Department of Health partners with Plug and Play to support healthcare startups

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Oct 09, 2019, 03:03 ET

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Department of Health Abu Dhabi has announced its partnership with Plug and Play, the largest global innovation platform headquartered in Silicon Valley, and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the award-winning international financial centre in Abu Dhabi. This is the first established Health startup accelerator in the MENA region. According to the partnership, DOH aims to support healthcare startups by connecting them to networks of corporate partners and investors to test and implement their technologies.

Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Director of Healthcare Quality Division at Department of Health Abu Dhabi, said: "Quality remains at the heart of everything we do at DOH and technology is becoming a key driver for improving the quality of healthcare delivered in the emirate. To that end, DOH is looking to attract startups from across the globe to take part in solving current healthcare challenges by finding a way of technology solutions whilst also helping them to establish an adequate regulatory framework for testing and implementing technologies."

Al Mannaei added: "We are excited about our partnership with Plug and Play, which will support healthcare startups, enabling them to translate their ideas into a reality that brings an elevated level of quality, paving the way for the transformation of the healthcare sector in the Emirate and beyond."

Plug and Play's global health program has accelerated over 100 startups in partnership with more than 20 corporations, operating in Silicon Valley, Cleveland, Munich, Shanghai, Kyoto, and now Abu Dhabi. Some of its notable corporate partners include Cleveland Clinic, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Roche, Philips, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, and University Hospitals.

"Abu Dhabi's vision to become a globally recognized knowledge based economy emphasizes the importance of innovation as a key driver. We are extremely proud to announce our newest partnership with Department of Health Abu Dhabi to support Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and the wider region in sourcing and scaling healthcare technologies, leveraging Plug and Play's international network and footprint," said Omeed Mehrinfar, Managing Partner, Middle East, at Plug and Play.

The healthcare sector is evolving at a rapid pace, and continues to undergo significant changes in technology and care delivery models. Innovation is paramount to foster a more complex, holistic view of patient health generated from a wide variety of sources.

The health accelerator program in Abu Dhabi will start in Q1 2020 with a Selection Day event featuring international and regional startup pitches sourced by Plug and Play's ventures team. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Ashlene Ramadan [email protected].

About Department of Health (DOH)

The Department of Health – (DOH) is the regulatory body of the Healthcare Sector at the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ensures excellence in Healthcare for the community by monitoring the health status of the population. DOH defines the strategy for the health system, monitors and analyses the health status of the population and performance of the system. In addition, DOH shapes the regulatory framework for the health system, inspects against regulations, enforce standards, and encourages adoption of world – class best practices and performance targets by all healthcare service providers in the Emirate. DOH also drives programs to increase awareness and adoption of healthy living standards among the residents of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in addition to regulating scope of services, premiums and reimbursement rates of the health system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. For more information visit http://www.doh.gov.ae

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 25 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 10,000 startups and 280 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. We provide active investments with 200 leading Silicon Valley VCs, and host more than 700 networking events per year. Companies in our community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club, and PayPal. For more information, visit www.plugandplaytechcenter.com

About Abu Dhabi Global Market

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre (IFC) located in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, opened for business on 21 October 2015. Established by a UAE Federal Decree as a broad-based financial centre, ADGM augments Abu Dhabi's position as a global hub for business and finance and serves as a strategic link between the growing economies of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia and the rest of the world.

ADGM's strategy is anchored by Abu Dhabi's key strengths including private banking, wealth management, asset management and financial innovation. Comprising three independent authorities: ADGM Courts, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority and the Registration Authority, ADGM as an IFC governs Al Maryah Island which is a designated financial free zone. It enables registered financial institutions, companies and entities to operate, innovate and succeed within an international regulatory framework based on Common Law.

Since its inception, ADGM has been awarded the "Financial Centre of the Year (MENA)" for three consecutive years for its initiatives and contributions to the financial and capital markets industry in the region.*

For more details of ADGM, please visit www.adgm.com or follow us on Twitter: @adglobalmarket and LinkedIn: ADGM

SOURCE Plug and Play