Abu Dhabi launches AI-driven Life Sciences cluster
HELM life sciences cluster aims to accelerate medical innovation
#UAE #lifesciences – Abu Dhabi has launched a strategic partnership under the HELM (Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine) cluster to drive AI-powered life science breakthroughs. Led by ADIO (Abu Dhabi Investment Office) and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and supported by MBZUAI (Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence), M42, and Hub71, the initiative will build scalable infrastructure for AI-based drug discovery and precision medicine. Announced at Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, the cluster will accelerate R&D, support startups, and attract global investors to transform the emirate into a leading hub for personalised healthcare innovation. HELM is planned to create 30,000 new jobs, adding AED 94 billion ($25.6b) to Abu Dhabi’s economy by 2045.
SO WHAT? – One of the core goals behind Abu Dhabi's massive investment in research and development over the past 8 years has been to build the capacity to develop high-value intellectual property (IP). Today, the emirate now has a variety of world-class research institutions, global research partnerships, and an exceptionally strong computational sciences community. Therefore, the formation of HELM is not a stand-alone research initiative, it is an strategic extension of the existing R&D ecosystem, and will be supported by the significant strengths of Abu Dhabi's healthcare, AI and investment communities.
Here are some key facts regarding the HELM announcement:
Abu Dhabi will form a Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine cluster — HELM — to drive AI-powered life science breakthroughs, accelerating the development of AI-powered medicines, diagnostics, and personalised treatments.
The cluster is projected to contribute AED94 billion to Abu Dhabi’s economy and create 30,000 new jobs by 2045.
Led by ADIO (Abu Dhabi Investment Office) and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the new cluster is supported by MBZUAI (Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence), M42, and Hub71.
The partnership combines expertise in AI, life sciences, innovation support, healthcare services, investment and global FDI incentives.
MBZUAI will provide advanced AI research capabilities and talent programmes to support drug discovery and biotech startups.
M42 and other Abu Dhabi-based entities will contribute healthcare data infrastructure, including genomic and clinical datasets for AI model development.
Hub71 will connect global startups to funding, partnerships, and cross-border opportunities in markets like South Korea, France, and Singapore.
The HELM cluster aims to fast-track intellectual property creation and support commercialisation of advanced medical technologies.
AI will be used to enhance early disease detection, enable predictive care, and improve outcomes for chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.
ADIO will offer competitive business support to companies operating within the cluster, encouraging global firms to establish a presence in Abu Dhabi.
The initiative was launched during Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, under the theme “Towards Longevity: Redefining Health and Well-being.”
The HELM cluster reflects Abu Dhabi’s strategy to build a globally connected R&D ecosystem focused on sustainable, AI-driven health innovation, and its ambition to create more valuable IP at home.
ZOOM OUT – Abu Dhabi's investment in healthcare and life sciences is formidable. Life sciences has long been one of the key priority sectors for sovereign wealth investment. Meanwhile, the capital is home to the headquarters of several powerful regional and global healthcare groups.
State-backed PureHealth, which owns Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) and recently completed the acquisition of Circle Health Group, the UK’s largest private hospital network, and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), the UAE’s largest tertiary care hospital. Purehealth recorded the AED 25.8 billion ($7b) revenue in 2024.
Another holding group, M42 (part of the G42 Group), has estimated annual revenue in the range of $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion. The group has more than 480 facilities in 26 countries, including Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Danat Al Emarat, Diaverum, Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Hospital, and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi. M42 also operates the Emirati Genome Programme,
Also based in Abu Dhabi, privately held healthcare network Burjeel Holdings has more than 100 healthcare services assets and AED 5 billion ($1.36b) in revenue (2024), .
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
Read more about Abu Dhabi’s healthcare ecosystem:
Burjeel Holdings to deploy healthcare GenAI agents (Middle East AI News)
Cleveland Clinic & G42 form task force for AI opportunities (Middle East AI News)
M42 releases MEDIC leaderboard for clinical LLMs (Middle East AI News)
M42 releases new versions of clinical LLM (Middle East AI News)
M42 delivers framework for evaluating clinical LLMs (Middle East AI News)