The global initiative will empower 100 aspiring entrepreneurs with $10,000 each, alongside additional support to help turn their business ideas into reality.
Dubai: Aspiring entrepreneurs with innovative ideas in media and content creation will have a chance to secure funding, mentorship and business development support through a new $1 million initiative launched ahead of the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2027.
The initiative, titled “100 Dreams,” aims to empower 100 aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide by helping them transform creative concepts into viable businesses in the UAE.
The programme will support individuals seeking to establish creator-led ventures, production houses, digital media platforms and other innovative businesses within the rapidly evolving media sector.
Introduced by the 1 Billion Followers Summit in partnership with global content creator Simon Squibb, and supported by the National Media Authority, the initiative seeks to nurture entrepreneurial talent, encourage innovation and contribute to the growth of the UAE’s creator economy.
Applications are scheduled to open on November 20, with aspiring entrepreneurs invited to submit their proposals through the Joindream website.
The programme is part of the fifth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, set to take place in Dubai from January 8 to 10, 2027, under the theme “Content for Good.”
Organised by the UAE Government Media Office, the three-day summit focuses on supporting the global content creation industry, fostering entrepreneurship and exploring new opportunities within the creator economy.
What selected entrepreneurs will receive
Each of the 100 successful applicants will be awarded $10,000 in funding to help launch their business ventures, along with practical support to establish a company in the UAE.
The support package includes assistance with UAE business licensing, guidance through the Golden Visa application process, subject to government approval, and a trip to Dubai to participate in the 1 Billion Followers Summit in January.
Selected entrepreneurs will also take part in a six-week business kickstart programme, where they will work closely with Simon Squibb and the Dream team to refine their ideas, develop business strategies and begin turning their concepts into operational ventures.
The initiative welcomes applications from aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18 and above, regardless of nationality or country of residence.
Eligible business concepts can cover a wide range of sectors, including content creation, creator-led enterprises, entertainment, digital media, film and video production, media technology, digital platforms and innovative media business models.
While participants are not required to relocate permanently to Dubai, they must be willing and able to register their businesses in the UAE, travel to Dubai for the summit and complete the six-week programme.
Building the next generation of global media companies
Speaking exclusively on the sidelines of a press conference at Creators HQ in Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai, Maitha Majid Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Media Regulation at the National Media Authority, said the initiative reflects the UAE’s broader vision of becoming a global centre for media entrepreneurship.
She explained that the country’s ambition extends beyond attracting content creators, with a growing emphasis on helping them establish sustainable businesses capable of competing internationally.
“The UAE do not want to just be a land for creators. We want to build the next great media company from the UAE,” Al Suwaidi told.
She stressed that investing in media entrepreneurs is also an investment in the UAE’s long-term economic growth and global influence.
According to Al Suwaidi, successful content creators have the potential to build businesses that generate employment, establish brands, develop intellectual property and introduce products and services to international markets.
“We’re no longer talking about media as entertainment. We’re talking about a business, an ecosystem, and that ecosystem needs support, and we see those creators as business owners.”
Al Suwaidi further highlighted the National Media Authority’s responsibility to create a supportive environment in which media businesses can thrive.
This includes simplifying access to business-related services, encouraging innovation and ensuring that entrepreneurs have the necessary protections for their creative work and intellectual property.
“Talent could be born anywhere, it’s the UAE that can turn it into business,” she said.
Al Suwaidi also emphasised the UAE’s competitive advantages as a destination for entrepreneurs, highlighting its access to investment, advanced technology, production infrastructure and international business networks.
She explained that these resources, combined with opportunities to forge global partnerships, could enable aspiring entrepreneurs to transform their creative ideas into commercially successful ventures with an international reach.
‘Creators are the future’
For Simon Squibb, content creator and CEO of Dream Group, the “100 Dreams” initiative is about providing aspiring entrepreneurs with the financial resources, practical guidance and opportunities they need to turn their business ambitions into reality.
