We spent three months mapping the GCC healthtech landscape: identifying every active company, understanding their funding sources, categorising the problems they address and finding the gaps where patient need is high but solutions are scarce. This report is the result.
The landscape
We identified 180 active healthtech companies across the GCC. Of these, 62 are focused on hospital management software, 41 on telemedicine, 28 on diagnostics and AI, 22 on pharmacy and medication management, and 15 on insurance and billing technology. Just 7 are focused on patient-held records — fewer than 4% of companies addressing what patients consistently identify as their most significant pain point.
Investor activity
12 active venture investors are deploying capital into GCC healthtech. The most active are a UAE-based generalist VC, two Saudi government-linked investment vehicles and three international healthcare-focused funds. Deal sizes are growing: the average healthtech deal in 2024 is $3.2M, up from $1.7M in 2022.
Government programmes
Three major government accelerator and grant programmes are active: the Dubai Health Authority innovation programme, the Saudi Health Council accelerator and the Qatar National Health Strategy funding scheme. All three have digital health as a stated priority. None has yet funded a patient record management platform.
The gap
Patient-held records represent the largest unaddressed need in GCC healthtech by the gap between patient demand and available solutions. This is the gap Looms is building to fill — and our research confirms it is large enough to build a significant company on.