Saudi Arabia is emerging as an attractive market for healthcare providers, driven by a rapidly growing population and high rates of lifestyle diseases. The country’s median age is increasing, and there is a significant prevalence of conditions like hypertension and diabetes that require medical intervention.

Tara Rampal, founder of Quest Prehab, a London-based company offering prehabilitation services via a mobile app, noted that her company is among many healthtech firms seeking to expand in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has prioritized healthcare investment as part of its Vision 2030 goals, aiming to add 30 000 hospital beds to its existing 80 000 before 2030 and encouraging citizens to obtain health insurance. Additionally, Riyadh seeks to increase the percentage of the population with formal medical records, which was less than one-third in 2019.

The private sector is playing a major role in this healthcare transformation. Hospital groups like Almoosa and Specialized Medical Company are growing, and healthtech is particularly attracting investor interest. Quest Prehab made its entry into Saudi Arabia in February by partnering with e-commerce company Zension Technologies to serve its employees. Rampal believes the large gap between the supply and demand for healthcare services, combined with a strong consumer and corporate willingness to adopt technological solutions, positions her company well in the market.

“There is a very proactive attitude towards digital health,” she stated. In contrast to other markets, she noticed no hesitancy in Saudi Arabia during initial discussions with potential partners. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) healthcare expenditure is projected to reach $159 billion annually by 2029, with Saudi Arabia expecting even faster growth at nearly 9 percent per year.

Specialized Medical Company, which owns two hospitals in Riyadh and plans to open three more, recently issued a prospectus for an initial public offering. CEO Bassam Chahine emphasized that the integration of technology has been pivotal since the company’s founding in 1999. The company launched a mobile app in 2019, allowing patients to book appointments and access services, leading to more than two-thirds of patients now using the app for scheduling.

“It’s normal when you live here,” Chahine said, referring to the digital transformation in various sectors, including healthcare. As part of its Vision 2030 plans, Saudi Arabia aims to digitize government services and promote similar initiatives in the private sector. The country has shown remarkable progress, climbing from 66th to 7th place in the UN’s E-Participation Index from 2020 to 2024.

Numerous homegrown healthtech startups have also emerged, such as Telehealth company Cura, which raised $15 million in 2021 to connect patients with healthcare services via its app. Thakaa Med, which recently received undisclosed funding from Falak Angels, offers AI-driven medical diagnosis assistance.

Olivier Tricou, managing director of Alpen Capital, highlighted the strong investor interest in the GCC’s healthcare sector, particularly in digital companies, noting that “the scalability is unlimited.” He anticipates continued interest as new products are introduced, as tech innovations have already reduced healthcare costs in markets like Dubai, even as service efficiency allows providers to charge more.

Tricou believes that ongoing technological advancements will further decrease healthcare service costs and reduce the need for more doctors. “AI will solve a lot of problems we currently face,” he remarked.