Snapchat spotlights creator growth at 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 with dedicated Snapchat House

Snapchat has taken a central role in shaping the future of the creator economy at the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026, underway in Dubai from January 9 to 11, by hosting more than 20 specialized sessions and workshops at its dedicated venue, Snapchat House.

Snapchat’s presence at the summit is firmly focused on creator development, with an emphasis on helping creators move beyond content posting to building sustainable, long-term businesses. Through hands-on training, expert-led discussions, and peer learning, the platform is positioning itself as a key enabler of professional creator growth in the region.

A major highlight of Snapchat’s participation was the unveiling of the Snap Accelerator Program, a flagship initiative introduced during the summit. The program features 10 targeted sessions designed to guide creators through different stages of their professional journey, from early audience-building to monetization and brand development.

Core training areas covered at Snapchat House include strategies for audience growth through a deeper understanding of Snapchat’s discovery tools and algorithms, building sustainable business models through monetization and partnerships, and refining storytelling techniques tailored to Snapchat’s distinctive formats and community-driven content style.

Several high-profile sessions drew strong engagement from attendees. Building Your Public Profile, a keynote delivered by Majd AbiAli, Snap’s EMEA Sports and Media Partnerships lead, focused on translating brand personality into authentic platform presence. Comedy Over Coffee marked Snapchat’s first comedy-led creator session in the MENA region, featuring stand-up comedian Mohamed Helmy, while The Female Lens brought together creator Sara Al Wari and Snap’s Reem Matloub for a fireside chat on empowerment, authenticity, and community building.

The sessions were led by a mix of Snapchat experts and regional creators, offering both technical insights and real-world experience. Expert contributors included Ali Alshehri, Aya Kalouti, Reem Matloub, Mashael AlBelaihed, Naif Alqumaizy, and Ahmad Fares, reinforcing Snapchat’s commitment to localized creator support.

The wider 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026, themed “Content for Good,” is the largest edition of the event to date. Alongside platform-led initiatives like Snapchat House, the summit features the Creators Market Pavilion, which connects creators with startups and infrastructure providers, and the Creators Ventures Program, a AED 50 million funding initiative launched in collaboration with 500 Global to support innovative creator-led businesses.

Another major highlight is the AI Film Award, offering a $1 million prize to recognize excellence in AI-assisted storytelling, underlining the summit’s focus on technology-driven creativity.

With its extensive programming and launch of the Snap Accelerator Program, Snapchat has positioned itself as a leading force in creator education and business development at the 2026 summit, reinforcing its long-term commitment to empowering creators across the region and beyond.