The Global Health 2026 NextGen Pitch Competition will connect 54 healthcare startups and scaleups with more than 250 Senior Leaders representing USD 65 billion in assets under management, helping founders secure investment, build partnerships and accelerate commercial growth.
Taking place from 26–29 October at Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh, semi-finalists and finalists will pitch live to investors, healthcare leaders and decision-makers. Open to companies developing solutions across Digital Health and AI in Healthcare, Bio and Life Sciences and MedTech, the competition provides one-to-one investor matchmaking, mentorship from experienced healthcare and investment leaders, enhanced brand visibility through promotion on the event website and opportunities to connect with organisations looking to fund, adopt and scale new healthcare solutions. Winners will also receive a total prize fund of SAR 100,000.
New for 2026, every semi-finalist and finalist will participate in an exclusive Power Networking Breakfast with investors attending the Capital Xchange Programme, creating additional opportunities to secure investment, partnerships and market access.
Connecting Innovators with Investors
The Capital Xchange Programme reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a centre for healthcare innovation and investment, connecting innovators with investors and decision-makers to support funding, partnerships and market growth.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE continue to lead MENA’s venture investment landscape. According to MAGNiTT, corporate investors participated in 37% of all venture capital raised across the region between 2021 and 2025, highlighting the growing role of strategic investment in supporting innovation and market growth.
Beyond the competition, participants can connect with Global Health Exhibition’s wider investment community, with more than 1,000 investors expected to attend the event identifying opportunities. Separately, Capital Xchange will convene over 250 Senior Leaders, including representatives from Sovereign Wealth Funds, LPs, Family Offices, and Venture Capital and Private Equity firms, through a curated invite only programme of networking, site visits and private discussions.
In 2025, participating investors represented more than USD 65 billion in assets under management across 40 countries. Confirmed participants for 2026 include TVM Capital Healthcare, Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises, Bupa’s investment arm, Mayo Clinic and Redesign Health.
Global Health Exhibition: A Platform for Healthcare Collaboration
Global Health Exhibition brings together the organisations, technologies and expertise shaping healthcare delivery worldwide. Confirmed global leaders exhibiting in 2026 include Mayo Clinic, Karl Storz, Canon Medical Systems, BD, Stryker and Baxter, providing healthcare professionals, investors and innovators with practical insight into artificial intelligence, digital health, robotics, diagnostics and precision medicine.
By connecting innovation, clinical practice, investment and policy, Global Health Exhibition supports the adoption of solutions that strengthen healthcare systems and improve outcomes for communities.
Rachel Sturgess, Senior Vice President at Tahaluf, said:
“Access is often the biggest barrier to growth for healthcare innovators. The right investor, strategic partner or customer can accelerate a startup’s journey from promising idea to commercial success. Through NextGen, we are creating more opportunities for founders to connect with organisations looking to invest in, adopt and scale healthcare innovation in Saudi Arabia. That’s how we turn breakthrough ideas into meaningful partnerships and real world impact.”
Zain Samdani, Founder and CEO of ExoHeal, winner of the 2025 NextGen Pitch Competition, said:
“One of the most valuable parts of NextGen was the access it provided. The opportunity to meet investors and healthcare leaders in one place accelerated conversations that would otherwise have taken months to build. Expanding those opportunities to all shortlisted companies will help more healthcare innovators turn promising ideas into real-world impact.”
- Mark Mofid, Founder and CEO of Sylke, runner-up of the 2025 NextGen Pitch Competition, said:
“NextGen connected us with people who could actively support our growth, from investors and partners to healthcare organisations exploring new solutions. Giving every semi-finalist and finalist structured access to those conversations reflects what makes Global Health Exhibition valuable: bringing the right people together to move healthcare innovation forward.”
Applications Open
Applications for NextGen 2026 are now open. Startups and scaleups interested in applying can visit nextgen.globalhealthsaudi.com.
