One hundred people, $10,000 each, and a UAE trade licence at the end of it. That is the offer behind 100 Dreams, a $1 million programme unveiled in Dubai on October 15 to help aspiring founders turn content and digital media ideas into real companies.
The initiative comes from the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the creator economy event organised by the UAE Government Media Office, with support from the National Media Authority. British entrepreneur and content creator Simon Squibb, founder of Dream Group, is a partner on the programme. It was launched at a press conference at Creators HQ in Jumeirah Emirates Towers, attended by National Media Authority Chairman Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed and Saeed Al Eter, Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the summit.
What the $10,000 Comes With
Cash is only part of the package. Each of the 100 selected participants gets $10,000 in funding, plus help setting up and licensing a company in the UAE. Gulf News reported that the package also includes a trip to Dubai for the summit in January and assistance with the UAE Golden Visa process, subject to government approval.
After the summit, participants join a six-week accelerator covering business development, marketing and digital media, while UAE institutions help with company formation and trade licensing. Squibb and his Dream team will reportedly work with the founders during those six weeks.
Open to Founders Outside the UAE, With Conditions
Gulf News reported that applicants can be based anywhere in the world, as long as they are 18 or older. If confirmed, that puts the programme within reach of creators in Lebanon and across the region who have a business idea but lack the money or the licence to act on it.
Eligible ideas reportedly fall into five areas: creator-led businesses, entertainment and digital media, video and film production, media technology and platforms, and new media business models. Moving to Dubai is reportedly not required, but selected founders must register the company in the UAE, travel to Dubai for the summit and complete all six weeks of training.
From a Pitch Video to the Summit Stage
Applications open on November 20, reportedly through a website called Joindream. Campaign Middle East reported that applicants will record a video explaining the business they want to build and the idea behind it. A specialised committee will then pick 100 projects and meet each one to work out what support it needs, according to the same report.
Selected founders will be introduced at the fifth edition of the summit, held in Dubai from January 8 to 10, 2027, under the theme "Content for Good." A dedicated 100 Dreams activation will run across all three days, and funding payouts are reported to begin during the event.
Why Dubai Wants Media Companies, Not Just Influencers
Officials framed the programme as an economic project rather than a talent contest. Maitha Majid Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Media Regulation at the National Media Authority, told Gulf News: "We want to build the next great media company from the UAE." She named clear business services and intellectual property protection among the areas her authority will focus on.
Alia Al Hammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office, said promising ideas need funding, mentorship and expertise before they can grow into viable businesses. Squibb, who says he was homeless at 15 until one person believed in him, argued that creators will matter more as AI spreads, because audiences still want to buy from humans.
The programme also feeds a wider national target. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, has said the country aims to pass two million registered companies and produce 10 unicorns by 2031.
For anyone with an idea, the window is short. Applications open November 20, and the 100 chosen founders will be introduced in Dubai seven weeks later.
