GCC positioned as gateway and testbed for global medtech expansion

Global medical technology companies considering expansion into the Gulf were advised to approach the region as a long-term ecosystem opportunity rather than a short-term sales market during a panel discussion at MedTech World Middle East in Dubai.

The session, titled “How Global Medtechs Can Enter, Scale, and Succeed”, was moderated by Reenita Das, Founder of Reenita Das Inc, and featured Mazin Nadir, Director of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Alvarez & Marsal; Suresh Babu Subramani, Chief Business Officer at Atlas Medical LLC; Dr Tamara Sunbul, Group CIO of Fakeeh Care Group; and Marwan Mohamed, Business Development Manager for the Life Science Cluster at Masdar City.

Opening the discussion, Das reflected on the evolution of the medtech industry from hardware-led “box” sales to integrated ecosystems combining software, data, artificial intelligence and services. She argued that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) now represents a high-velocity innovation environment, with national transformation agendas across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other member states prioritising value-based care, prevention and precision medicine.

Panellists pointed to several factors underpinning the region’s growing appeal. These include strong government leadership in healthcare transformation, regulatory authorities viewed as accessible and reform-oriented, and the region’s geographic positioning within a five-hour flight radius of large surrounding populations. Cultural diversity was also highlighted as an advantage for clinical research, offering exposure to varied patient demographics.

While regulatory frameworks differ across GCC countries, speakers said companies that conduct thorough preparation can benefit from increasingly streamlined pathways. Approvals from the US Food and Drug Administration or CE marking in Europe can accelerate entry, but recent developments have also enabled startups to conduct local pilots and clinical trials even without those certifications. Nevertheless, companies were urged to understand jurisdictional differences carefully and to invest in physical presence and relationship-building, as face-to-face engagement remains important in the region.

Partnerships emerged as a central theme. Panellists cautioned against relying solely on traditional distributor models and encouraged deeper collaborations with healthcare providers and ecosystem players. Localisation was described as critical, with products often requiring adaptation to language, workflow and regulatory nuances. Clinical validation within regional healthcare systems was seen not only as a pathway to regulatory approval but also as a means of ensuring product-market fit. Speakers noted that validation costs in parts of the GCC may be lower than in some Western markets, potentially offering startups a more accessible route to evidence generation.

Talent strategy was also discussed extensively. The region was characterised as relatively open in terms of labour mobility, particularly in the UAE, where visa processes were described as comparatively streamlined. Saudi Arabia was highlighted for its growing academic and research infrastructure, including institutions such as King Saud University, KAUST and KACST, which are producing graduates in biomedical sciences, informatics and biotechnology. Panellists recommended a hybrid workforce approach that combines local talent with international expertise, particularly as healthcare delivery increasingly requires professionals with both clinical and technical skills. Retention strategies, including long-term residency programmes and partnerships with universities, were described as important considerations.

The discussion concluded with a focus on manufacturing and in-country value initiatives. Although local production is not mandatory in all cases, speakers said it is becoming strategically advantageous. National programmes in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are offering incentives and improved tender scoring for companies that manufacture or assemble products locally. Beyond procurement benefits, establishing manufacturing and R&D capabilities was framed as a signal of long-term commitment and a step towards supply chain resilience in the post-pandemic environment.

Overall, the panel positioned the GCC as an emerging hub for clinical research, regulatory innovation, advanced manufacturing and ecosystem-driven scaling. Rather than serving solely as a destination for commercial distribution, the region was presented as a platform for global medtech firms seeking to test, validate and expand their technologies within a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.