Portuguese startup Apollo Medica is advancing its plans to launch what it describes as the world’s “first” AI-powered wearable for musculoskeletal (MSK) rehabilitation after its success in the MIT DesignX Dubai (MDXB) program.
The healthtech company was the first Portuguese startup selected for the program, according to a press release issued by Apollo Medica.
Recognized as one of the top finalists, Apollo Medica was awarded a strategic company setup at the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (DTEC), a large technology hub and startup ecosystem located in Dubai Silicon Oasis.
The campus provides infrastructure and services designed to help startups establish and scale businesses within the region’s technology ecosystem.
MDXB is led by faculty from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, together with local partners DTEC, Global Growth Hub, and MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI).
According to Apollo Medica, the award will help them move into what it calls “phase two” of its development: bringing an AI-powered wearable system for musculoskeletal rehabilitation to market.
Targeting one of the world’s largest health burdens
Apollo Medica’s technology focuses on MSK conditions, a broad category of disorders affecting the body’s movement system, including bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and other connective tissues. These conditions often lead to chronic pain, reduced mobility, and long-term disability.
The global scale of the problem is significant. The World Health Organization estimates that around 1.71 billion people worldwide are affected by these conditions, making them the leading contributor to disability globally.
Beyond the direct health impact, musculoskeletal disorders are associated with major economic costs due to lost productivity, work disability, and healthcare spending.
They are also the “largest” contributor to the global need for rehabilitation, the WHO says. They account for approximately two-thirds of adults worldwide who require rehabilitation services and are among the major drivers of rehabilitation needs among children.
A data-driven approach to physical therapy
Apollo Medica’s proposed solution combines wearable biofeedback sensors with machine learning to digitize human motion, providing patients with real-time corrective guidance while giving clinicians data-driven insights previously unavailable outside the clinic.
The company describes the system as a “co-pilot for physiotherapists,” helping clinicians monitor rehabilitation progress and make more informed treatment decisions based on continuous movement data.
The goal, it says, is to make rehabilitation more accessible and effective for all while reducing insurance waste, personalizing patient recovery, and limiting the need for hospital visits.
Rob Kramer, co-founder and CEO of Apollo Medica, said the company aims to build digital infrastructure that can modernize how physical therapy is delivered, adding that the recognition is “more than just an award – it’s a launchpad.”
“We aren’t just building an app. We are building the digital infrastructure for the future of MSK therapy, right here in the D33 capital of innovation,” Kramer noted in the press release.
He was referring to the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), a 10-year economic masterplan aimed at transforming the emirate into one of the world’s top three cities for business, innovation, and quality of life by 2033.
Expansion plans following accelerator recognition
Recognition in the MIT-linked accelerator and the subsequent DTEC setup mark a step in Apollo Medica’s international expansion strategy.
The award provides the startup with infrastructure intended to support the deployment of its technology within the region’s regulatory and healthcare environment.
The move to DTEC, Apollo Medica says, places the company within an ecosystem aligned with the Dubai Digital Health Strategy and the United Arab Emirates National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, both aimed at accelerating the adoption of digital technologies in healthcare.
Featured image: Rob Kramer, co-founder and CEO of Apollo Medica (Photo courtesy of Apollo Medica)
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