Speaking to, Squibb explained that supporting even one entrepreneur could have a far-reaching impact, benefiting not only the individual but also their family, employees and wider community.
“I love the concept of the butterfly effect. You help one person, that changes their life, their family’s life, the people, and their employees’ life, that changes their whole future existence,” Squibb said.
He believes that empowering 100 entrepreneurs through funding, industry exposure, education and mentorship could generate a lasting positive impact, creating opportunities that extend well beyond the programme’s immediate beneficiaries.
Squibb also highlighted the growing influence of content creators in the global business landscape, particularly as artificial intelligence continues to transform industries and reshape the relationship between businesses and consumers.
“I believe that for creators, they are the future, because brands are now creators, and creators have the ability to connect to the audience. In an AI world that’s coming, you want to talk to humans. You want to buy from humans. And I don’t think that’s going to change.”
According to Squibb, creators have the potential to evolve into influential brands and successful entrepreneurs, provided they have access to the right tools, investment and business support.
He encouraged aspiring business owners to embrace opportunities, take calculated risks and pursue their ambitions rather than allowing self-doubt to prevent them from applying.
Through the initiative, Squibb hopes to demonstrate how targeted support can help creative talent develop sustainable businesses while inspiring more people to take their first steps into entrepreneurship.
“The key thing is, you have to believe you’re lucky to be lucky,” Squibb said, encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to seize opportunities rather than let them pass by.
He emphasised that taking the first step is essential, as those who hesitate to apply could miss out on opportunities capable of transforming their lives.
“If you don’t apply, you don’t try. I think you’re missing out on luck. And luck is key to success.”
From personal struggles to empowering entrepreneurs
Squibb’s passion for helping aspiring entrepreneurs stems from his own challenging beginnings and the life-changing support he received at a young age.
“I was homeless at 15 but one person believed in me and that changed my life,” Squibb recalled.
That experience, he explained, shaped his belief in the power of encouragement and opportunity, particularly for individuals who possess the talent and ambition to succeed but lack the financial resources, guidance or connections needed to get started.
Drawing on his personal journey, Squibb stressed that successful entrepreneurship requires more than simply aspiring to achieve something. It demands genuine passion, perseverance and a strong desire to solve problems that matter.
“The key to success is not wanting it but needing it, hunger.”
Through the “100 Dreams” initiative, Squibb aims to help bridge the gap between entrepreneurial potential and opportunity, ensuring that promising individuals are not held back by limited access to funding, business knowledge or professional networks.
The programme seeks to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence, resources and practical support needed to transform their ideas into sustainable businesses, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.
Turning creative ideas into global businesses
Alia Al Hammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and Deputy Chairperson of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, highlighted the initiative’s potential to help aspiring entrepreneurs transform their creative ideas into successful businesses through the UAE’s supportive business environment and strategic partnerships.
She explained that the programme stands out for combining practical assistance in establishing a company in the UAE with collaborative partnerships designed to help participants achieve their entrepreneurial ambitions.
“There are two distinguished factors. First is the journey of establishing a company in the UAE and second is the partnership together,” Al Hammadi said.
“It’s not our first time to support creating businesses and 100 dreams is that opportunity to make those dreams a reality.”
The initiative also underscores the expanding role of the creator economy, which now extends far beyond social media engagement and digital content production.
As the sector continues to evolve, content creators are increasingly becoming entrepreneurs, developing businesses across technology, entertainment, media production and digital platforms while creating intellectual property, generating employment and opening new commercial opportunities.
For aspiring entrepreneurs with promising ideas but limited access to funding, mentorship or industry connections, the “100 Dreams” programme offers an opportunity to take their first steps towards building a business.
By bringing together financial support, practical business guidance and access to the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, the initiative aims to help talented individuals from around the world turn their creative ambitions into viable ventures with the potential to reach international markets.
