DoH and HCT join forces to expand health-tech ecosystem and support start-ups in Abu Dhabi

10 Oct, 2022:

As part of its ongoing efforts to incubate start-ups while providing a holistic entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Emirate, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, partners with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), largest federal university in the UAE, during GITEX Global 2022. Through this collaboration, DoH will extend access to HCT healthcare start-ups by connecting them to networks of corporate partners and investors to test and implement their technologies. 

In the presence of HE Abdulla Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the MoU was signed by HE Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and Dr. Faisal Alayyan, President and CEO of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).  

As the Emirate’s healthcare sector evolves in a rapid pace, the Department continues to work in unison with strategic partners to propel better healthcare outcomes, reiterating Abu Dhabi’s position as an innovation hub. This accord between DoH and HCT aspires to enable an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Abu Dhabi through empowering students and academic staff to innovate in various fields. The Partnership will provide start-ups with mentoring and coaching by esteemed experts from DoH on the development of prototypes and Proof of Concepts (PoCs). 

To fuel healthy competition among start-ups and contribute to a knowledge-based economy, both parties will launch the HealthTech Innovation Challenge, set to kick off its first edition in April 2023.

Reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a pioneering healthcare destination, DoH will review and provide guidance to HCT research groups including students and faculty. Both entities will collaborate on establishing Health Technology Assessment (HTA) courses and accredited programs in HCT as per global standards and best practices. The courses will tackle evidence-based decision making, health economy evaluation and other topics which will contribute to Abu Dhabi’s life sciences efforts. 

HE Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “Technology and innovation remain key drivers to improving quality across all sectors, especially healthcare. Under the directives of our wise leadership, DoH is committed to utlising the latest technologies to continue enhancing the sector’s outcomes while safeguarding the health and well-being of all community members. Our collaboration with HCT reflects our belief in cooperation across all sectors including healthcare and academia to provide a holistic ecosystem for students and faculty to translate their creative ideas into real-life solutions. DoH continues to empower and equip students with the means to launch their start-ups and reiterate Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading destination for innovation in healthcare.” 

For his part, Dr. Faisal Alayyan, President and CEO at HCT, expressed his delight with the partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), which he said would support students’ innovative ideas and projects related to the healthcare sector. 

Dr. Alayyan, said: “HCT’s cooperation with DoH will support student start-ups, incubated by the HCT InnCuVation Spaces, which carry ideas that serve the healthcare sector and meet its needs.” Noting that this would be a real addition to these startups, and encourage students to offer ideas that serve this key sector. He said that everyone today realize, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of developing this sector, both in terms of providing it with skilled and professional national talents, and also supporting it with innovative technological ideas and solutions, which contribute to assert its positioning as a competitive sector seeking to provide the finest health services in accordance with the highest international standards.  

DoH continuously supports start-ups throughout the different development phases, from ideation to introduction and scaling to international markets. The Department is currently extending support to over 60 licensed start-ups and in communication with over 300 start-up companies worldwide.

The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH) is inviting guests to visit its stand and view the latest healthcare technologies and innovations of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector.
The DoH stand is under the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) pavilion, located in Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum Hall, Stand No. 28.