How is the Middle East’s first digital creative ecosystem delivering the vital bridge between talent and opportunity? At GITEX 2025, Veronica Martin spoke with Nizar Ahmadi, Founder & CEO of MADE, to discuss everything from AI-powered performance bookings to the quest for content-creator empowerment.
MADE is positioned as the Middle East’s first digital platform connecting music, art, dance, and entertainment talents. From a technology standpoint, what makes MADE different from traditional talent marketplaces or social platforms?
MADE isn’t just another talent platform; it’s a purpose-built ecosystem reimagining how creativity connects with opportunity. Designed for the modern creative economy, MADE empowers artists to take full control of their visibility, pricing, and bookings. Instead of relying on agencies or third-party intermediaries, talents can now connect directly with clients in a fair, commission-free environment that prioritises transparency and creative freedom.
MADE brings together everything an artist needs into one seamless digital experience, from profile creation and video showcases to direct messaging and bookings. Beyond performance-based fields such as music, art, dance, and entertainment, the platform also includes MADE to Sell, a creative marketplace where designers and visual artists can showcase and sell their products directly to audiences and event organisers. It’s an ecosystem built to turn creativity into real opportunities, where every connection leads to potential growth.
At the core of MADE’s innovation is its smart, data-driven technology. The platform unifies discovery, engagement, and bookings within a single digital workflow, with an upcoming layer of AI-powered content intelligence designed to evaluate quality, authenticity, and engagement. This ensures that talented, credible creators gain the visibility they deserve while helping clients find the right fit with ease.
MADE stands as a new model for the creative industry, one where empowerment, accessibility, and transparency drive every interaction.
How does technology, such as AI, data analytics, or digital matchmaking, play a role in how MADE connects talents with opportunities?
Technology is what transforms MADE from a digital platform into a creative ecosystem. It’s not just about visibility; it’s about creating meaningful, data-powered connections that bring talent and opportunity together in smarter, more human ways. Through intelligent design and data insights, MADE understands what every artist brings to the table and what every client is searching for, whether it’s a DJ energising a stage, a sculptor curating a gallery experience, or a performer adding emotion to a celebration.
Our technology was built to remove the barriers that slow down creativity. It gives every artist, regardless of background or experience, the same chance to be discovered. For talents, it means being seen for what they do best. For clients, it means finding the right match with clarity and confidence.
At the heart of MADE’s vision is the ambition to build a smart creative networking system powered by data analytics, and digital matchmaking, one that continuously learns and adapts to serve both talents and talent seekers better.
Looking ahead, MADE plans to introduce AI-powered evaluation systems that will analyse the quality, originality, and standards of talent profiles and uploaded content. This will help maintain authenticity, improve visibility for top-performing creators, and ensure that clients discover credible, high-value talents. For talents, this means better exposure and recognition; for talent seekers, it means faster, smarter, and more reliable hiring, all powered by technology designed to make creative discovery effortless.
Ultimately, technology is the silent engine behind MADE’s purpose, to make creative discovery not just easier, but transformative. We’re not just building a platform; we’re building the future of how creativity connects.
User experience and accessibility are at the heart of any successful platform. What digital features or design principles have you implemented to make MADE simple, inclusive, and commission-free?
MADE was designed around the creative journey, simple, inclusive, and commission-free by design. From the moment a creator signs up, the experience feels intuitive and empowering. The platform allows talents to upload a 90-second showcase video that captures not just their skill, but their personality, making discovery authentic and human. Every creator sets their own rates and availability, connecting directly with clients without intermediaries or commissions. This freedom is central to MADE’s promise of fairness and creative ownership.
The app’s interface celebrates creativity through clean visuals, clear navigation, and adaptive design, ensuring accessibility for artists of all ages and digital literacy levels. Beyond performing arts, “MADE to Sell” expands this inclusivity to designers, painters, and visual creators, giving them a digital storefront to sell their work directly.
Features like smart search filters, genre-based discovery, and in-app messaging create a seamless, end-to-end experience. For those seeking more reach, the premium plan introduces tools such as Travel Mode, advanced filters, and boosted visibility, helping talents expand their network across regions.
At its core, MADE isn’t just built for the creative economy; it’s built around the creator. Every design decision reflects our mission to make creative opportunity accessible, equitable, and commission-free for all.”
As the UAE continues to establish itself as a regional creative and innovation hub, how is MADE aligning its expansion strategy with the country’s vision for the digital economy and creative industries?
The UAE’s vision to build a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy deeply resonates with MADE’s mission. As a platform designed to empower creators, MADE embodies the same principles driving the nation’s creative transformation, inclusivity, digital innovation, and cultural exchange. By enabling artists to monetise their talents independently and connect directly with opportunities, MADE contributes to the UAE’s ambition of developing a self-sustaining creative economy where art, technology, and entrepreneurship coexist.
Launching first in the UAE was a deliberate choice. The country’s world-class infrastructure, forward-thinking leadership, and cultural diversity make it the ideal environment to pioneer creative-tech solutions. As MADE expands across Saudi Arabia, the GCC, and Egypt, we aim to mirror this model of innovation, building digital ecosystems that nurture creative talent and strengthen regional collaboration.
Ultimately, MADE’s expansion isn’t just geographic, it’s cultural. We’re building a borderless creative network where regional talent can thrive, collaborate, and be celebrated globally, a vision that perfectly aligns with the UAE’s role as a bridge between creativity, technology, and the future economy.
How does MADE ensure trust and transparency within its digital community?
We built the platform with security as a foundation, not a feature. Every profile on MADE goes through a verification process to ensure authenticity, while all transactions, messages, and bookings take place within a secure, encrypted ecosystem. This approach protects both talents and clients from the risks often seen on open or unverified platforms.
From a technology standpoint, MADE is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), ensuring enterprise-grade security, scalability, and compliance. All user data, from personal details to media uploads, is protected using advanced encryption protocols (AES-256 at rest and TLS in transit). We’ve implemented multi-factor authentication, access control policies, and conduct regular security audits to prevent unauthorised access and ensure continuous protection.
Looking ahead, MADE is integrating AI-driven threat detection and remains fully aligned with UAE and GCC data protection laws. Our commitment is simple: every interaction on MADE should feel as safe as it is inspiring. Because in the creative world, trust is the currency that powers connection.
Looking ahead, what’s next for MADE in terms of technological innovation? Are there any upcoming integrations, AI tools, or regional partnerships that will enhance the platform’s impact in the UAE and beyond?
The next chapter for MADE is all about scale, intelligence, and connection.
We’re entering an exciting phase of technological growth, introducing AI-powered features that enhance talent discovery, personalise recommendations, and help creators understand audience trends through advanced analytics. These innovations will ensure that every artist on MADE gains visibility based on creativity, quality, and impact.
We’re also developing a web-based version of the platform to make MADE accessible across devices and user groups, expanding beyond mobile and deepening community interaction. On the premium side, new tools like Post Ad Banners will give talent seekers and organisers better visibility, bridging creative opportunities with real-world outcomes.
Regionally, we’re exploring collaborations with event organisers, art councils, and cultural initiatives to extend MADE’s impact beyond the digital space and into physical stages and exhibitions. As we expand across Saudi Arabia, the GCC and Egypt, our goal is to strengthen the creative infrastructure and empower talent networks that connect seamlessly across borders.
Our long-term vision is to build a borderless creative network, a digital stage where technology and artistry coexist. MADE’s mission remains constant: to make creativity accessible, valued, and celebrated everywhere.
Image Credit: MADE
