Dubai Hosts First WHX Tech 2025, Spotlighting Innovation in Digital Healthcare

The debut edition of WHX Tech 2025 concluded this week at the Dubai World Trade Centre, marking the launch of a major new platform for digital health innovation. Over the course of three days, the event gathered more than 200 speakers, 300 exhibitors, and thousands of delegates from around the world, uniting healthcare leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to chart the future of healthcare technology.

The program featured discussions on smart hospitals, digital diagnostics, women’s health technology, and care for displaced populations. The event also hosted the region’s largest digital health pitch competition, Xcelerate, where start-ups competed for recognition and investment.

One of the highlights was the strong presence of Dubai Health, which showcased advancements including AI-enabled pain management, smart hospital rooms, and intelligent medical records. “We are translating technology into smarter, more personalised experiences for patients,” said Atif Albraiki, Chief Digital & AI Officer at Dubai Health. He emphasised that collaborations with academic, technology, and government partners are key to building an integrated academic health system in the emirate.

The humanitarian applications of digital health also took centre stage. Dr Waheed Arian, founder of Arian Wellbeing, shared his personal journey from growing up in a refugee camp to becoming a doctor dedicated to delivering trauma-informed care. His platform offers secure, culturally sensitive mental health support for displaced populations, underscoring how digital tools can bridge gaps in crisis healthcare.

A powerful session on femtech showcased women-led innovation. Sally Ann Frank, Global Lead for Health and Life Sciences at Microsoft for Startups, highlighted how digital tools are closing the gender gap in healthcare access. Saudi entrepreneur Dr Professor Selwa A F Al Hazzaa presented the work of her start-up SDM, which began with nationwide retinal screenings for diabetes and now uses advanced imaging to detect multiple conditions, including glaucoma and early signs of Alzheimer’s.

The climax of the event was the Xcelerate Start-Up Competition, where 40 companies pitched their solutions. Twelve finalists reached the last stage, presenting to a panel that included UK investor Peter Jones. The $50,000 Champion of Innovation Award went to Strolll, a UK-based company developing augmented reality solutions for patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Two other firms were recognised: Éclateral (UK) for its rapid portable health screening tool, and You(th) Healthtech (USA) for a smartphone-based application that extracts health metrics from facial video.

Organisers described the inaugural WHX Tech as more than an exhibition, positioning it as a global launchpad for digital healthcare. “This event created a space to explore what’s next and how to get there,” said Sally Thompson, Group Event Director at Informa Markets.

Held in partnership with HIMSS, WHX Tech 2025 has set the stage for future editions, offering a collaborative platform where innovation, equity, and patient-centric care converge.