WHX Tech to debut in Dubai as digital health gains momentum in the Middle East

Gulf Business

15-05-2025

The global healthcare sector is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by the urgent need for scalable, tech-enabled solutions.
What was once a long-term ambition, the integration of technology across systems and services has become an immediate priority. From policy to practice, digital health is no longer optional. It's here, it's accelerating and the time for implementation is now.
Nowhere is this momentum more visible than in the Middle East and North Africa.
Countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are investing heavily in next-generation healthcare infrastructure. From AI-powered diagnostics and smart hospitals to digital patient records and virtual care platforms, the MENA region is fast becoming a key player for healthtech innovation.
In the UAE alone, landmark initiatives such as the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, the introduction of Malaffi – the first health information exchange platform in the middle East and the deployment of advanced robotics and telemedicine solutions highlight a clear commitment to building a future-ready healthcare system. Saudi Arabia's Health Sector Transformation Programme, part of Vision 2030, is similarly redefining delivery models at national scale.
This growing ecosystem of investment, policy support and private-sector innovation is precisely why we're launching WHX Tech in Dubai from 8–10 September 2025 a groundbreaking event designed to accelerate digital health adoption, cross-border partnerships and bring the most advanced, transformative technologies to the forefront.
Solenne Singer is senior vice president, Informa Markets.
WHX is no stranger to building world-class events in Dubai, with its flagship, WHX Dubai (formerly Arab Health), having welcomed the global healthcare community since 1975. Organised by the same team behind WHX Dubai, WHX Tech is set to follow a similar trajectory bringing together innovators, investors, healthcare leaders and policymakers to shape the future of digital health.
With more than 300 exhibitors and 5,000+ health tech leaders expected to attend, WHX Tech isn't just another trade show. It's a curated platform built to accelerate collaboration among startups, investors, regulators, and global healthcare operators.
Why Dubai?
Building on the legacy of launching world-class healthcare events in Dubai, choosing the city as the launchpad for WHX Tech was a natural decision.
Dubai is already a global crossroads for business and innovation and increasingly for health. With its advanced digital infrastructure, innovation-friendly policies, and unmatched connectivity to global markets; Dubai provides the ideal environment to support new models of care.
Government-led initiatives, such as the Dubai Health Strategy 2026 and Dubai Future Foundation's sandbox for healthcare innovation, further reinforce the city's ambition to lead, not follow.
WHX Tech is here to reflect and amplify that ambition.
Our three core stages, World X, Future X
,
and Xcelerate will showcase everything from real-world smart hospital implementations to the most promising biotech and AI startups shaping the next 20 years of health.
As a platform built for innovation, WHX Tech is committed to accelerating the startups driving healthcare transformation. The Xcelerate Zone, featuring its own dedicated startup stage, will host the region's largest digital health startup competition offering a $50,000 prize fund and the opportunity for early-stage ventures to pitch directly to global investors. Beyond the competition, startups will gain access to curated networking, expert feedback, and connections that can unlock funding, partnerships, and commercial growth.
Hosting Xcelerate in Dubai, a global hub for entrepreneurship, healthcare investment, and cross-border expansion gives startups an unparalleled platform to scale their impact across the Middle East and beyond.
What sets WHX Tech apart isn't just its scale, but its purpose. We've assembled a world-class advisory board featuring industry leaders including Dr David Rhew (Microsoft), Dr James Mault (BioIntelliSense), Dr Myriam Fernandez (AWS), Dr Tamara Sunbul, ReenitaDas (Frost & Sullivan) and Dr Sam Shah (NEOM), to ensure the event stays grounded in outcomes and global best practice.
The time is now
As technologies evolve, so must the ways we connect, collaborate and drive change. WHX Tech emerges at a time when healthcare systems worldwide are grappling with questions of access, ethics, regulation, and data interoperability. Through live demos, immersive content, and expert-led panels, the event will tackle these challenges head-on, while opening doors for meaningful collaboration across borders.
WHX is where innovation comes to life, turning innovation into impact to benefit the healthcare systems that support both the people who deliver care and those who depend on it. It's where policymakers shape the future of regulation, startups bring breakthrough technologies to market, and investors back solutions that will transform health systems. At WHX Tech, global ambition meets regional opportunity and the future of healthcare becomes reality.
The future of healthcare will be defined at WHX Tech and we invite you to be part of the movement.
Join us at WHX Tech and become part of the digital healthcare revolution.
Solenne Singer is senior vice president, Informa Markets.