Tariq Al-Mansouri, Author at icnlive

BRIDGE Summit

BRIDGE Summit 2026: Abu Dhabi’s Media, Content & Deal Hub

BRIDGE 2025 was a large debut media-and-content summit in Abu Dhabi that functioned as both a conference and exhibition for the broader media, creator economy, music, gaming, technology, marketing, and film ecosystem. It was held at ADNEC from December 8–10, 2025, and its organizers framed it as a long-term platform for building a global media hub in the UAE.

What happened in 2025

The event’s headline themes were AI, creator monetization, media credibility, and cross-border dealmaking. Coverage from the opening day said the summit mixed keynote talks, hands-on sessions, and partnership-building, with discussions around how AI is changing storytelling, how creators get paid, and how media organizations rebuild trust.

The summit also emphasized business outcomes, not just panels: organizers and reports described it as a marketplace for MoUs, studio deals, investment, and partnerships across the content economy.

Biggest speakers, Attendance and Scale

Among the most visible names reported around BRIDGE 2025 were Idris Elba, Gary Vaynerchuk, Alexis Ohanian, and Priyanka Chopra. Idris Elba got notable attention for discussing African creators, financial barriers to payment, and his creator platform Akunna.

Other heavily promoted high-profile participants included former UK cabinet ministers and global media CEOs.

Attendance figures vary by source because some numbers were updated before and after the event. Pre-event reporting projected about 60,000 participants from 132 countries and 430 speakers, while post-event coverage said the debut edition drew more than 40,000 participants from 182 countries, with 1,276 business meetings and 48 agreements/partnerships reported in one follow-up summary.

BRIDGE 2025 was a very large first edition, with tens of thousands of attendees, 400+ speakers, and a strong business-and-networking component.

The Company behind it

The summit is driven by the BRIDGE ecosystem, closely tied to the UAE’s National Media Office and the broader BRIDGE Alliance. Public descriptions say BRIDGE Summit is a first-of-its-kind event that combines a conference and exhibition for media and entertainment industries, while the National Media Authority also describes it as a platform bringing together media experts, innovators, CEOs, policymakers, and thought leaders.

In practical terms, the “company behind” it is best understood as a government-backed media platform rather than a private trade show brand. That matters because it gives the event policy weight, access to major institutions, and a strategy-oriented positioning inside Abu Dhabi’s broader economic agenda.

The second edition is confirmed for November 28 to December 2, 2026, and it is moving from ADNEC to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Organizers said the expansion to five days is meant to support bigger exhibitions, more programming, and deeper business engagement.

As of the latest available information, no full named speaker roster appears to be publicly fixed yet, but the 2026 program is already expected to keep the same seven core sectors: media, creator economy, technology and artificial intelligence, marketing, gaming, music, and filmmaking.

What visitors will find at BRIDGE Summit this year

People attending BRIDGE will likely find keynote talks, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitor zones, networking sessions, and structured business meetings. The event is designed to be more than a stage program; it is built as a deal-making environment where creators, media companies, investors, agencies, and technology providers can meet directly.

For someone interested in media intelligence or brand building, that mix is valuable because it combines thought leadership with commercial access to decision-makers, production partners, and distribution channels.

BRIDGE is part of Abu Dhabi’s effort to position itself as a serious business and media hub, not just a regional conference destination. The event’s scale, government backing, and relocation to Yas Island all signal an attempt to build a durable ecosystem around media, creative industries, and investment attraction.

That positioning also fits Abu Dhabi’s broader playbook: use major institutional events to attract global talent, capital, and strategic partnerships into the emirate.

By Tariq Al-Mansouri
4 min read

Digital Payments

TotalPay obtains SAMA approval to join Saudi Arabia digital payments race

TotalPay obtains SAMA approval to become the first Indian firm cleared for this role in the Kingdom. The Saudi Central Bank granted the license so the company can serve merchants across Saudi Arabia. You now watch an Indian fintech enter one of the region’s fastest digital payment markets. Regulators approved TotalPay as an e-commerce payment service provider under strict local compliance rules. The clearance lets the firm run payment gateway and orchestration tools for local businesses. Merchants gain a single platform to manage and improve their Saudi Arabia digital payments each day. The firm works closely with banks, financial institutions, and technology partners across the Kingdom. Payment orchestration lets a single platform route transactions through several providers with less daily friction. Local businesses save time when one system handles cards, wallets, and bank rails together.

