Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has announced plans to expand its operations in San Francisco to support the global expansion of Abu Dhabi’s economic clusters. Situated in a hub of health tech, biotech, and venture capital, the San Francisco office will promote Abu Dhabi’s clinical validation and regulatory pathways, serving as a launchpad for global innovation in healthcare and other priority sectors.
According to Emirates News Agency, the expansion aims to bolster the Abu Dhabi Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine cluster (HELM). Launched in April 2025 by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and ADIO in partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, HELM is projected to contribute US$25.6 billion to Abu Dhabi’s GDP, unlock 30,000 new jobs, and attract US$11.5 billion in investment by 2045. The cluster will focus on the global healthcare market, expected to reach US$25.3 trillion by 2045.
HELM leverages Abu Dhabi’s strengths in genomics, population health intelligence, AI in healthcare, and regulatory agility. The ADIO office will enable US-based startups and scale-ups to join other leading US healthcare firms, such as Insilico Medicine and Innovaccer, in expanding to Abu Dhabi.
The announcement was part of a high-level delegation visit to San Francisco, led by Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. The visit aimed to strengthen strategic partnerships and engage with decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and representatives of leading institutions in the health technology and innovation sector.
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, stated that the ADIO’s San Francisco office would serve as a platform for investment matching, market entry, and long-term growth. Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori noted that the expansion would provide health innovators and entrepreneurs the opportunity to build, test, and scale solutions with Abu Dhabi for the global market.
Announced during Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025, the HELM cluster acts as a launchpad for health and life sciences companies. It enables them to tap into strategic capital with partners in Abu Dhabi, accelerate market validation through Abu Dhabi’s clinical trial and regulatory infrastructure, and expand across the US and Middle East markets, all while collaborating with UAE-based research institutions and healthcare providers.
