Creators HQ, the UAE's dedicated hub for content creators, has joined forces with YouTube to launch the first incubator in the Middle East and North Africa built around YouTube Shopping. The programme is designed to give regional creators a structured path to earning revenue from the products they feature in their content.
Under the plan, YouTube will train more than 1,000 creators over the next two years through a series of masterclasses. The sessions will focus on the platform's shopping tools and how creators can use them to monetise their videos, Shorts and livestreams.
Training delivered through YouTube Academy
The masterclasses will run through YouTube Academy, the company's training programme for creators. Since launching in 2025, the academy has trained more than 5,000 creators.
The new incubator adds a dedicated commerce track to that work. Rather than relying on advertising revenue alone, participating creators will learn how to turn product recommendations into an additional income stream.
“Today’s masterclass is an extension of our joint efforts with CreatorsHQ to empower the next generation of storytellers from across the region, ensuring more creators have the tools and capabilities to turn their passion into a thriving, long-term career on YouTube,” said Javid Aslanov, Head of YouTube in the MENA region.
Built on the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program
The incubator follows the rollout of YouTube's Shopping Affiliate Program in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The programme allows eligible creators to tag products in their videos, Shorts and livestreams, and to earn a commission whenever viewers make a purchase through those tags.
Amazon is the programme's first affiliate partner in the region. This gives creators in the three launch markets access to a large product catalogue they can feature and earn from through their channels.
Showcase at the 1 Billion Followers Summit
The initiative will also include a dedicated YouTube Shopping showcase at the fifth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit. Organised by the UAE Government Media Office, the summit will take place from January 8 to 10, 2027, across Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre and the Museum of the Future, under the theme “Content for Good”.
“This collaboration reflects Creators HQ’s commitment to building strategic relations with leading global platforms, providing regional creators with new tools and solutions to scale their business, leverage the rapid shifts in the digital economy and unlock broader avenues for sustainable growth and monetization,” said Alia Al Hammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and Deputy CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit.
A growing list of platform partnerships
Creators HQ opened at Emirates Towers in Dubai in January 2025, during the third edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, with the stated aim of attracting 10,000 content creators to the UAE.
The YouTube incubator is the latest in a series of tie-ups between the hub and global technology platforms. Creators HQ has previously launched the X Creators Lab with X, and recently unveiled the inaugural cohort of the Amazon Creators Foundry with Amazon Ads.
What it means for UAE creators
For creators in Abu Dhabi and across the Emirates, the incubator offers training directly from YouTube alongside affiliate tools that are already live in the UAE. Together, they give local creators a clearer route to building a sustainable, commerce-led business on the platform.
Details on eligibility and how creators can join the incubator were not included in the announcement.
This article is based on reporting by Entrepreneur Middle East.
