Ultrahuman Partners with Abu Dhabi to Develop National Biological-Age Model
Ultrahuman, a Bengaluru-based health tech startup renowned for its smart rings, has recently entered a significant partnership with Abu Dhabi health authorities to develop a biological-age model. This initiative is designed to estimate an individual’s biological age—a metric that reflects how quickly a person is aging—by integrating clinical biomarkers with data collected from wearable devices. The model is expected to eventually be accessible to the wider population across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking an important milestone in preventive health technology in the region.
A Two-Year Collaboration with Abu Dhabi Public Health Center
On Monday, Ultrahuman announced the signing of a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center (ADPHC). The collaboration aims to research and validate the biological-age model, which leverages various data points such as sleep patterns, physical activity, cardiovascular health, and metabolic indicators. By analyzing these factors, the model seeks to identify elements that accelerate or decelerate aging, providing personalized insights that could guide healthier lifestyle choices.
CEO Mohit Kumar emphasized that while Ultrahuman is widely recognized for its smart ring hardware, the company’s core focus lies in the health data and algorithms derived from such devices. “If you look at Ultrahuman as a company, we obviously have the Ultrahuman Ring, which is a way to acquire data from the human body,” Kumar said in an interview with TechCrunch. “But truly, what we care about is not just the form factor, the ring, but what do we do with this data?”
Scaling Health Algorithms Beyond Hardware
This partnership represents Ultrahuman’s strategic shift from merely selling wearable devices to becoming a comprehensive health-data company. The startup has already sold approximately 800,000 smart rings globally, but working with a government entity like ADPHC allows it to apply its algorithms across a much broader, more diverse population. The biological-age model is intended to be wearable-agnostic, capable of integrating data not only from smart rings but also wrist-worn devices, straps, and patches, alongside traditional clinical biomarkers.
Eventually, users in the UAE will be able to access their estimated biological age through government digital health platforms such as TAMM and Sahatna. This integration highlights the UAE’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance public health outcomes on a national scale.
Ultrahuman’s Market Presence and Data Approach
According to Kumar, the UAE is one of Ultrahuman’s top 10 markets, accounting for roughly 4% to 5% of the company’s overall revenue. The startup has been active in the region for nearly five years and reports a retention rate approximately 25% higher than in other markets. However, Ultrahuman’s existing user base primarily consists of individuals aged 25 to 43, which provides a narrower demographic snapshot compared to the comprehensive population data available through a government partnership.
Ultrahuman’s biological-age model was initially developed using the company’s proprietary data, which combines users’ chronological age, wearable device signals, and, for some, blood-test markers. This approach enables the tracking of typical health marker changes over time and the identification of deviations that indicate accelerated or slowed aging.
Kumar assured that the algorithm will be deployed on UAE data without being trained on it, preserving user privacy. Ultrahuman will not have access to personally identifiable information during the program, aligning with stringent data protection standards.
Competitive Landscape and Future Directions
Ultrahuman is not alone in partnering with Abu Dhabi for preventive health initiatives. In May, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi announced a collaboration with Oura, Ultrahuman’s arch-rival in the smart ring market. Oura’s partnership focuses primarily on integrating wearable data with longitudinal health information to address women’s health and cardiometabolic risk.
While Kumar acknowledged that the Abu Dhabi government collaborates with multiple health-tech companies, he noted that Ultrahuman is not aware of any other firm working specifically on the health age model. These parallel partnerships underscore the growing importance of wearable technology in public health strategies, as companies like Ultrahuman and Oura compete to expand beyond hardware into software-driven preventive care.
Looking ahead, Ultrahuman is also developing advanced smart rings capable of running onboard software, potentially supporting AI interactions and even gaming applications, demonstrating the company’s ambition to innovate at the intersection of health tech and wearable computing.
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
Source: Here
