The Department of Health-Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate, has entered into an agreement with Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, to develop an innovative ecosystem in the healthcare sector.
The two entities signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the GITEX Technology Week, in order to reinforce the efforts put forward by DoH to promote innovation in the healthcare sector of Abu Dhabi.
With this collaboration, the DoH and Hub71 look forward to developing commercial opportunities for startups and improve cooperation between entities from different fields to shed light on the most important challenges and provide technology-driven solutions and initiatives.
Under the agreement, the healthtech startup founders at Hub71 will benefit from direct access to the DoH’s broad network of local and international partners, customers, experts and investors, in addition to gaining priority entry into the DoH Plug and Play Middle East and North Africa (MENA) HealthTech accelerator program and the DoH Health Technology Assessment.
Further, DoH will support Hub71’s startups in commercializing products and services by providing connections to hospitals, health insurance, life sciences partners, and universities in need of entrepreneurial support.
“Our partnership with DoH will energize the future of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector, complementing Abu Dhabi’s world-leading response to COVID-19. The healthcare sector plays an essential role in keeping communities safe and this partnership signifies how rapidly digital technologies are transforming the way patients interact with healthcare providers, and the major steps taken by the DoH to embrace and harness innovation. We are aligning our efforts to support a national priority sector, and Hub71 is nurturing those changemakers who want to create a better society through disruptive technologies that will ultimately improve healthcare outcomes in Abu Dhabi,” said Mr. Badr Al-Olama, Chief Executive Officer of Hub71.
Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi Undersecretary – DoH Abu Dhabi
“The Department of Health- Abu Dhabi (DoH) continues to consolidate its position as an incubator for innovation in the healthcare sector and a contributor to Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem, by establishing a dedicated center for research and innovation in healthcare. The center provides a stimulating and enabling regulatory environment for healthcare innovation, and targets startups by inviting them to find solutions to the challenges facing the local and global health sector. We have dedicated our efforts to ensure that the healthcare sector in the emirate adopts the optimal system to accelerate the adoption of modern technology in terms of the flexibility of legislation, ease of carrying out research and proof-of-concept tests.”
Currently, Hub71 supports 17 healthtech startups specializing in a range of innovative platforms and products that addresses real-life challenges, including stimulating cognitive development among autistic children, enabling virtual consultation from hospitals and medical care centers, and delivering digital therapy courses and online counseling.
The partnership between the entities will culminate with the launch of the annual Hub71-DoH HealthTech Challenge. DoH will also join Hub71’s selection committee to choose highly-skilled entrepreneurs and exceptional startups to join Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem.
