World’s largest debut media event announces expanded program and global participation
figures during briefing with 100 content creators
- Over 60,000 participants from 132 countries
- 430 speakers from 45 countries
- 1,200 CEOs and 260 local and international advertising agencies
- 5,000 media professionals
- More than 300 activities including sessions, roundtables and workshops
- 300+ exhibiting companies and over 100 startups
- World’s largest debut media event spanning 1.65 million square feet
- Participation from global tech players including X, Meta, Sony, Snapchat and LinkedIn
- Launch of the official Bridge App
Abdulla Al Hamed: “Real power today is… at the intersection of media, technology, and creativity”.
Jamal Al Kaabi: We no longer live in an era of isolated industries.
Abu Dhabi, 14 November 2025
BRIDGE Summit 2025, the world’s largest debut media event, announced its expanded participation figures during a gathering with more than 100 content creators. Led by H.E. Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of BRIDGE, and H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Vice Chairman of BRIDGE, outlined the Summit’s program, technology initiatives and global partnerships in the lead-up to its inaugural edition this December.
The Summit will welcome 60,000 participants from 132 countries, bringing together 430 speakers from 45 countries, 1,200 CEOs from global media, technology and entertainment firms, 260 local and international advertising agencies and nearly 5,000 media professionals. This gathering reflects the demand for a unified global platform that advances the business, creativity and future of the content and entertainment economy.
Venue and core tracks
Spanning 1.65 million square feet at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), BRIDGE Summit 2025 is the world’s largest debut media event. The Summit will run from December 8 to 10 across the entire venue, featuring seven tracks that define the architecture of the global content economy: Media, Creator Economy, Music, Gaming, Technology, Marketing and Picture.
These tracks have been designed not as isolated sectors, but as an interconnected system reflecting how creativity, technology, platforms, audiences and industries now operate across global markets.
Strategic vision: Remarks by H.E. Abdullah Al Hamed
His Excellency Abdullah Al Hamed affirmed that the UAE recognized early on that the media is a fundamental pillar of sustainable development and a platform for building thought, strengthening dialogue, and promoting the values of responsible freedom. For this reason, the UAE invested heavily in developing an advanced media infrastructure that reinforces professionalism and innovation, positioning the country as a global model for progressive media; capable of meeting the challenges of the age, advancing the creative economy, and generating a lasting positive impact on societies.
He added that the BRIDGE Summit embodies this vision in practice by creating a global platform that promotes diversity and inclusion, supports innovation across every pillar of the media industry, and enables content creators, professionals, and journalists to acquire new tools to shape the future of media in a way that ensures its sustainability and enhances its positive influence on humanity.
His Excellency continued: “We launch BRIDGE from the UAE not merely to keep pace with global shifts in media, content, and entertainment, but to play an active role in shaping the future of the knowledge economy. Real power today is not formed within a single sector, but at the intersection of media, technology, and creativity. From these intersections emerge the most influential transformations in the media economy. That is why BRIDGE was designed as a practical ecosystem that builds bridges between institutions, investors, creators, and technology companies – turning these connections into opportunities, partnerships, and new business models that support the growth of the global creative industries.”
Building the future: Remarks by Jamal Al Kaabi
H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Vice Chairman of BRIDGE, highlighted the Summit’s structural design and its role in shaping the future of the global content ecosystem.
“We didn’t choose these tracks simply because they represent sectors, but because they reflect the actual system that drives global impact. Today, we no longer live in a world of isolated industries. Songs are built on data, films spread through algorithms, platforms create stardom, games build communities and influencers drive economies.”
He added: “These tracks are not labels. They form the backbone of shaping the future. They reflect who creates the idea, builds the tech, shapes the audience, drives the impact and creates content that earns our trust today. They also show how all of this can lead to a sustainable economy. That is why we aimed to create seven points of connection that work as one system: for developers to build tools for journalists; for musicians to think like content creators; for gaming to intersect with storytelling, art and marketing; for marketers to understand platform dynamics before launching campaigns; and for media to rebuild its story through the logic of the audience.”
Exhibition and commercial platforms
BRIDGE Summit 2025 continues to attract strong commercial interest, with more than 1,000 exhibitor applications – spanning media, creative technology, gaming, AI, production, music and content platforms – received for its first edition. More than 100 startups will join the Startup Hub, offering founders access to global investors, strategic partners and industry leaders.
The exhibition floor will also feature the ChinaJoy Pavilion, bringing more than 25 companies that represent leading mobile and PC game developers. Sony will anchor the floor with one of the largest pavilions in the summit, presenting advanced imaging and communication technologies through workshops and live demonstrations led by Sony ambassadors. A dedicated gaming zone, launched in partnership with Aspire, will offer VR and AR experiences designed for creators, innovators and early-stage companies.
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