Nordic Life Science 1
I’ve always been a great believer in seeing for y
ourself and for a number of reasons, 2024 seemed to be the moment to visit Arab Health. Richard Hayhurst, Founder, RHA Communications, reporting for NLS at Arab Health 2024 M Y PREVIOUS VISIT a decade ago, working on renewable energy, had convinced me of the real commitment to finding solutions in that sector. I also knew that there has always been a strong interest in preventative health from our diagnostic and genetics clients. Two recent things tipped the balance – nothing to do with needing a bit of sun in January after a freezing UK December – and put me on the flight to Dubai. Firstly, our client LifeSpin has pivoted their business development to the region over the last 12 months, and secondly a recent article in the Economist that seemed to agree that KSI in particular, had a real opportunity to become a leader in AI, especially in its application to population health. However, I have to start with an apology. I’ve been to some major shows over the last 30 years in the health/deep tech sector, but nothing prepared me for this. Arab Health is a monster, in the nicest possible way, and an overwhelming mess of a show. With more than 50,000 visitors, it sprawls across some 20 halls with many exhibitors forced to cling for space in the corridors. Over the three days I struggled to get my bearings and a coherent sense of all the themes, so forgive me if I have stuck to some key observations on AI and precision medicine and interviews with fellow attendees. “Riyadh is becoming like Silicon Valley” Finland and Estonia had pavilions, but Sweden was conspicuous by its absence. Indeed, most countries had multiple pavilions, none more so than Germany, which further divided them into states. LifeSpin were on the Bavarian one, which was managed by Torstein Wagner, who remembers the first Arab Health some 25 years ago, “It was actually held in tents. The transformation is incredible. We now have a waiting list for our pavilion. People come because it offers a meeting place, not just for GCC [the Gulf Cooperation Council], but it is also increasingly providing a gateway to both Africa and Asia, and deals get done.” D r Ali Tinzali, CEO of LifeSpin, was equally enthusiastic. ExSony and HP, he returned recently from Silicon Valley to set up the company in Germany and he sees more opportunities now in GCC and Asia than in his former base. “The combined population of UAE and KSI is some 70 million, which gives critical mass as a market. Furthermore, you are within six hours of half of the world’s population. UAE is strong, but having visited five times in the last year I’ve noticed how KSI is really transforming. I’d go as far as to say Riyadh is becoming like Silicon Valley. The population is mostly under NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG | 23