Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025 wrap-up: HELM initiative will drive healthcare partnerships, AI-led drug discovery and life science innovation across the Middle East
Held in April 2025 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, ADGHW 2025 concluded on a note of collaborative spirit, ambition, and hope. Delivering 69 engaging sessions and facilitating the signing of 33 strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), the event convened 14,290 visitors, 1,295 delegates from global organisations, 140 exhibitors, and 271 visionary speakers from 95 countries.
Symbolising the emirate’s commitment to becoming a global health innovation leader, the announcement of the Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (HELM) cluster—a cross-institutional initiative led by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and the Department of Health—came as a major boost to its cross-border healthcare goals, propelled by artificial intelligence (AI) and data-led innovations.
The HELM cluster signals a deliberate and strategic evolution of the UAE’s life sciences ecosystem, designed to catalyse long-term economic value through health innovation
Abu Dhabi’s new frontier in life sciences and AI
Designed to accelerate the discovery, development, and commercialisation of next-generation medicines, biotechnologies, and personalised therapies, the initiative will be centred on AI and data-centric care ecosystems.Alessandro Borgogna, Advisor – Cluster Planning and Development at ADIO, said: “HELM is a critical part of ADIO’s long-term economic cluster strategy. By concentrating capabilities in health, research and data science within a single integrated cluster, HELM strengthens the emirate’s position in healthcare and life sciences that will define the future prosperity and well-being of citizens and residents. The cluster reflects a clear shift from fragmented investment to targeted, high-impact innovation, anchored in infrastructure, highly-skilled talent and strategic partnerships.” Alessandro affirmed how this collaboration exemplifies Abu Dhabi’s economic ability where world-class institutions, advanced infrastructure, and progressive policies come together to create a conducive environment for businesses to scale, innovate, and drive lasting impact in life science innovation.
Guided by ADIO’s cluster development strategy, HELM is creating the foundation for an “AI-powered discovery ecosystem,” structured to foster end-to-end innovation across research, regulation and commercial deployment.
Precision medicine momentum, multi-partner alliance
Through an AI-driven discovery ecosystem, the HELM cluster’s mission is to fuel the development of novel therapeutics. The initiative includes support for creating scalable infrastructure to handle and interpret large volumes of complex healthcare data—spanning clinical, genomic, and proteomic domains—by leveraging the capabilities of Abu Dhabi-based firms specialising in healthcare delivery and data solutions.
This coalition, which includes partners like Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and Hub71, intends to facilitate targeted interventions to solve some of the most complex and cost-intensive healthcare challenges—oncology, rare diseases, and metabolic disorders. Through the establishment of a comprehensive precision medicine ecosystem, this healthcare coalition aims to bring positive, patient-centred outcomes.
The collaboration will also focus on expediting the generation of intellectual property and facilitating the commercialisation of advanced healthcare innovations within the emirate. Companies engaged in the co-development of AI-enabled discovery technologies will gain access to ADIO’s competitive support offerings to establish and grow their operations within the HELM cluster and expand into international markets.
Her Excellency Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DoH, said: “AI and data are today’s enablers of smarter, predictive, preventive, and more personalised care. Through the HELM cluster, we are building a globally connected ecosystem that empowers researchers, innovators, and investors to unlock the full potential of data-driven discovery. From early diagnostics to personalised therapies, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a hub where cutting-edge science meets real-world impact.”
Nurturing talent and startups through deep tech integration
With foundational backing from some of Abu Dhabi’s most influential institutions, including DoH, ADIO, ADIA Lab, Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre (ADSCC), NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE University, Hub71 and MBZUAI, the HELM cluster is emerging as a critical platform for companies and talent at the intersection of life sciences and deep tech.
Each partner contributes distinct strategic value that integrates cutting-edge technologies with real-world healthcare challenges. This lays the foundations for a new generation of homegrown entrepreneurs, researchers and technologists.
The DoH provides a progressive regulatory environment conducive to innovation, while unlocking access to clinical networks and healthcare infrastructure. ADIO accelerates market entry and expansion with tailored investor support through competitive business and facilitation services. ADIA Lab injects deep expertise in AI and computational science and analytics, which are core to unlocking insights from complex health datasets at scale.
Research institutions contribute the scientific aspect. ADSCC and NYU Abu Dhabi provide frontline expertise in regenerative medicine, genomics and personalised therapeutics. UAE University adds academic rigour and a robust talent pipeline to sustain long-term innovation capacity.
Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, connects startups to funding, expert mentorship and international market access, enabling early-stage companies to commercialise and scale globally. MBZUAI integrates cutting-edge AI capabilities into the cluster by combining research, education and industry collaboration to drive the development of intelligent health technologies.
This fully integrated cluster aims to cultivate talent and accelerate the growth of high-potential ventures. Through coordinated initiatives like training programmes, research fellowships, innovation challenges and infrastructure sharing, HELM is positioning Abu Dhabi as a hub for healthtech innovation and a magnet for global talent. By merging deep tech with life sciences, HELM is establishing a sustainable innovation ecosystem capable of transforming healthcare both locally and globally.
Haddadin noted that through close collaboration with startups and industry stakeholders, the HELM cluster seeks to provide researchers, students, and entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and supportive ecosystem to advance transformative innovations in areas such as precision medicine, genomics, and pharmaceutical development—further strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global centre for AI-enabled healthcare innovation.
The next era in preventive and personalised care
With non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular illnesses and diabetes rising across the region and globally, HELM is set to accelerate the research, development, manufacturing, and commercialisation of groundbreaking medicines, biotechnologies, and therapies. By integrating AI and advanced healthcare data analytics, the initiative provides support to develop scalable infrastructure for managing and analysing complex healthcare data, including clinical, genomic, and proteomic datasets, fleveraging Abu Dhabi-based companies’ expertise in healthcare services and data management.
The ecosystem also supports Abu Dhabi’s broader ambition of transitioning from a reactive to a preventive health model—one where longevity, quality of life, and individualised treatment are central outcomes.
A legacy of collaboration and ambition
ADGHW 2025 closed with a clear message: Abu Dhabi is building and reimagining the future of healthcare. From forging precision medicine alliances to enabling AI-powered breakthroughs through HELM, the event showcased how multisector collaboration, government leadership, and innovation ecosystems can converge to redefine the boundaries of healthcare.
As the global health landscape evolves, Abu Dhabi’s efforts signal a paradigm shift—where the integration of science, technology, and policy becomes the cornerstone for delivering resilient, equitable, and sustainable health systems for generations to come.
Disclaimer: This content was authored by the content team of the ET Spotlight team. The news and editorial staff of ET had no role in the creation of this article.
link
