Dubai’s New Media Academy has announced that digital creators will compete for a share of a $1 million prize at the 3rd edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit in January 2025. The summit, themed “Content for Good,” will honor creators who make a positive impact on local, regional, and global scales.
Alia Al Hammadi, CEO of the New Media Academy, stated in a Khaleej Times report that the summit will enable audiences and participants to nominate their favorite content creators. Finalists will be chosen through public voting, with a panel of experts selecting the winners at the summit.
The event will take place from January 11 to 13, 2025, across Jumeirah Emirates Towers, the Museum of the Future, and Dubai International Financial Centre. It aims to connect creatives and investors, fostering collaboration and idea exchange.
Designed to help creators refine their content-making skills, the summit will target a global audience of over 1 billion, drawing top influencers and content creators to discuss new media’s role in economic and sustainable development.
Building on the success of previous editions, the summit aspires to transform digital media practices. The last summit in January attracted over 7,000 participants from 95 countries, including more than 3,000 content creators, resulting in over 300 million social media engagements.
A new feature, 1B Pitches, will offer funding opportunities for creators with innovative ideas. Participants will pitch their concepts to investors, aiming to secure sponsorships.
Content creators can submit their proposals via the summit’s website. Ambassadors for the summit include Ahmed El Ghandour, known for “Al Daheeh” on YouTube, and Anas Marwah and Asala Maleh, who create content for the Anazala family channel with over 40 million followers. Additional ambassadors will be announced soon.
