Dubai event 1 Billion Followers Summit returns for its third year with VidCon alums and a $1 million creator award

Creator industry event 1 Billion Followers Summit is returning to Dubai for its third year, and plans to welcome over 5,000 creator attendees for a packed-full programming slate led by experts like former VidCon CEO Jim Louderback. It’s also offering a Shark Tank-esque experience for creators and their startups, plus a $1 million prize to creators whose work embodies this year’s theme: “Content for Good.”

1 Billion Followers Summit is put on by the New Media Academy, a United Arab Emirates-based org that says it’s “a hub for content creation and education that aims to spearhead the presence of individuals into the digital space across social media platforms.” The summit will take place Jan. 11-13, 2025, at the Emirates Towers.

Much like U.S.-based creator gatherings VidCon and VidSummit, 1 Billion Followers Summit is meant to be a biz dev-focused event where creators can come together to discuss the business side of content, learn from one another’s creative processes, and address industry-wide trends and technological advancements that are changing the landscape of the creator economy.

The fact that it’s in Dubai isn’t a surprise, since, over the past couple of years, Dubai has been central in the United Arab Emirates’ push to get more international creators to embrace the country as a playground where they can make content. Earlier this year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, announced a $40.8 million governmental fund dedicated to supporting content creators. The fund is disbursed through an initiative called Creators HQ, which also has a hand in 1 Billion Followers Summit.

This year’s Summit has tapped Kuwaiti journalist Ammar Taqi as its overall ambassador, and he’ll focus on making the event “a vital global conversation about the importance of meaningful content creation and contribute to a brighter future,” he said in a statement. Digital magician Zach King (150+ million followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram) will be a main speaker.

Past Summits have included celebrities like The Daily Show host Trevor Noah and British podcaster/entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, as well as creators like Khaby Lame (250+ million followers across platforms including TikTok and Instagram) and The Sidemen (30+ million across YouTube/TikTok).

In addition to Taqi and King, the New Media Academy has brought in three VidCon alums to spearhead 1 Billion Followers Summit’s new programming tracks: Louderback will lead a Creator Economy track; former VidCon advisor Rachel Masters will lead a Technology track; and Leslie Morgan, former VidCon advisor, Complexly COO, and General Manager for YouTube kids’ phenom Spy Ninja Network

, and current Head of Digital for Hidden Pigeon Company, will lead a Content track.

“The new tracks at the 1 Billion Followers Summit align with our commitment to empowering a new generation of digital creatives, capable of shaping a promising and sustainable digital future,” Alia AlHammadi, CEO of New Media Academy, said. “While offering a holistic approach to the industry as a whole, each track targets a specific category of content creators, offering insight on content, profit strategies or the impact of technology.”

She added that, “Since its inception, the Summit has been dedicated to providing practical tools and specialized knowledge through interactive workshops and discussions. These tracks build on that foundation, connecting experts with emerging influencers and creatives to help them produce positive, impactful content.”

This year, 1 Billion Followers Summit is also focused on providing tangible financial contributions to the creator economy. It just extended the submission deadline for 1 Billion Pitches, a competition where 25 startups (with particular emphasis on content creator-led startups) will take the stage at the Summit and present their business ideas to a panel of key investors and international experts.

Those 25 businesses will be whittled down to 10 through judge and audience voting, and then will be evaluated on things like innovation, feasibility, quality of the pitch, market potential, creativity, scalability, potential social and economic impact, and the applicant’s leadership capabilities. Judges will also look at the business’s overall finances, profitability, and investability.

One final winner will be selected from those 10, and will receive “invaluable support, including potential funding, strategic partnerships, and ongoing mentorship to help them scale their ventures and achieve long-term success,” New Media Academy says.

It expects the competition to “[open] new horizons of growth while offering [creators] exceptional exposure to top investors,” AlHammadi said. “Such support ensures the launch of projects that contribute to economic and social development, and to a more prosperous and sustainable future.”

Submissions for 1 Billion Pitches are open here through Oct. 19.

The Summit is also promising to hand out a $1 million award–which organizers say is “the biggest award for content creators in the world”–to an attendee whose work “generates a positive impact on communities.” More details on that are forthcoming.

Tickets for 1 Billion Followers Summit are available here. Attendees can purchase individual programming tracks, get an all-tracks pass, or go VIP and get access to all tracks plus exclusive networking events.

1 Billion Followers Summit is a Tubefilter partner.