makers participate in the One Billion Followers Summit, where they exchange knowledge, share experiences and science, and discuss the challenges, prospects and trends of the knowledge industry and new media sector.

The summit hosts more than 420 expert and specialist speakers, including more than 125 CEOs and global experts.

The One Billion Followers Summit offers more than 340 keynote sessions, a round table, an interactive dialogue, a workshop, a debate, and an inspiring speech, covering three main tracks that include economics, content, and technology, in which experts and specialists from major regional and international companies specializing in digital media and social communication, and a number of the most prominent… Influencers and the most important social media celebrities from the region and the world, their inspiring experiences and expertise about the most important digital media trends and the paths they take, and the most prominent practices in this sector, They highlight the most important developments in the world of business, economics, investment, and content creation.

Discussing the future of the sector

The third edition of the One Billion Followers Summit brings together the major global social media platforms, where Snapchat, To reach the widest segment of the audience and achieve a positive impact.

Social platform officials, influencers, and content makers exchange ideas about the future of the content industry, how to build influential content, protect intellectual property, and combat misleading information, in addition to how to use analysis tools, artificial intelligence techniques, and strategies for building digital communities to support content and provide everything that is beneficial to humanity.

The One Billion Followers Summit activities will witness honoring the winner of the largest and most expensive global award for purposeful content makers, worth one million dollars. Within 3 weeks of its launch, the award received more than 16,000 entries from content makers representing about 190 countries.

The award aims to encourage content creators whose content leaves a positive imprint, changes societies for the better, creates generations that build a greater future, influences minds, brings people closer together, and establishes the values ​​of compassion and empathy among people.

On December 22, 2024, the summit announced the names of the ten candidates qualified to compete to win the award, who were selected by a specialized jury that includes international experts, influencers, and consultants.

Announcement of the winner

The summit opened the way for the public to vote via the link: vote.1billionsummit.com to choose 5 candidates, starting from December 22 to 28, 2024, and the candidates with the highest votes will move to the next stage, where the jury will choose a winner from the five candidates voted for by the public, within Closed sessions on January 11 and 12, 2025, and the winner will be announced on Monday, January 13, 2025.

The closing day of the activities of the third edition of the One Billion Followers Summit also witnesses the announcement of the first and second winners of the “Investing with Content Creators” program, which is the first of its kind in the world, and aims to provide financing and financial support to emerging companies and individuals who have pioneering ideas in content creation, to present them. In front of a jury consisting of an elite group of major investors and companies, which in turn sponsors and invests in the idea.

The “Billion Followers Summit” and “Shurooq” company support the “Investing with Content Creators” program with an amount of 50 million dirhams, as “Shurooq”, one of the largest alternative investment companies in the Arab world and headquartered in Abu Dhabi, supports the program with 30 million dirhams in financing and direct investment, while The summit supports the program with 20 million dirhams.

A remarkable turnout from startups

The program attracted 500 applications from 40 countries, with projects participating in the program focused on the fields of education, advanced technology and innovation, women’s empowerment, creativity, community development, literature, entrepreneurship, health, social media platforms, creative content and tools for developing it.

The program witnessed a remarkable turnout from startups, which reached 250 registered companies, and from individuals who have entrepreneurial ideas in content creation.

25 candidates, including start-up companies and individuals, qualified for the semi-finals of the program, where 10 of them are selected before reaching the final qualifiers to announce the first and second winners to receive funding and support for their creative ideas during the closing day of the activities of the third session of the One Billion Followers Summit.