The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has announced plans to expand its operations in San Francisco to bolster the global reach of Abu Dhabi’s economic clusters. This expansion aims to enhance the city’s role as a hub for health technology, biotechnology, and venture capital. The San Francisco office will promote Abu Dhabi’s fast-track clinical validation and regulatory pathways, positioning itself as a launchpad for global healthcare innovation and other key sectors.

The Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine cluster (HELM) was launched in April 2025 in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. This initiative is expected to contribute $25.6 billion to Abu Dhabi’s GDP, create 30 000 new jobs, and attract $11.5 billion in investments by 2045.

The HELM cluster is set to capitalize on the growing global healthcare market, projected to reach $25.3 trillion by 2045. It represents one of the largest health innovation initiatives worldwide, leveraging Abu Dhabi’s strengths in genomics, population health intelligence, and artificial intelligence in healthcare. The ADIO office in San Francisco will facilitate US-based startups and scaleups in joining prominent healthcare firms like Insilico Medicine and Innovaccer to expand their operations to Abu Dhabi.

This announcement came during a high-level delegation visit to San Francisco led by H.E. Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen strategic partnerships and engage with decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and representatives from leading health technology and innovation institutions in the region.

H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, chairman of ADDED, emphasized that the ADIO office in San Francisco serves as more than just a physical presence; it acts as a platform for investment matching, market entry, and long-term growth. He stated, “By expanding our operations in San Francisco, we’re not only opening new doors to Abu Dhabi’s business ecosystem, we’re building two-way bridges for capital, innovation, and impact across multiple innovation-driven sectors.”

In a statement, H.E. Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori noted that the future of health must be co-created rather than built in isolation. He highlighted that the expanded ADIO office will provide health innovators and entrepreneurs the chance to build, test, and scale solutions in collaboration with Abu Dhabi for a global audience. He described the initiative as a Living Lab for real-world health innovation, backed by agile regulations and infrastructure, creating a platform for global ideas to scale and generate significant impact.

The HELM cluster was announced during Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025 and serves as a launchpad for healthcare and life sciences companies looking to access strategic capital in Abu Dhabi. It aims to fast-track market validation through a digitally integrated clinical trial and regulatory infrastructure, facilitating collaboration with leading UAE research institutions and healthcare providers while enabling global scaling with tailored advisory and partnership support.