emirates7 - Abu Dhabi advances a new model of care focused on earlier detection, prevention and population health insight
Five global finalists selected from 393 submissions across 68 countries
The finalists will present at the World Health Assembly in Geneva on 19 May 2026
For high-resolution images, please visit: https://we.tl/t-uLgKL5aMs1ONFmOm
As health systems worldwide face rising pressure from chronic disease, ageing populations and limited access to early detection, Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi has announced five global finalists for the Future Health Challenge, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s role in driving a shift toward anticipatory, data-driven models of care.
Launched by Future Health and delivered in collaboration with MIT Solve, the Challenge attracted 393 submissions from 68 countries, reflecting strong global alignment with Abu Dhabi’s vision for the future of health.
The Future Health Challenge, themed “Building Anticipatory Health Systems through Population Sensing”, was designed to identify solutions that enable earlier detection of health risks, support continuous understanding of population health, and grow and scale prevention-led approaches to good health.
Following a multi-stage evaluation process, including live presentations from ten semi-finalists, five finalists were selected for their ability to translate data into actionable insights and deliver real-world impact across different healthcare settings.
The selected finalists are:
SOIK Corporation (Japan), SPAQ, a community-led model using AI to detect maternal risk in fragile settings
Huna (Brazil), Huna Cancer Navigator, applying AI to routine blood data to support early cancer detection and patient engagement
ThinkMD (Australia), a digital platform enabling better frontline care and generating real-time public health intelligence
Vector Control Innovations (United States), VectorCam, an AI-enabled mosquito surveillance system supporting predictive response in low-resource settings
Arkangel AI (Colombia), Unread Signal, software transforming clinical notes into early warning signals across more than 300 hospitals in 11 countries
The finalist teams will present their solutions at a live global pitching session during the World Health Assembly in Geneva on 19 May 2026, where an overall winner and two runner-up teams will be selected. The Challenge will award a USD 200,000 grand prize, alongside two USD 50,000 runner-up awards as well as access to a global network of policymakers, investors and health leaders.
Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Health and Life Sciences Sector at the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, said: “These finalists reflect the direction Abu Dhabi is advancing, a healthcare system that moves beyond treating illness to understanding risk earlier and acting sooner.
She added: “Abu Dhabi is building an integrated, intelligence-led health ecosystem that brings together data, technology and policy to deliver better outcomes for communities. Through Future Health’s year-round programme of activities, we are creating the pathways that connect global innovation to real-world implementation, ensuring that high-potential solutions can be tested, scaled and embedded within health systems.”
Hala Hanna, Executive Director of MIT Solve, said: “The scale and diversity of submissions reflect a shared global momentum to rethink how health systems detect and respond to risk. These finalists demonstrate how locally grounded solutions can translate into real-world impact and inform the future of health systems globally.”
The collaboration with MIT Solve forms part of Future Health’s broader year-round programme of activities, which convenes stakeholders across innovation, policy, and investment to advance collaboration and co-the future of health. Future Health supports the development and scaling of new approaches to health systems, with additional initiatives and opportunities for global engagement to be introduced throughout the year.
The following semi-finalist teams are also recognised:
Quantitative Engineering Design / QED.ai (Malawi), ScanForm
Nabta Health (United Arab Emirates), Sovereign Workforce Health
eSHIFT Partner Network (Switzerland), FacilityPulse
The Antara Foundation (India), Anugami
Environmental Women Organisation (Colombia), Ethnohealth AI
Ten Honourable Mention teams from Nepal, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, the United States, India, Thailand, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates have also been recognised.
Representatives from semi-finalist and selected Honourable Mention teams will be invited to showcase their innovations at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit from 20 to 22 October 2026, providing direct access to key decision-makers across the health and life sciences ecosystem.
For more information, visit www.futurehealthinitiative.ae
Five global finalists selected from 393 submissions across 68 countries
The finalists will present at the World Health Assembly in Geneva on 19 May 2026
For high-resolution images, please visit: https://we.tl/t-uLgKL5aMs1ONFmOm
As health systems worldwide face rising pressure from chronic disease, ageing populations and limited access to early detection, Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi has announced five global finalists for the Future Health Challenge, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s role in driving a shift toward anticipatory, data-driven models of care.
Launched by Future Health and delivered in collaboration with MIT Solve, the Challenge attracted 393 submissions from 68 countries, reflecting strong global alignment with Abu Dhabi’s vision for the future of health.
The Future Health Challenge, themed “Building Anticipatory Health Systems through Population Sensing”, was designed to identify solutions that enable earlier detection of health risks, support continuous understanding of population health, and grow and scale prevention-led approaches to good health.
Following a multi-stage evaluation process, including live presentations from ten semi-finalists, five finalists were selected for their ability to translate data into actionable insights and deliver real-world impact across different healthcare settings.
The selected finalists are:
SOIK Corporation (Japan), SPAQ, a community-led model using AI to detect maternal risk in fragile settings
Huna (Brazil), Huna Cancer Navigator, applying AI to routine blood data to support early cancer detection and patient engagement
ThinkMD (Australia), a digital platform enabling better frontline care and generating real-time public health intelligence
Vector Control Innovations (United States), VectorCam, an AI-enabled mosquito surveillance system supporting predictive response in low-resource settings
Arkangel AI (Colombia), Unread Signal, software transforming clinical notes into early warning signals across more than 300 hospitals in 11 countries
The finalist teams will present their solutions at a live global pitching session during the World Health Assembly in Geneva on 19 May 2026, where an overall winner and two runner-up teams will be selected. The Challenge will award a USD 200,000 grand prize, alongside two USD 50,000 runner-up awards as well as access to a global network of policymakers, investors and health leaders.
Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Health and Life Sciences Sector at the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, said: “These finalists reflect the direction Abu Dhabi is advancing, a healthcare system that moves beyond treating illness to understanding risk earlier and acting sooner.
She added: “Abu Dhabi is building an integrated, intelligence-led health ecosystem that brings together data, technology and policy to deliver better outcomes for communities. Through Future Health’s year-round programme of activities, we are creating the pathways that connect global innovation to real-world implementation, ensuring that high-potential solutions can be tested, scaled and embedded within health systems.”
Hala Hanna, Executive Director of MIT Solve, said: “The scale and diversity of submissions reflect a shared global momentum to rethink how health systems detect and respond to risk. These finalists demonstrate how locally grounded solutions can translate into real-world impact and inform the future of health systems globally.”
The collaboration with MIT Solve forms part of Future Health’s broader year-round programme of activities, which convenes stakeholders across innovation, policy, and investment to advance collaboration and co-the future of health. Future Health supports the development and scaling of new approaches to health systems, with additional initiatives and opportunities for global engagement to be introduced throughout the year.
The following semi-finalist teams are also recognised:
Quantitative Engineering Design / QED.ai (Malawi), ScanForm
Nabta Health (United Arab Emirates), Sovereign Workforce Health
eSHIFT Partner Network (Switzerland), FacilityPulse
The Antara Foundation (India), Anugami
Environmental Women Organisation (Colombia), Ethnohealth AI
Ten Honourable Mention teams from Nepal, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, the United States, India, Thailand, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates have also been recognised.
Representatives from semi-finalist and selected Honourable Mention teams will be invited to showcase their innovations at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit from 20 to 22 October 2026, providing direct access to key decision-makers across the health and life sciences ecosystem.
For more information, visit www.futurehealthinitiative.ae
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