Rain and Stella merge to create a new leader in AI-driven healthcare across MEA

Two healthtech innovators have tied the knot, and the Middle East and Africa are about to feel the ripple effects. Rain Technology and Stella Technology have merged, forming Rain Stella Technologies (RST) — a new name, a new vision, and arguably a new leader in AI-driven healthcare.

On paper, it's a marriage of strengths: Rain brings its smarts in artificial intelligence, voice, and automation; Stella contributes its battle-tested digital infrastructure and trusted reputation across emerging markets. Together, they aim to crack one of the toughest puzzles in global health: how to digitize care at scale without losing the human touch.

Brian Edelman, Rain's founder, put it simply: "For over a decade, Stella has been a pioneer in connecting healthcare systems. Now, with Rain's cutting-edge AI capabilities, we're redefining what's possible across the continuum of care."

How does it work?

Rain Stella Technologies is stitching together a portfolio that covers the full arc of modern healthcare delivery:

• Health Information Exchange (Constellation) and Electronic Medical Records (Equinox): Stella's crown jewels — enabling secure, interoperable, multi-specialty documentation and national-level connectivity.
• Surgical Workflow Automation (Orva): Rain's flagship product: a voice assistant designed for operating rooms, bringing real-time documentation and AI-powered guidance straight into surgical workflows.
• Analytics, Benchmarking, and Transformation Tools: Fresh products designed to help payors, policymakers, and providers pull insights from data, improve efficiency, and predict outcomes.

Think of it this way: RST isn't just plugging one gap — it's laying down the digital plumbing and installing smart valves that learn and adapt over time. From national interoperability projects to an AI whispering into a surgeon's ear, they're covering multiple fronts at once.

Why does it matter?

Healthcare in MEA is at a turning point. Demand for digital partners who can connect the dots — from back-end infrastructure to real-time intelligence — is skyrocketing.

• The MENA AI in healthcare market is expected to grow by 35.8% annually, hitting $1.8 billion by 2029.
• Hospitals and governments are under pressure to deliver better outcomes, safer care, and more efficient operations.
• Value-based care models — where results matter more than volume — are pushing the need for real-time insights.

As Edelman explained, "We're building a long-term platform to empower health systems across MEA with scalable, intelligent solutions that not only meet today's challenges but also anticipate tomorrow's needs."

In a region where the opportunity to leapfrog into the future is immense, the merger could be the difference between incremental change and a wholesale transformation.

The context

This isn't just about software. It's about timing and geography. With headquarters at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and operations spread across MEA, RST is positioning itself as a trusted partner at both national and hospital levels.

• RST already works with 17 healthcare systems across five countries, managing everything from agile clinic deployments to national-scale projects.
• Leadership is solid: Lalo Valdez, Stella's founder, joins the board; Khalid Adine, formerly Stella's Emerging Markets CEO, takes the CRO role.

Valdez captured the spirit of the deal: "At Stella, we've always believed that health systems deserve solutions that are built to scale — whether it be for a single clinic or a national network. Joining forces with Rain allows us to elevate that mission."

In short, this isn't a side hustle merger. It's a calculated bet that MEA will be the next frontier for digital health, and RST wants to be the company writing that story.