BRIDGE Summit 2025: Key Strategic Deals & MoUs

The inaugural BRIDGE Summit held in Abu Dhabi last week (December 8-10, 2025) was a high-velocity engine for economic collaboration, concluding with a total of 48 major MoUs, commercial agreements, and strategic announcements.

While many of these deals involved long-term technical integrations, several “headline” agreements stood out for their immediate impact on the $2.8 trillion global media and entertainment economy.

The “Flagship” Deal: The $200 Million Innovation Center

The most significant commercial announcement of the summit was a $200 million investment to establish the UAE as a global “compute capital” for media.

• The Partnership: A multi-dimensional agreement between Archeo Futurus, Trillium Technologies, and Daywalker Global (led by actor/producer Wesley Snipes).
• The Impact: This capital will build a world-class Media and Technology Innovation Center in Abu Dhabi. It focuses on “advanced media production,” providing the high-end computing power and AI infrastructure required for next-gen filmmaking, gaming, and virtual production.

Beyond the $200 million center, the summit saw a flurry of activity designed to “bridge” the gap between creators, regulators, and technology:

Streamlining the Creator Economy (UAE Media Council)

The UAE Media Council signed 4 MoUs to radically simplify the “Advertiser Permit” process for visiting and local content creators.

• Partners: New Media Academy, Exposed, Agency971, and Imfluence.
• The Goal: These agencies are now accredited to apply for permits on behalf of creators, removing bureaucratic hurdles and encouraging international influencers to produce professional content within the UAE.

Regional Media Expansion (Viory)

The video news agency Viory (specializing in the Global South) secured 5 new Memoranda of Cooperation (MoC).

• Scope: These agreements were signed with leading media organizations across the Middle East and Africa, aiming to diversify news perspectives and enhance content exchange between these fast-growing markets.

Empowering the Next Generation (Arab Youth Centre)

The Arab Youth Centre signed 2 strategic MoUs with BRIDGE and Visioneers.

• The Goal: To create dedicated pathways for Arab youth to enter the digital economy. This includes training in ethical AI, digital storytelling, and providing platforms for young creators to access global markets.

The “Akunna” Platform Launch (African Creator Empowerment)

While technically a product launch, this was framed as a major commercial pillar of the summit.

• Leader: Idris Elba.
• The Deal: A strategic push to bring the Akunna platform (a creator-centric digital wallet and management tool) to the African market, solving the long-standing issue of how African creators get paid securely for their global intellectual property.

Local Media Synergy (Emirates Media & Ajman)

Emirates Media signed an MoU with the Department of Culture, Tourism and Information in Ajman.

• The Goal: To unify media regulations and awareness plans across different emirates, ensuring a cohesive national media strategy that supports tourism and local talent development.

Strategic Innovation & Infrastructure Partners

Several global giants signed “Alliance Agreements” to serve as the backbone for the BRIDGE initiative’s year-round activities:

• Meta: A landmark partnership to create specialized tools and monetization opportunities for creators worldwide.
• Yango Group: Appointed as the Official Innovation Partner, focusing on integrating AI across the summit’s media tracks.
• e& (formerly Etisalat): Signed as the Telecommunications Partner to provide the high-speed connectivity (5G and beyond) necessary for live, interactive media showcases at ADNEC.
• DeepMENA: Joined as an Innovation Partner to expand the summit’s technology ecosystem into the MENA region.

While the full list of 48 is extensive, they generally fall into these four categories:

1. Infrastructure (15%): Data centers, compute power, and 5G/6G connectivity.
2. Content & Talent (40%): Production deals, creator permits, and talent management.
3. Governance & Ethics (20%): Information integrity, UNESCO collaborations, and AI guardrails.
4. Market Expansion (25%): News agency exchanges and regional “mini-Bridge” summits.