Neko Health, the health tech startup co-founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek and Hjalmar Nilsonne, successfully raised $65 million (around €60 million) in its Series A funding round. This financing was led by Lakestar, with significant contributions from Atomico and General Catalyst. The funds are earmarked for accelerating the company's expansion, including adding more clinics across Europe, investing in research and development, conducting clinical studies, and recruitment.
Established in Sweden in 2018, Neko Health aims to revolutionize healthcare through preventative measures via full-body scans. These AI-backed scans are designed to help doctors detect various health issues early, such as skin conditions including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, along with other metabolic syndromes. Each scan reportedly takes about 10 minutes and costs approximately €250, followed by an in-person consultation to discuss the results.
Neko Health confirmed plans to expand its operations to the United States, with its inaugural American clinic set to open in New York as early as this spring, pending regulatory approval. The company already has a presence in Sweden and the UK, with clinics in Stockholm, London, and Manchester. The price for a scan in the UK is about £299 (around $400), with the U.S. price expected to be higher. CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne emphasized that preventative health is crucial for controlling spiraling healthcare costs, as the current system often overlooks health problems until they become severe.
The startup has garnered strong interest from investors, including those who previously backed Spotify, Airbnb, Snap, and HubSpot. As part of the investment, the founders of Lakestar and Atomico, Klaus Hommels and Niklas Zennström, will join Neko's board of directors alongside its co-founders. The company faces high demand, with waiting lists for scans at its existing clinics.