Why TotalPay obtained SAMA approval at the right time

TotalPay obtains SAMA approval at a moment when the Kingdom pushes hard toward a cashless economy. Electronic payments reached 85 percent of all retail transactions in 2025 across the country. You can see the rise from 79 percent recorded during the previous full year. The Kingdom targets 80 percent non-cash transactions by 2030 under its Vision 2030 plan. Point-of-sale terminals across the country reached close to two million active units by 2025. Digital wallet users across the Kingdom grew past 14 million people during the same year. E-commerce sales keep climbing as more Saudi shoppers pick cards and wallets over cash. This rising demand gives new payment firms a strong reason to enter the Kingdom. Co-founders Akif Mohsin and Rahim Pattarkadavan said they feel “incredibly proud of our team.” They also thanked SAMA for its clear guidance across the entire approval review process. The founders described the license win as a milestone in their broader regional growth plan.

A first for Indian fintech in the Kingdom

Founded back in 2022, TotalPay has already served more than 1,500 businesses to date. The firm has processed over one billion dollars in total customer transactions since its launch. You gain a clear sense of scale from these numbers before the Saudi rollout. The company plans fresh spending on new technology, strategic partnerships, and scalable payment systems. Growth targets reach across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East and Africa region. The wider Middle East and Africa market gives the firm room to scale further. Strong transaction volumes give the young team a solid base to attract new merchant clients.

What the clearance means for merchants

TotalPay obtains SAMA approval as the fintech Saudi Arabia hosts grows more crowded each year. The Kingdom moved from 10 sandbox fintechs in 2018 to more than 280 licensed firms. Progressive rules and steady demand keep pulling global players toward this market every single season. Foreign payment firms must secure a SAMA license before they serve Saudi customers directly. Compliance strength therefore separates approved players from the firms still stuck in early testing. From my standpoint, the license shows how open regulation rewards firms with strong compliance. You should watch how quickly TotalPay turns this approval into active live merchant accounts. TotalPay obtains SAMA approval now, and the coming months will test its Saudi execution.

By Tariq Al-Mansouri
3 min read

AI apps

AI-Generated Music Startup Suno Battles Labels As Millions Create Songs

AI-generated music startup Suno now reaches more than 100 million people who make songs online. The Cambridge company lets users type short prompts and receive full songs within seconds. CEO Mikey Shulman built Suno to change how ordinary people interact with music daily. His platform turns simple text ideas into finished tracks with real vocals and instruments. This AI music app lets users make over 7 million new songs each day. During April, Suno passed Spotify to lead Apple’s list of most downloaded music apps. You can feed lyrics or voice memos into the tool, then pick a genre.

The Suno AI music generator then returns a polished song built from your description. Paid Suno plans cost between 8 and 24 dollars each month for active creators. More than 2 million subscribers now pay for the service around the world. Those subscriptions push annual recurring revenue near 300 million dollars for the young firm. Shulman keeps his own guitars and synth nearby, yet he now types prompts instead. Within a few seconds, a country track with warm vocals plays back for you. Songs from Suno have gone viral online and reached major streaming charts around the world.

Inside the app winning over millions of new fans

Most people treat Suno as a partner rather than a full replacement for musicians. They add drum beats, shift vocal pitch, or test a song in another voice. Some famous artists have started using these AI-generated songs inside their own creative work. Producer Diplo said fighting this technology feels pointless because the AI voices sound convincing. Pharrell Williams believes the tool helps handle the small details of building a song. Shulman describes the platform as a “new form of consumer entertainment” for regular listeners. Rapper Thurz built a recent album with help from these AI-generated songs and tools. Many first-time makers now share their tracks through group chats and social feeds daily.

The AI-generated music startup battles record labels

The AI-generated music startup faced strong anger from artists and major music companies early. Suno trained its early model on millions of copyrighted songs pulled from the internet. More than 200 artists, including Katy Perry and Billie Eilish, protested this practice publicly. Every major label filed a Suno copyright lawsuit over the alleged use of their music. Warner Music settled its Suno copyright lawsuit and signed a new licensing partnership instead. Universal and Sony still fight the AI-generated music startup inside active court cases today. Warner’s chief executive framed the deal as a fresh revenue source for the label. Critics still worry about consent, pay, and control over how models learn from music.

Where AI music generation goes next

Investors keep backing this AI-generated music startup despite the ongoing legal fights around it. A November round valued the company at nearly 2.45 billion dollars after strong user growth. News outlets later reported an even higher valuation during the middle of the year. Bond Capital led a later round, pushing Suno’s value into the higher billions this year. From my standpoint, AI music generation now sits firmly inside the mainstream entertainment market. You can try the Suno AI music generator today and build your first track quickly. The next year will show whether more artists accept these tools as normal partners. Your choice as a listener will help decide how far this shift finally travels.

By Tariq Al-Mansouri
3 min read

Tariq Al-Mansouri