The Women’s Pavilion at Expo City Dubai has launched the FemTech Hub, a new regional initiative focused on advancing women’s health through science, technology, education, innovation and economic opportunity. The project has been developed in partnership with Meem Foundation, American Hospital Dubai and PeriCare.
The launch was announced at World Health Expo (WHX) Dubai on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. According to organisers, the FemTech Hub is designed to respond to long-standing gaps in access to women’s healthcare, limited availability of trusted information and the slow pace of innovation across the Middle East and wider region. The Hub will deliver expert-led learning programmes, research-to-market pathways and support for entrepreneurs working in women’s health.
The initiative positions Expo City Dubai within a fast-expanding global FemTech sector. Technologies and services addressing women’s health needs are forecast to grow from USD 51 billion in 2023 to almost USD 267 billion by 2035, representing a fivefold increase in market value. Despite the expected rise in investment, organisers said women’s health remains underfunded and underserved, with many women continuing to face challenges in accessing reliable, specialist health information. The Hub aims to provide evidence-based resources and platforms to address these gaps.
Marjan Faraidooni, Chief of Education and Culture and Chief of Human Resources at Expo City Dubai, said: “Women’s empowerment is foundational to thriving societies, and addressing the gaps in women’s health is a critical challenge that must be tackled. Through the FemTech Hub, and with Expo City Dubai as a platform for collaboration and innovation, we are bringing together healthcare leaders, innovators and educators to create a safe, credible and forward-looking environment where women’s health can be discussed openly, researched rigorously and advanced meaningfully, generating impact that will have a positive ripple effect across society.”
The partnership brings together organisations with complementary expertise across women’s health. Meem Foundation, a UAE-based philanthropic organisation, focuses on entrepreneurial solutions to gender inequality. American Hospital Dubai contributes clinical experience and a focus on evidence-based practice. PeriCare, a FemTech innovation studio, provides capabilities in product development, technology and mother-centred care.
Muna Eisa Al Gurg, Founder of Meem Foundation, said: “The launch of the FemTech Hub reflects our belief that prioritising health is integral to sustainable social change in the lives of women and girls, and will help ensure that safe primary care and greater health awareness for women are no longer a privilege, but a standard.”
Sherif Beshara, Group CEO of American Hospital Dubai, said: “Transformative women’s health innovation starts by listening to women’s lived experiences and supporting wellbeing at every stage of life. This hub is about changing systems and ensuring women’s health innovation has a permanent home in the region.”
Perihan Abouzeid, Founder and CEO of PeriCare, said: “Through the FemTech Hub, we are combining science, technology and design to reimagine maternal and women’s health at every stage of life, ensuring solutions are grounded in evidence, empathy and lived experience.”
The FemTech Hub builds on earlier work by the Women’s Pavilion at Expo City Dubai and its partners. It follows the FemTech Hackathon, a two-day innovation challenge held in 2025 by the Women’s Pavilion at Expo City, PeriCare and other partners. The event brought together high school students, who used STEM skills to develop solutions addressing priority areas in women’s health and wellbeing. Organisers confirmed that the second edition of the Hackathon will take place in 2026 as part of the Hub’s programme.
Additional activities planned under the FemTech Hub include the Her Health Summit, an annual gathering of clinicians, scientists, innovators and policymakers; the Her Health Majlis, monthly public sessions offering accessible education without stigma; and an Innovators Network linking FemTech startups, researchers and investors across the region.
Over its first year of operation, the Hub aims to support more than 15 startups, engage over 1,000 women, train more than 100 clinicians and validate practical solutions addressing maternal health, fertility, menstrual health, menopause, mental wellbeing and related areas.
The FemTech Hub is the latest initiative to be launched under the Women’s Pavilion at Expo City Dubai, a platform focused on gender equity and women’s empowerment. Initially established as a physical space to amplify women’s voices, the Pavilion has developed into a broader ecosystem delivering programmes through partnerships, public engagement and storytelling. Its current work covers urban development, wellbeing and economic opportunity, with the stated aim of positioning women and girls as leaders in shaping future progress.
