Third edition of 1 Billion Followers Summit; Startups and content creators will have unique opportunity to present their ideas

In a first-of-its-kind competition centred in Dubai, startups and content producers from all over the world will have the chance to showcase their innovative ideas to investors and industry professionals. Participants in the 1 Billion Pitches will have the opportunity to pitch live during the third iteration of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, which will take place on January 11 and 13, 2025, in an attempt to gain critical support and money for their projects.

Two winning proposals will get support to help them develop their businesses and find long-term success, including possible finance, strategic alliances, and continuing mentoring, from the New Media Academy, which is organising the competition.

To be eligible, applicants must have a registered business and be at least 18 years of age. Each startup can submit one business idea on the summit’s website and all submissions will undergo a rigorous evaluation process to ensure they meet the competition's criteria.

A panel of judges composed of key investors and international experts will select the top 25 applications who will present their ideas live. After the presentation, 10 submissions, selected through judges and audience voting, will move to the second stage of the competition.

The judges will evaluate each pitch based on specific criteria, including innovation, feasibility, quality of the pitch, market potential, creativity, scalability, potential social and economic impact, as well as the applicant's leadership capabilities. They will also assess the projects’ financial potential and profitability, along with their attractiveness to future investors. The competition culminates with two winning pitches.

Applicants must be at least eighteen years old and have a registered business in order to qualify. On the summit website, each entrepreneur is allowed to submit one business concept. All proposals will go through a thorough screening procedure to make sure they satisfy the competition's requirements. 

The top 25 submissions will be chosen by a team of judges made up of influential investors and global specialists, and they will then present their ideas in person. Following the presentation, ten entries will advance to the competition's second round after being chosen by judges and audience members. 

Each pitch will be assessed by the judges according to a set of standards that include innovation, viability, pitch quality, market potential, inventiveness, scalability, possible social and economic effect, and the applicant's capacity for leadership.