UAE launches creator-led startup accelerator valued at over $130m

The UAE Creators HQ and Silicon Valley venture capital firm 500 Global have unveiled a major new push to scale creator-led startups, with companies supported through their latest accelerator now collectively valued at more than $130m.

The initiative reflects the UAE’s growing ambition to position the creator economy as a serious engine of venture-backed growth.

The Creators Ventures Accelerator, held under the second edition of the Creators Ventures programme, culminated in a final presentation at the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit.

Creators HQ, the first content creator hub in the UAE and the Middle East, partnered with 500 Global to deliver the 10-week Creators Ventures Accelerator.

Moving to the final stage of the accelerator and qualifying for funding consideration from Creators HQ are:

• James Jones, CEO and Co-founder of creators fintech platform Bump
• Yağmur Aydemir, CEO and Founder of community-powered stories IP engine Kami

UAE startup funding

The Creators Ventures Accelerator received more than 1,100 applications from content creators and technology startup founders across over 70 countries.

Following a competitive selection process, 21 creators and founders were chosen to participate in the programme, collectively serving a community of more than 20m followers, subscribers and users across platforms.

Over the course of 10 weeks, beginning in October, the selected companies took part in a hybrid business-building and acceleration programme designed to fast-track growth. Their progress culminated in a final showcase at the Dubai summit.

Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, congratulated the ventures that qualified for funding consideration from Creators HQ, praising their creative ideas and innovative visions.

She said: “The Creators Ventures Accelerator embodies our ongoing support for content creators and influencers, empowering them to develop their ideas and transform them into sustainable projects that generate tangible developmental outcomes and align with future aspirations.”

Courtney Powell, COO at 500 Global, said: “Creators represent a growing class of bona fide entrepreneurs, with 50 million creators globally, projected to grow at 10-20 percent annually over the next five years.

“The first iteration of this industry was built on visibility and virality to monetise. With consumers getting savvier and more discerning, we believe the new means to commercialisation will belong to those who are focused on business fundamentals, deep community engagement, quality content, diversified strategies, and building with long-term vision and product-market fit.”

Creator economy

The accelerator cohort includes Bump, a US-based financial technology company powering financial infrastructure for the global creator economy; Bupple, a US software and services company streamlining content creation using AI editor agents; and dromOS from Mexico, which turns habit formation and creator-led challenges into a game.

Other participants include Echooo AI from Pakistan; Geeva and Hypesociety from the UAE; InfluSense from the United Kingdom; Intuition Intelligence from the United States; and Kami from Türkiye, a consumer company operating as a community-powered IP engine.

Additional companies span healthcare, education, marketing and media, including Mindfull, MoonTech, Neura Coach, Noqta Creative, SHAIKE, Skillstore, So Squared, Societiz, Stareable, Super Abla, The Good News and Trenderz.

The judging panel comprised Courtney Powell of 500 Global, Scott Van Den Berg, Founder of Hotstart VC, Ben Acott, CMO at Magnetic Labs, and Jonathan Labin, a technology advisor and former Managing Director at Meta.