World Innovation Summit for Health

What World Innovation Summit for Health does

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a Qatar Foundation initiative headquartered in Doha, Qatar, established in 2012 to convene global health policymakers, researchers, and innovators around evidence-based policy solutions. Its core offering is a biennial summit model, with the 7th edition (November 2024) attracting over 4,000 delegates from more than 100 countries and launching 10 research reports, and the 8th edition scheduled for November 29-30, 2026, under the theme 'The New Health Span'. Since inception WISH has published over 80 evidence-based reports on pressing healthcare challenges and operates an Innovation Hub that showcases healthcare startups and runs a Young Innovators competition. Complementary programming includes the annual Doha Health Week and side events at international forums such as the Human Rights Council, WHO World Health Assembly, and Osaka Expo. The platform serves four primary constituencies: global health policymakers and ministers, healthcare innovators and startups, healthcare researchers and academics, and healthcare industry leaders. Strategic partnerships with the WHO, Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation, WHO EMRO, and the University of Tokyo (MoU signed September 2025) anchor its research and convening capabilities.

WISH's underlying technology footprint is curated rather than proprietary: the organization leverages its summit and Innovation Hub to showcase AI-enabled healthcare solutions such as inHEART (AI cardiac digital twin), OneThree Biotech (AI drug discovery), Botkin.AI (radiology image analysis), Smiletronix (AI dental screening), and Ambianic.ai (privacy-preserving elderly care monitoring), but does not develop these technologies itself. Its primary deliverables are policy reports, summit programming, and innovation competitions, distributed digitally through its website and social channels and physically at the Qatar National Convention Centre. Revenue is generated principally through biennial summit delegate registration (quote-based pricing by delegate category), supplemented by Qatar Foundation institutional backing. The organization maintains an 11-50 employee footprint and is led by CEO Dr. Slim Slama, with Lord Darzi serving as Executive Chair; Dr. Taskeen Khan was appointed Director of Research and Content in July 2025.

Name

World Innovation Summit for Health

Legal name

World Innovation Summit for Health

Website

https://wish.org.qa

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Health Policy

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs (BPAGACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Multilateral Global Health Partnerships (UN/WHO-led Initiatives) (HLAJAOAA)

Keywords

• Global health policy
• Healthcare innovation summits
• Evidence-based research reports
• Health policy advocacy
• Digital health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Doha

HQ country

Qatar

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Summit Registration: WISH generates revenue through delegate registration fees for its biennial summits. The 8th WISH Summit registration is open for November 2026 at the Qatar National Convention Centre.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WISH is a global health policy summit and research platform operating under Qatar Foundation. It organizes biennial summits that bring together 3,500–4,000+ delegates from 100+ countries, publishes 80+ evidence-based research reports and policy papers, and runs an Innovation Hub showcasing healthcare innovations from startups and the Young Innovators program. The 8th WISH Summit is scheduled for November 29–30, 2026 in Doha on the theme 'The New Health Span'.

Product overview

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a Qatar Foundation initiative that serves as a global health policy and innovation platform, not a traditional product company. WISH operates primarily through biennial summits, research publications, and innovation showcases. The core offerings include: (1) WISH Summits - major biennial conferences bringing together 3,500+ delegates from 100+ countries to discuss evidence-based healthcare solutions; (2) WISH Publications - 80+ evidence-based research reports and policy papers on pressing health topics; (3) WISH Innovation Hub - competition and exhibition platform showcasing healthcare innovations from start-ups and the Young Innovators program for participants under 30; and (4) Doha Health Week - an annual program of health events. The organization highlights AI-enabled innovations including inHEART (AI cardiac digital twin), OneThree Biotech (AI drug discovery platform), Botkin.AI (AI radiological analysis), Smiletronix (AI dental care), and Ambianic.ai (AI elderly care monitoring), among others showcased through their platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WISH Summits Biennial global health summits bringing together policymakers, health experts, and innovators to discuss evidence-based healthcare solutions. The 7th summit (November 2024) focused on 'Humanizing Health: Conflict, Equity, and Resilience' with over 4,000 delegates from 100+ countries. The 8th summit is scheduled for November 2026 in Doha.
• WISH Publications and Research Reports Evidence-based research reports and policy papers authored by healthcare leaders addressing pressing global health challenges. WISH has produced 80+ reports since 2012, including reports on women's cancers, workforce employment, community engagement, and healthcare in conflict settings.
• WISH Innovation Hub Innovation competition and exhibition platform showcasing healthcare innovations from startups and innovators. Features the Young Innovators competition for participants under 30, and displays innovations across medical devices, digital health, AI-powered solutions, and healthcare delivery technologies.
• Doha Health Week Annual program bringing together global health leaders to discuss health policy and innovation, complementing the biennial WISH summits.

