DUBAI (WAM)

The 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s first and largest event dedicated to shaping the content creator economy organised by the New Media Academy, has announced names of the 10 candidates shortlisted to win the One Billion Award, a $1 million prize deemed the world’s largest and most valuable for content creators.

The 10 candidates offer content that embodies the Award’s mission and aim of supporting creators whose content impacts societies positively, inspires minds, brings nations closer together, and sustains values of compassion and empathy.

With over 16,000 submissions from 190 countries in 3 weeks, the 1 Billion Followers Summit announced that public voting for the shortlisted candidates, selected by an international panel of experts, opens online today, December 22, and runs through to December 28.

The five highest-voted candidates will then advance to the final selection stage. The panel will choose the winner in closed sessions on January 11 and 12, 2025, with the announcement following on Monday, January 13.

The 1 Billion Followers Summit highlights the importance of the One Billion Award as a reflection of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to support creatives globally and solidify the UAE's position as a global hub for digital content, nurturing talent and pushing forward groundbreaking ideas.

The One Billion Award is a turning point in how content creators can be empowered worldwide. It paves the way for them to contribute to the digital content landscape, drive the new media industry forward, and enhance content quality for the benefit of communities, stimulating a creative movement that embraces influencers everywhere.

The One Billion Award shortlist:

Dr. Adanna Steinacker (Nigeria)
Intent on transforming women's health education through the power of social media, Dr. Adanna left behind her career as a medical doctor, and now dedicates herself to her YouTube channel, House of Adanna, providing engaging and accessible content focused on women's health and well-being. She has +1 million followers on social media platforms.

Nirmal Purja (UK)
Born in Nepal, Purja is a renowned mountaineer and former UK Special Boat Service member. Purja has +2.2 million followers on social media platforms. He led the first winter ascent of K2 and climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in under seven months.

Through his social media content and his foundation, Nimsdai, Purja supports Himalayan communities and people in need, as well as environmental conservation efforts.

Simon Squibb (UK)
An entrepreneur and inspirational speaker who shares personal experiences to help people achieve their dreams. He focuses on motivating future leaders, and supports social enterprises addressing global issues. Squibb has +9 million followers on social media platforms.

Charlie Rocket (USA)
An athlete who overcame depression, obesity, and a brain tumor. With a mission to support people in achieving their dreams through acts of kindness and his ‘Dream Machine’ Foundation, Charlie inspires others through spreading kindness and celebrating stories of resilience. He has +10 million followers on social media platforms.

Samuel Weidenhofer (Australia)
A social media influencer known for spreading positivity and kindness through heartwarming videos featuring acts of kindness towards strangers, from surprising kids to gifting strangers. He has +10 million followers on social media platforms.

Ahmed AbuZaid (Egypt)
Known for his YouTube channel, "Droos Online," where he provides viewers with practical skills in English and video editing, along with advice on time management, self-improvement, and study skills. He’s keen to test everything and share it with passion to educate and empower his audience of over 11 million followers across social media platforms.

Nasser Al-Oqail (Saudi Arabia)
Founder of the "Dupamicaffeine Sciences" channel,where he simplifies complex books into relatable and actionable insights for his over 9 million followers across social media.

Osratouna TV
Founded by Abderrazak Bennadji (Algeria, UK), Osratouna TV promotes Arabic language and cultural pride among children through songs, stories, and interactive lessons. The channel has attracted over 17 million followers on social media.

Creators For Lebanon (Lebanon)
A group of four Lebanese content creators uniting to help displaced families, providing aid, rebuilding communities and inspiring solidarity in times of crisis. The group includes Abdallah Saadeh, Hasan Hashim, Hasan Raad, and Abir Al Saghir, and has over 40 million followers on social media platforms.

Mahmoud Zuaiter (Palestine)
A content creator from Gaza who creates uplifting content amid Gaza’s hardships to inspire and spread hope. his content helped highlight the conditions in the strip and he also contributes to humanitarian aid efforts and highlights social issues to inspire positive change. Zuaiter has around 3 million followers on social media platforms.

5 judges

The five judges making up the expert panel include Egyptian content creator and ambassador of the 1 Billion Followers Summit’s third edition Ahmed ElGhandour, best known for his popular show El Daheeh which has garnered 595 million views. ElGhandour was listed as one of the Arab world’s most influential people in 2018 and was shortlisted for IBC's first Young Pioneer Award in 2019 as a key media influencer.

The panel also includes 31-year-old Indian content creator Prajakta Koli, who is also an ambassador of the Summit’s third edition. Koli, known for her YouTube channel MostlySane and acting in a Netflix show has become one of India's most influential content creators, amassing over 17 million followers across social media platforms.

Canadian content creator Zachery Dereniowski, known for his humanitarian content and an inspiration to over 27 million followers on social media, is also part of the panel.

Another member of the panel is Amine Imnir, who won the Arab Hope Maker 2024 title. Imnir uses his social media accounts for charity, hoping to improve quality of life and living conditions for underprivileged households in Morocco.

Through the AFTAS Society for Development and Solidarity, Imnir launches various campaigns for distributing food, drilling wells and building bridges among others.

The fifth member of the panel is Hassan Suleiman, known popularly as AboFlah online. With over 63 million followers on social media platforms, he is known for gaming and entertainment content as well as record-breaking charity campaigns.

Eligibility criteria

The 1 Billion Followers Summit has outlined the award's eligibility criteria, inviting applicants who create good content that positively impacts society. The content should have scientific, cultural, humanitarian, and social value, inspire minds, bring nations closer together, promote unity, support sustainability, and sustain values of compassion and empathy.

Content should be innovative and original and adhere to the standards and policies of social media platforms and meet established quality and design standards. The content should foster and demonstrate interaction and engagement with a broad audience.