Eddy Maroun, a co-founder of the Middle Eastern streaming service Anghami, has launched IPNation, an investment platform built to acquire and grow Arabic music catalogs and entertainment intellectual property, Music Business Worldwide reported on August 12. The Abu Dhabi-based venture has a target investment size of $100 million and has an initial commitment from Influence Media Partners, the New York rights company that works with funds managed by BlackRock.
"For decades, Arabic music created massive cultural impact but very little long-term ownership value for the region itself," Maroun said, describing IPNation as a platform meant to turn Arabic IP into "global entertainment franchises across music, live experiences, storytelling, gaming, AI, and beyond." Maroun serves as IPNation's chairman, with Jose Maria Dot, a former chief investment officer at Abu Dhabi's Multiply Group, running the company as chief executive.
Dot framed the opportunity in similar terms: "Arabic music and entertainment IP represent one of the most undervalued cultural asset classes globally today," he said, adding that "the Middle East is entering a new era where culture itself becomes a scalable financial asset."
IPNation calls itself the first investment platform dedicated exclusively to Arabic music catalogs, though it is not the first company acquiring rights in the region. Reservoir Media's Abu Dhabi-based joint venture PopArabia has been buying Arabic music rights since 2020, and in April acquired MENA label and distributor Viral Wave, bringing the catalog it administers to nearly 100,000 Arabic songs; Music Business Worldwide notes PopArabia operates as a publishing, label services and distribution business rather than a dedicated acquisition fund, which is the distinction IPNation's claim rests on.
The launch follows a run of dealmaking by Influence Media Partners, which agreed on July 29 to acquire most of the assets of Anthem Entertainment for more than $600 million alongside BlackRock-managed funds. Maroun co-founded Anghami in 2012 and led it as chief executive until its 2024 merger with the streaming service OSN+, and Nasdaq-listed Anghami is separately weighing a take-private offer from its controlling shareholder.
Music Business Worldwide reports that recorded music revenue across the Middle East and North Africa grew 15.2% in 2025, among the fastest-growing regions globally, which IPNation points to as evidence that Arabic music rights remain undervalued by institutional investors.
The facts
- IPNation is targeting $100 million in investment
- Influence Media Partners is its initial backer, working with BlackRock-managed funds
- Eddy Maroun co-founded Anghami and chairs IPNation
- Jose Maria Dot, formerly of Multiply Group, is IPNation's chief executive
- IPNation calls itself the first platform dedicated only to Arabic music catalogs
- Reservoir Media's PopArabia has been buying Arabic music rights since 2020
- PopArabia's catalog reached nearly 100,000 Arabic songs after an April acquisition
- MENA recorded music revenue grew 15.2% in 2025
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