Founded less than a year ago, Nala has quickly ascended to become the leading digital health service in Saudi Arabia. The young, acclaimed HealthTech startup has since accomplished yet another feat by launching the first-ever medical artificial intelligence (AI) platform in Arabic.
The medical AI platform extends Nala’s current digital health services, providing instant access to customised healthcare to Saudi Arabians through an app. Within seconds, the medical AI platform provides users with an accurate medical diagnosis in Arabic, further accelerating Nala’s impact throughout the country. According to the company, the diagnoses boast an extreme precision that reduces human error.
Based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Nala was founded to address some of the challenges of Vision 2030—an ambitious, long-term programme established by the Saudi Arabian government to draw on the country’s intrinsic strengths and help its citizens realise their full potential. Founder and CEO Othman Abahussein launched the Nala digital health platform following an initiative by the National Digital Transformation Unit and the Saudi Ministry of Health.
“Our mission is to reduce the cost of healthcare by a tenfold while providing exceptional healthcare experience” Abahussein said in a statement. “Our whole team is in Riyadh, and all of our human capital investments go into local talent. We made a bet on local talent, and I can say with full confidence that it pays very well.”
All the physicians in Nala’s extensive network are licensed by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, many of whom were involved in the development of the new medical AI platform.
Since its founding in February 2019, over 50,000 people have used Nala.
To further accelerate its growth, Nala raised $1 million in its first financing round, led by Dubai-based AlAraby Investment.