Telehealth is evolving from video calls and chat to AI-assisted, always-on care. The latest sign: Rocket Doctor AI Inc., a physician-built digital health company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE: AIDR), has entered into a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire Alea Health Holdings Ltd.
The deal will see Rocket Doctor AI acquire 100% of Alea’s outstanding securities, integrating a specialized AI mental-health platform into its broader virtual-care stack.
Inside the Alea Health acquisition
Under the terms of the agreement signed on 19 November 2025, Rocket Doctor AI will pay:
- US$15,000 in cash,
- 285,712 common shares (deemed at CAD$0.70 per share), and
- assume a US$180,000 SAFE note, to be repaid in monthly instalments of around US$22,500.
The company will not assume any other long-term liabilities from Alea beyond that SAFE note.
Alea brings a conversational AI and voice-based mental-health platform that supports online therapy, patient intake, follow-up, and a 24/7 AI coach designed to assist users between sessions.
Building an end-to-end AI health stack
Rocket Doctor AI is already known for its Global Library of Medicine (GLM) — a clinically validated decision-support system built with input from hundreds of physicians — and its telehealth marketplace, which has powered more than 700,000 patient visits to date.
By integrating Alea’s mental-health technology, Rocket Doctor AI aims to:
- Extend the GLM’s capabilities deeper into mental health and behavioral care.
- Offer a continuum of support that spans AI intake, clinical consults, and ongoing, AI-assisted follow-up.
- Reduce administrative workload for clinicians, freeing more time for higher-value patient interactions.
In short, the acquisition pushes Rocket Doctor AI closer to its goal of becoming a full-stack, AI-native health platform.
A signal for digital health in MENA and beyond
While Rocket Doctor AI is headquartered in North America, the company has made clear that combining its GLM with Alea’s capabilities will also support international expansion — including into the UAE and broader GCC region.
For MENA’s health-tech founders and investors, there are a few takeaways:
- AI as infrastructure, not just a feature: Alea isn’t being acquired for a single tool — it’s being integrated into Rocket Doctor’s core infrastructure for mental health, similar to how banks now think about AI in risk and underwriting.
- Mental health as a growth category: Demand for scalable, accessible mental-health support is rising globally, including in the Gulf. AI-enabled triage and coaching platforms could play a meaningful role alongside human clinicians.
- Strategic M&A is heating up: Rather than building everything in-house, digital-health players are increasingly buying specialized AI startups and stitching them into broader platforms — a pattern MENA scale-ups may follow as they grow.
Editor’s Note — The Startups MENA Team
The Alea Health deal shows how AI is quietly rewiring healthcare stacks, especially in sensitive areas like mental health. For founders in MENA, the message is clear: there’s room for niche, clinically grounded AI products that plug into larger platforms — whether local or global.As GCC regulators push forward on digital health frameworks and cross-border telemedicine, we expect more collaboration between MENA health-tech startups and international AI health platforms. Today’s acquisition headlines could be tomorrow’s integration pathways for regional innovators.
– By The Startups MENA Editorial Desk
