In Good Company: Kwelio, the story behind Dubai's App of the Year
About the Event:
Last week, a seven-person Dubai startup walked onto the stage at Emirates Towers Boulevard and took home the top prize at the Create Apps Championship 2026. They beat 9,754 entries from 153 countries.
POP by Kwelio won both Dubai's App of the Year and Longevity App of the Year, presented by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Join us for an intimate fireside chat with co-founders Mohamed Alrahma (CEO) and Sumi Mahmud (CTO), along with the Kwelio team, on what it really took to get there.
The problem they're solving
Half of all chronic patients don't take their medication as prescribed. In the UAE alone, that's more than 3 million people and roughly $7 billion in avoidable hospital costs every year. Right now, insurers can't see any of it, so they price for the risk. Kwelio makes adherence visible: patients log verified doses in the POP app, and insurers get predictive scores through Kwelix. Better habits, fewer hospitalisations, and a fairer way to set the premiums we all pay.
Built on two personal stories
Mohamed's grandmother nearly died after being given the wrong medication and a doubled dose, with no system to catch it. Sumi was quoted AED 80,000 a year for health insurance because of her chronic condition, priced for the risk of not taking her medication. Two different stories with the same root problem: no data.
What we'll get into
Building a health-tech company in Dubai from the ground up.
Juggling a full-time career while founding a startup.
Losing their entire codebase when their dev partner collapsed mid-build, then rebuilding and shipping in six weeks.
Selling to insurers as a tiny team.
The lessons, the near-misses, and the moment they heard their name called on stage.
The track record
Dubai's App of the Year 2026 and Longevity App of the Year 2026 (Create Apps Championship, Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy)
Top 10 finalist, LBS MENA Startup Competition 2026 (London Business School)
Accepted into NEXUS, the Khalifa Fund accelerator
MIT DesignX Dubai accelerator, cohort 3
Best Health & Wellness Startup of the Year 2025 (Annual Health Awards)
Wellness Innovator of the Year 2025 (Global Recognition Awards)
#7 HealthTech company on F6S
Two letters of intent signed with UAE health insurers
This is one for founders, health-tech builders, insurers, investors, and anyone who's ever wondered what it actually takes to win in a brand-new market.
Free to attend | Walk-ins welcome
Time: 6pm to 8pm
Location: in5 Tech, Dubai Internet City
Vibe: Casual meeting of minds