Dubai, United Arab Emirates — WHOOP has introduced an Arabic-language version of its app as the wearable technology company expands its Gulf operations, following investment from regional sovereign funds and plans to establish research facilities outside the United States.
The Arabic launch gives members access to personalized information about sleep, recovery, physical strain and health in Arabic for the first time. The rollout includes outdoor and digital advertising across the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The announcement brings together several strands of WHOOP’s regional expansion: adapting its consumer platform, developing a local operating presence and building relationships with investors and research institutions. Those commitments extend beyond the language update itself.
WHOOP said its GCC membership increased more than 75% year over year.
Will Ahmed, Founder and CEO of WHOOP, said: “The response to WHOOP across the Middle East has been incredible. The GCC has become a major market for us, and we’re seeing strong growth across the broader Middle East and North Africa. We’ve made a significant commitment to the region and we’re going to keep investing here. Launching in Arabic is a crucial part of that strategy.”
Arabic support gives WHOOP another way to reach customers across the region, alongside its sports partnerships.
The language rollout follows a commitment made under WHOOP’s Mubadala partnership. Mubadala said the agreement was anchored by its $75 million investment in the company and included Arabic localization, a dedicated UAE office and an expansion of WHOOP’s Advanced Labs offering.
The agreement also outlined a joint health research initiative involving UAE institutions. Proposed areas of study include cardiovascular health, sleep, recovery and behavioral performance, with an emphasis on tracking participants over time.
Mubadala presented the partnership as part of its effort to attract international companies and develop local expertise in health technology. That gives the investment an operational dimension: the announced commitments cover research and services within the UAE as well as a financial stake in WHOOP.
A separate Invest Qatar agreement, announced in October 2025, set out plans for WHOOP’s first international performance laboratory in Msheireb Downtown Doha. The proposed facility is modeled on the company’s Boston research center.
The partnership envisages research and data collection, collaboration with local institutions on sports performance, and efforts to attract and develop local talent. Invest Qatar said it would support WHOOP’s business expansion in Qatar and the wider Gulf.
The planned laboratory gives Qatar a different role from the UAE commitments. While the UAE partnership combines an office, consumer services and collaborative studies, the Doha project centers on a dedicated performance research facility. Both agreements place local research capacity within the company’s expansion plans.
WHOOP’s October launch announcement said the Qatar facility would open later in 2026.
The Gulf initiatives follow WHOOP’s Series G financing. The company raised $575 million at a $10.1 billion valuation in a round led by Collaborative Fund.
Participants included Mubadala, Qatar Investment Authority and 2PointZero Group, alongside other institutional investors. Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James and Rory McIlroy were among the individual backers. WHOOP said the proceeds would support growth in the United States and expansion across Europe, the GCC, Latin America and Asia.
At the time, WHOOP reported more than 2.5 million members worldwide and said bookings increased 103% in 2025.
