Abu Dhabi partners with Plug and Play to support healthcare startups

Plug and Play's global health program has accelerated over 100 startups in partnership with more than 20 corporations, operating in Silicon Valley, Cleveland, Munich, Shanghai, Kyoto, and now Abu Dhabi.

Department of Health (DOH) Abu Dhabi has announced its partnership with Plug and Play, the largest global innovation platform headquartered in Silicon Valley, and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the award-winning international financial centre in Abu Dhabi. This is the first established Health startup accelerator in the MENA region. According to the partnership, DOH aims to support healthcare startups by connecting them to networks of corporate partners and investors to test and implement their technologies.

Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Director of Healthcare Quality Division at Department of Health Abu Dhabi, said: "Quality remains at the heart of everything we do at DOH and technology is becoming a key driver for improving the quality of healthcare delivered in the emirate. To that end, DOH is looking to attract startups from across the globe to take part in solving current healthcare challenges by finding a way of technology solutions whilst also helping them to establish an adequate regulatory framework for testing and implementing technologies."

Al Mannaei added: "We are excited about our partnership with Plug and Play, which will support healthcare startups, enabling them to translate their ideas into a reality that brings an elevated level of quality, paving the way for the transformation of the healthcare sector in the Emirate and beyond."

Some of its notable corporate partners include Cleveland Clinic, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Roche, Philips, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, and University Hospitals.

"Abu Dhabi's vision to become a globally recognized knowledge based economy emphasizes the importance of innovation as a key driver. We are extremely proud to announce our newest partnership with Department of Health Abu Dhabi to support Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and the wider region in sourcing and scaling healthcare technologies, leveraging Plug and Play's international network and footprint," said Omeed Mehrinfar, Managing Partner, Middle East, at Plug and Play.

The health accelerator program in Abu Dhabi will start in Q1 2020 with a Selection Day event featuring international and regional startup pitches sourced by Plug and Play's ventures team. 

The healthcare sector is evolving at a rapid pace, and continues to undergo significant changes in technology and care delivery models. Innovation is paramount to foster a more complex, holistic view of patient health generated from a wide variety of sources. 

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