Predictheon Triumphs at Xcelerate, Revolutionising Anaesthesia with AI Innovation

Predictheon has taken home the top title at the very first Xcelerate Start-up Competition, held during World Health Expo (WHX) in Dubai, marking a strong debut for the innovation-focused contest within one of the world’s biggest healthcare gatherings.

Announced on the Future X Stage, the Spanish innovator was named Champion of Innovation 2026 after a live final judged by a panel of investors and industry leaders, including representatives from Connecting Giants and Unicorns (CGU), Deloitte, 10FT Ventures, in5 and Venture Hive. Not a bad room to pitch in, I’d say.

At the heart of Predictheon’s win is its Predictheon PDA®, a Class IIb medical device described as a Predictive Decision Assistant. In simple words, it uses proprietary AI models to tailor anaesthesia for individual patients and can forecast potential anaesthesia-related adverse events up to 10 minutes before they happen. In surgical terms, 10 minutes can feel like a lifetime. The idea of anticipating complications before they escalate is, frankly, spot on.

As part of the US$25,000 total prize pool, Predictheon will receive US$12,000, plus exhibition space at WHX 2027 and access to international healthcare leaders and investors. The first runner-up, MeNOW Health, secured US$8,000, while BiPER Therapeutics received US$5,000. Both will also get a start-up pod at next year’s event. All three winners are set to join a dedicated mentorship programme delivered by Deloitte.

Ross Williams, Commercial Director at Informa Markets Healthcare, said the calibre of finalists reflected “the extraordinary pace of innovation” across global healthcare. He noted that initiatives such as Xcelerate are designed to connect emerging health-tech players directly with decision-makers and investors, helping turn bold ideas into scalable solutions.

And the line-up this year was anything but small. Finalists came from across the UAE, the UK, the US, Switzerland, France, India, Belgium, Lithuania, Hong Kong, Spain, Tunisia, Estonia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Ireland and Singapore, among others. That geographic spread says a lot about Dubai’s positioning as a cross-continental connector between established healthcare systems and fast-growing markets. We’ve seen at Arageek how founders from very different ecosystems can cross paths here and, well… suddenly something clicks.

The range of solutions competing was broad. Thryvvs presented a femtech wellness app focused on personalised nutrition and fitness across every stage of a woman’s life. Calla Lily Clinical Care showcased Callavid®, an intravaginal drug-delivery platform aimed at fertility, menopause and even cancer treatments, with potential to cut antibiotic use. Zaman Bio offered a cytogenomic solution to detect accelerated ageing processes, while HealthOrbit AI tackled revenue cycle management with what it calls AI-native financial workflows for hospitals.

Elsewhere, Limb demonstrated an AI-powered digital rehabilitation platform combining a patient app with a clinical portal. FimmCyte Therapeutics is developing multi-specific therapies targeting organ fibrosis, and Regenova Pharmaceuticals is using AI to design safer antibody therapies and predict optimal dosing earlier in development. ONI focused on “care between consultations” for pregnant mothers, while Rosetta Omics is building a precision oncology platform integrating spatial biology and multi-omics data from a single biopsy.

There were also companies like ABCDx, which claims it can detect stroke and thromboembolic conditions within 10 minutes using patented biomarkers and AI, even inside ambulances. Braillic is working on AR-guided surgical navigation with sub-millimetre precision. Muun Health is developing a wearable device to continuously measure hormone levels in real time, something many women I’ve spoken to say would be a game-changer, if priced sensibly.

I reckon what stood out this year is how deeply AI has moved from buzzword to backbone. It’s everywhere, in diagnostics, operations, maternal care, oncology, even medical transport algorithms. On the flip side, I’m not always a fan of slapping “AI-powered” on every pitch deck, but here many solutions appear tightly integrated with real clinical workflows, not just shiny dashboards.

WHX itself, formerly known as Arab Health, remains a heavyweight. The 2026 edition runs from 9 to 12 February at the Dubai Exhibition Centre and is expected to draw more than 235,000 professional visitors and over 4,300 exhibitors from upwards of 180 countries. The event features nine specialised product sectors and six CME-accredited conferences, alongside certified bootcamps and three dedicated content stages. It’s big. Almost too big to navigate without a plan, to be honest.

For entrepreneurs in MENA watching from the sidelines, competitions like Xcelerate are more than just a stage and a cheque. They’re a chance to test ideas under pressure, meet the right people, and see where you truly stand. And believe it or not, sometimes one well-timed introduction can make all the differnce.

Predictheon may have clinched the headline this year, but the broader story is clear: health-tech innovation is accelerating fast, and Dubai is positioning itself firmly at the centre of that energy. For start-ups in the region, that’s both an opportunity and, let’s be honest, a bit of a wake-up call.

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