Predictheon Wins WHX Xcelerate Innovation Champion 2026

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 14 February 2026:

World Health Expo (WHX), recognised as the world’s largest healthcare event, has officially named Predictheon as the winner of the 2026 Xcelerate Start-up Competition, following a competitive live final held on the Future X Stage.

The inaugural edition of the competition brought together some of the most promising healthcare innovators from across the globe, with 30 finalists representing Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America and Latin America. Each showcased breakthrough solutions designed to tackle urgent healthcare challenges and accelerate the next era of health-tech transformation.

Predictheon wins with AI-powered anaesthesia decision support

Predictheon was selected as the 2026 Xcelerate Champion of Innovation by a panel of leading investors, healthcare executives and industry specialists. The judging panel included Xcelerate partners Connecting Giants and Unicorns (CGU), Deloitte, 10FT Ventures, In5, and Venture Hive.

The company was recognised for its flagship product, Predictheon PDA® (Predictive Decision Assistant)—a Class IIb medical device that uses proprietary artificial intelligence models to support safer anaesthesia administration. The platform is designed to individualise anaesthetic delivery for each patient and can predict potential anaesthesia-related adverse events up to 10 minutes in advance, helping clinicians intervene earlier and improve surgical outcomes.

US$25,000 prize pool and WHX 2027 exhibition opportunities

As the top winner, Predictheon secured a prize package including:

• US$12,000 cash prize

• Prime exhibition space at WHX 2027

• Global recognition and visibility

• Strategic access to international healthcare leaders, investors and partners

The first runner-up was MeNOW Health, awarded US$8,000, while BiPER Therapeutics was also named among the winners, receiving US$5,000. Both runner-up winners will also receive a dedicated start-up pod at WHX 2027.

In addition, all three winners will benefit from a dedicated mentorship programme from Deloitte, aimed at supporting growth, market readiness and scaling strategies.

Global participation highlights Dubai’s role as a health-tech hub

Reflecting WHX’s global influence, the 2026 Xcelerate finalists included start-ups from a wide range of markets, including:
United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, France, India, Belgium, Lithuania, Hong Kong, Spain, Tunisia, Estonia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, among others.

The diversity of participants reinforced Dubai’s position as a cross-continental healthcare connector—bringing together mature healthcare ecosystems and fast-growing markets through a unified innovation platform.

WHX leadership: Xcelerate is built to turn ideas into real-world impact

Ross Williams, Commercial Director at Informa Markets Healthcare, said the competition demonstrated the remarkable pace of healthcare innovation worldwide.

“The quality and ambition of this year’s finalists demonstrate the extraordinary pace of innovation across the global healthcare sector,” Williams said. “Through initiatives such as Xcelerate, WHX continues to champion the next generation of health-tech pioneers and connect them directly with decision-makers, investors, and healthcare leaders worldwide.”

He added: “We want to ensure we help turn bold ideas into scalable, real-world solutions. Congratulations to Predictheon and to all the companies who showcased the future of healthcare on our stage.”

Finalists showcased next-generation healthcare solutions

The finalists represented a wide spectrum of healthcare innovation, including:

• AI-driven clinical decision support and diagnostics

• Precision oncology and multi-omics platforms

• Women’s health and menopause solutions

• Digital rehabilitation and remote patient monitoring

• Regenerative medicine and advanced therapeutics

• Health data intelligence platforms and hospital workflow tools

The competition highlighted how emerging start-ups are building technologies that support earlier detection, improved outcomes, operational efficiency, and more personalised patient care.