Quantifiable outcome

• WISH 7 (2024) convened over 4,000 delegates from 100+ countries and launched 10 research reports.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability17 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• World Health Organisation (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026WISH partnered with WHO on the 'In the Line of Fire' report addressing attacks on healthcare in conflict zones. The report gained global attention at the Human Rights Council in Geneva and the WHO World Health Assembly. WISH and WHO collaborate on research reports, policy recommendations, and global health advocacy initiatives.
• University of TokyoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2025WISH and the University of Tokyo signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding at the Osaka Expo 2025 to advance global health policy. The partnership focuses on collaborative research, policy development, and knowledge exchange in global health. This was a major announcement at the Qatar Pavilion during Osaka Expo.
• WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2025WISH and WHO EMRO explore new avenues for global health collaboration, including joint research on women's cancers in the EMR and other regional health priorities. The partnership involves policy dialogues and evidence-based research on Eastern Mediterranean health challenges.
• Hamad Medical Corporation - Nursing Now QatarminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025WISH launched Nursing Now Qatar in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar's largest governmental healthcare provider. The initiative is part of a global three-year Nursing Now campaign aimed at improving healthcare by raising the profile and status of nurses worldwide.
• Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012WISH was launched by Qatar Foundation and remains a Qatar Foundation initiative. Qatar Foundation provides institutional backing, funding, and strategic direction for WISH activities, including the biennial summits and research publications. The initiative aligns with Qatar Foundation's vision of advancing healthcare through research, development, and education.
• Imperial College London - Institute of Global Health InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation co-organized the first Global Health Policy Summit in London in 2012 and continues as a strategic partner for WISH. Lord Ara Darzi serves as Executive Chair of WISH, providing leadership and academic expertise. The partnership involves joint research initiatives and knowledge sharing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aspen Institute Health, Medicine and Society Program: Aspen's Health, Medicine and Society Program convenes senior leaders for evidence-based dialogue on health policy, producing influential reports and convening policymakers—directly parallel to WISH's summit-plus-research model.
• Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME): IHME at the University of Washington produces the Global Burden of Disease study and related evidence-based health research that informs global policy—comparable to WISH's role as an evidence-based health research and policy convener.
• Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI): CHAI works with governments and partners to improve health systems in low- and middle-income countries through evidence-based programs and partnerships—comparable to WISH's focus on bridging Global North-South health innovation gaps and engaging policymakers on implementation.
• Health Systems Global: Health Systems Global is an international membership organization dedicated to promoting health policy and systems research through biennial Symposia and publications, directly comparable to WISH's summit-and-publication model for health policy and systems engagement.
• Global Health Council: Global Health Council is a leading membership-based advocacy organization that convenes the global health community, produces policy publications, and connects stakeholders—comparable to WISH in mission and stakeholder composition though focused more on advocacy than convening.
• World Health Summit: The World Health Summit is a leading annual global health policy conference held in Berlin under the patronage of Angela Merkel and WHO, directly comparable to WISH as a high-level convening platform for health ministers, researchers, and innovators to drive policy action.

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: Wellcome is a major global charitable foundation funding health research, policy engagement, and convening initiatives comparable to WISH as a research-driven health policy funder and convener, though operating at vastly greater scale with independent endowment.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Global Health): The Gates Foundation's Global Health division funds large-scale health research, policy convenings, and program delivery comparable to WISH's research and convening mission, though at substantially greater scale and with broader programmatic reach.
• World Economic Forum (Health initiatives): WEF operates a year-round health and healthcare agenda including the Davos Open Forum, Global Health Security meetings, and the Wellcome Trust-coordinated Pandemic Preparedness Partnership, comparable to WISH as a multi-stakeholder global health policy platform with broader scope across industries.

Emerging players

• Friends of Global Health (formerly Global Health 50/50): Global Health 50/50 is an independent initiative producing evidence-based research on gender equity in global health, comparable to WISH as a research-driven global health policy organization though narrower in thematic focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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• YouTubeyoutube.com/wishqatar
• Facebookfacebook.com/wishqatar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wishqatar
• Instagraminstagram.com/wishqatar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Innovation Summit for Health