DigestAID, Ciberbit, ITGest and NB Clinic are due to sign memorandums of understanding with Saudi investors on Monday, 31 August, at the headquarters of the Portuguese Business Confederation (CIP).

The agreements come during a week-long visit to Portugal by a delegation of almost 20 Saudi-linked businesses, together with healthcare and technology emerging as two of the main areas of potential cooperation.

The deals are expected to help the Portuguese companies establish local representation, begin operations in Riyadh or pursue new sources of investment. They do not require Saudi investors to take stakes in the businesses.

From Porto AI to healthcare in Riyadh

Among the companies is Porto-based DigestAID, a University of Porto spin-off specialising in artificial intelligence for gastrointestinal diagnosis.

Its DeepCapsule system uses AI to identify gastrointestinal lesions from capsule endoscopy images and recently received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. The company now wants to expand commercially and attract additional financing.

DigestAID already has a scientific collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Hospital and operates in Gulf markets through the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

ITGest, meanwhile, develops hardware and software systems that allow hospitals, clinics and laboratories to monitor their operations in real time. The 18-year-old Portuguese company recorded turnover of around €10.5 million in 2025, with profits of €1.6 million. Its agreement is expected to help find a local representative capable of introducing its systems to Saudi healthcare providers.

Technology company Ciberbit and aesthetic medicine provider NB Clinic are also among the four businesses preparing to sign agreements.

Portuguese presence more than doubles

The deals are part of a much wider increase in commercial ties between the two countries.

When the Saudi-Portuguese Business Council was established in 2024, 24 Portuguese companies were operating in Saudi Arabia. That figure has now risen to around 60, meaning the Portuguese business presence has more than doubled in two years.

The current delegation arrived in Portugal on 25 August and will remain until 1 September, with meetings planned with organisations including Trofa Saúde, the National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory and Portuguese pharmaceutical company Tecnimede.

The visit also comes ahead of a separate trip by Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s search for international partners as it overhauls its medical system under the country’s Vision 2030 programme.

For the Portuguese companies involved, the attraction is clear: Saudi Arabia offers a large healthcare market looking for new technology and expertise, but entering it requires local connections. These contracts are intended to provide precisely that opening.