An international lineup of the world’s leading healthcare start-ups competed in the final of the Innov8 competition, showcasing the innovative and forward-thinking technologies redefining the industry. Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, the Metaverse, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality highlighted during judging process.

Dubai: Hera Health Solutions has emerged victorious at the Arab Health Innov8 competition, winning a $10,000 cash prize. The competition featured 24 companies from the UAE, UK, US, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, and Switzerland, with the final pitches concluding on 30 January. The win also grants Hera Health Solutions exhibition space at Arab Health 2026.

Hera Health Solutions specialises in advanced nanotechnology and bioerodible polymers to create long-acting drug delivery systems. Their platform, which employs FDA-approved materials, streamlines regulatory approval and ensures safety. Utilising electrospinning, the company enhances dosage precision and therapeutic release through controlled drug layering.

CEO and co-founder Idicula Mathew highlighted the platform’s impact: “This technology is unique in its ability to deliver a range of therapeutics non-invasively, from small and large molecules, with flexibility for various delivery modes, such as implants and patches.”

The judging panel featured industry leaders, including Elsa Hyland, Reenita Das, Pilar Fernandez Hermida, Susan Amrat, and James Mault. Other finalists included Japan’s F.MED Co Ltd, which showcased a robotic microsurgery system, and SMARTSOUND Corporation, known for its IoT-based healthcare sensory devices. Flow Neuroscience presented a brain-stimulation headset for depression, while HealthStay.io focused on medical tourism solutions.

Venture Hive’s Myri technology was also among the finalists, offering AI-driven maternal health risk prevention. Ophthorobotics demonstrated AI-assisted robotics for chronic ophthalmic diseases.

Ross Williams, Exhibition Director at Informa Markets, remarked, “Hera Health Solutions embodies the spirit of innovation that Arab Health champions.” The 50th-anniversary edition of Arab Health also hosted the Future Health Summit, where experts explored AI’s impact on healthcare.

Arab Health 2025 concluded on 30 January and returns as WHX Dubai from 9–12 February 2026 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre.