The “1 Billion Followers Summit,” organized by the UAE Government Media Office, has revealed the judging panel for its Creators Ventures Accelerator program. The initiative, now in its second edition, is organized by Creators HQ in collaboration with venture capital firm 500 Global.
The judging panel includes Jonathan Labin, an investor with more than 20 years of experience and former Managing Director at Meta; Megan Lightcap, Partner at Slow Ventures Fund and former J.P. Morgan finance expert; and Scott van den Berg, Founder of Hotstart VC, known for co-founding successful brands with creators including MrBeast and Jessica Alba.
Alongside the judges, the accelerator announced its resident mentors who will guide participants through the 10-week program:
Sora Lee brings 15 years of experience leading teams at Netflix, Meta, and TikTok, specializing in growth, partnerships, and monetization.
Giacomo Poggiali, a Fractional Head of Product and Venture Builder, brings 7+ years of product development experience, having coached over 200 startups.
Jonathan Tanemori offers 20+ years of venture capital experience across fintech, blockchain, and Web3, advising on investor engagement and fundraising.
Brian Lee, Founder & CEO of Knocksteady (acquired by Disney’s Maker Studios), specializes in incubating, investing, and scaling creator-led businesses.
Program Structure and Participants
The accelerator shortlists 21 content creators and startup founders with a combined following of more than 20 million. Notable participants include Angel Santana’s dromOS, which transforms creator challenges into monetizable game experiences; Esraa Saleh’s Super Abla, an Arabic content production platform linking children’s language to culture; and SHAIKE, a platform combining cinema with artificial intelligence developed by Jeremy Angelier.
The program received 1,131 applications, of which 609 met all criteria, representing over 70 countries. Selected participants will join an intensive 10-week training program combining 500 Global’s company-building expertise with its ecosystem network.
Summit Context and Expansion
The Creators Ventures Accelerator program is part of the fourth edition of the “1 Billion Followers Summit,” scheduled for January 9-11, 2026. The event will take place across Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future under the theme “Content for Good.”
Content creators and startups selected by the judging panel will receive investment opportunities of up to AED 50 million to grow their ventures. The summit builds on its January 2025 edition, which attracted more than 15,000 creators, 420 speakers, and 125 CEOs and many other global experts, generating 1.5 billion digital interactions.
“The enthusiastic response to the Creators Ventures Accelerator programme underscores the 1 Billion Followers Summit’s success and status as a premier global hub for creativity and entrepreneurship,” said Her Excellency Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the “1 Billion Followers Summit.”
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The “1 Billion Followers Summit,” organized by the UAE Government Media Office, has revealed the judging panel for its Creators Ventures Accelerator program. The initiative, now in its second edition, is organized by Creators HQ in collaboration with venture capital firm 500 Global.
The judging panel includes Jonathan Labin, an investor with more than 20 years of experience and former Managing Director at Meta; Megan Lightcap, Partner at Slow Ventures Fund and former J.P. Morgan finance expert; and Scott van den Berg, Founder of Hotstart VC, known for co-founding successful brands with creators including MrBeast and Jessica Alba.
Alongside the judges, the accelerator announced its resident mentors who will guide participants through the 10-week program:
Sora Lee brings 15 years of experience leading teams at Netflix, Meta, and TikTok, specializing in growth, partnerships, and monetization.
Giacomo Poggiali, a Fractional Head of Product and Venture Builder, brings 7+ years of product development experience, having coached over 200 startups.
Jonathan Tanemori offers 20+ years of venture capital experience across fintech, blockchain, and Web3, advising on investor engagement and fundraising.
Brian Lee, Founder & CEO of Knocksteady (acquired by Disney’s Maker Studios), specializes in incubating, investing, and scaling creator-led businesses.
Program Structure and Participants
The accelerator shortlists 21 content creators and startup founders with a combined following of more than 20 million. Notable participants include Angel Santana’s dromOS, which transforms creator challenges into monetizable game experiences; Esraa Saleh’s Super Abla, an Arabic content production platform linking children’s language to culture; and SHAIKE, a platform combining cinema with artificial intelligence developed by Jeremy Angelier.
The program received 1,131 applications, of which 609 met all criteria, representing over 70 countries. Selected participants will join an intensive 10-week training program combining 500 Global’s company-building expertise with its ecosystem network.
Summit Context and Expansion
The Creators Ventures Accelerator program is part of the fourth edition of the “1 Billion Followers Summit,” scheduled for January 9-11, 2026. The event will take place across Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future under the theme “Content for Good.”
Content creators and startups selected by the judging panel will receive investment opportunities of up to AED 50 million to grow their ventures. The summit builds on its January 2025 edition, which attracted more than 15,000 creators, 420 speakers, and 125 CEOs and many other global experts, generating 1.5 billion digital interactions.
“The enthusiastic response to the Creators Ventures Accelerator programme underscores the 1 Billion Followers Summit’s success and status as a premier global hub for creativity and entrepreneurship,” said Her Excellency Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the “1 Billion Followers Summit.”
In addition to the accelerator program, the summit will feature the world’s largest AI film prize, worth $1 million.