Influence Media Partners (“Influence Media” or “Influence”) today announced a strategic investment supporting the launch of IPNation as the first investment platform dedicated exclusively to Arabic music catalogs and entertainment intellectual property (IP). With a target investment size of $100 million, IPNation will focus on acquiring, developing and growing iconic music and entertainment intellectual property across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

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The company was founded by Eddy Maroun, co-founder of Anghami, and Jose Maria Dot, former Chief Investment Officer of Multiply Group (now 2PointZero) and Managing Director at FTI Capital Advisors. Backed by Influence Media Partners, IPNation aims to build and grow a portfolio of iconic Arabic music and entertainment IP.

Influence Media Partners is a New York-based music and entertainment platform and investment manager led by Founder and Co-Managing Partner Lylette Pizarro McLean. The company specializes in the acquisition, management and value creation of premier music and entertainment intellectual property. Influence is supported by strategic partnerships with funds and accounts managed by BlackRock and has built a portfolio of iconic and contemporary works from artists including DJ Khaled, Future and Enrique Iglesias.

“This partnership marks an important step in the evolution of Influence Media. We’ve long believed that premium music IP is a global asset class, and the Middle East represents one of the most exciting opportunities for long-term growth. IPNation combines deep regional expertise with a compelling vision for the future of Arabic music and entertainment IP. Together, we believe we can create lasting value for creators, rights holders, and audiences across the region and beyond,” said Ram Kolluri, Head of Investments and Strategic Partnerships at Influence Media Partners.

“Arabic music and entertainment IP represent one of the most undervalued cultural asset classes globally today. IPNation was created to institutionalize investment into iconic and predictable income-generating IP while generating upside through our IPNation Value Creation Playbook, bringing our music to larger audiences efficiently. We believe the Middle East is entering a new era where culture itself becomes a scalable financial asset,” said Jose Maria Dot, CEO of IPNation.

Headquartered in the UAE, IPNation invests in music masters and publishing rights, artist brands, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), and entertainment intellectual property originating from the Arab world. Beyond acquisitions, the company will actively develop acquired intellectual property into multi-format entertainment franchises spanning immersive experiences, live shows, film, documentaries, merchandise, gaming, licensing, AI-powered derivatives, and next-generation fan engagement.

“For decades, Arabic music created massive cultural impact but very little long-term ownership value for the region itself. IPNation changes that. We are not only acquiring catalogs; we are building a platform that transforms Arabic IP into global entertainment franchises across music, live experiences, storytelling, gaming, AI, and beyond,” said Eddy Maroun, Chairman and Chief Innovation Officer of IPNation.

IPNation launches at a time when music catalogs have become one of the world’s fastest-growing alternative asset classes, yet Arabic music and entertainment intellectual property remain significantly underrepresented in global institutional investment portfolios despite the region’s deep cultural influence and rapidly growing digital consumption. To address this gap, IPNation is evaluating acquisition opportunities across legacy music catalogs, publishing assets, artist estates, entertainment rights, and culturally significant intellectual property throughout the MENA region.

About Influence Media Partners

Influence Media Partners (“Influence Media” or “Influence”) is a music and entertainment platform whose mission is to transform the music space by partnering with artists, songwriters, and creative executives to steward legacy works and build future brand value. Headquartered in New York and led by Founder and Co-Managing Partner Lylette Pizarro McLean; Founder & Co-Managing Partner Rene McLean; Co-Managing Partner Lynn Hazan; and Founding Advisor & Investor Jon Jashni. Influence is supported by strategic partnerships with funds and accounts managed by BlackRock. Influence has made substantial investments across music rights including Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), go-forward publishing, and go-forward recorded music rights. Influence’s robust portfolio features GRAMMY® winning and GRAMMY® nominated artists spanning diverse music genres, including platinum recording artist Future, Diamond-certified recording artist and songwriter Enrique Iglesias, country superstar Blake Shelton, songwriter-producer Tyler Johnson, Puerto Rican songwriter-producer Tainy, singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez, singer-songwriter Julia Michaels, and more. Influence aims to disrupt the current ecosystem by creating fair, artist-first offerings around music rights and beyond. In 2024, Influence launched SLANG, their independent frontline record label and music publisher. A culture and tech forward music company, SLANG boasts an impressive roster of artists including a distribution deal with four-time GRAMMY® winning Will Smith, GRAMMY® winning and multi-platinum producer Camper, GRAMMY® winning and RIAA-certified Diamond producer 30 Roc, and Isaia Huron, Jace, Underachievers and more.

About IPNation

IPNation is a MENA-focused music rights platform acquiring iconic regional music catalogs, giving investors access to a unique combination of predictable yield and private equity-style growth upside.

Beyond acquisition, IPNation protects and grows artist’s legacies through an active value creation strategy focused on yield optimization, second-life activation, and innovative monetization of music IP.

The company is led by Eddy Maroun, one of the region’s most respected music industry executives and co-founder of Anghami, together with Jose Maria Dot, a seasoned C-level investment executive with a multi-billion-dollar transaction track record.

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