Neko Health secures $700 million and is headed to New York.

      Neko Health, the body-scanning startup founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, has secured $700 million in funding, bringing its valuation to approximately $7 billion. The company is making its move to New York, with support from notable figures such as Mark Zuckerberg, Maria Sharapova, and will.i.am.

      "We’ve entered markets where healthcare is free, yet countless individuals will line up to pay for a scan," Ek shared with the New York Times. “That aspect is truly captivating.” Clearly, it has also caught the attention of investors.

      Neko Health's latest funding round, a $700 million Series C, elevates the company's worth to nearly $7 billion, around four times its valuation from January 2025. The funds will be used to establish its first clinics in the United States, starting in New York this year.

      Lightspeed Venture Partners led the funding round, with O.G. Venture Partners co-leading. The list of investors resembles a celebrity guest list, including Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, Maria Sharapova, will.i.am, Thierry Henry, Jimmy Iovine, and author Tim Ferriss.

      “With this funding, we’re bringing our mission to the US for the first time,” announced co-founder and CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne. Lightspeed’s Bejul Somaia stated that Neko is “one of the most significant healthcare companies of our generation.”

      What Neko offers

      Neko operates private clinics centered around a comprehensive 60-minute body scan. Utilizing a pod equipped with sensors, it gathers millions of data points related to skin, heart, and circulation. A blood test is conducted simultaneously, and a doctor reviews the results with you the same day.

      The scan screens for early indications of skin cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. In the UK, it costs £299, with US pricing yet to be determined. Ek co-founded Neko in 2018 with Hjalmar Nilsonne and officially launched it in 2023.

      The company claims it fully controls its entire stack, designing its own hardware, software, and clinics, which allows for faster advancements compared to competitors reliant on standard machines.

      The surge in prevention

      Neko is capitalizing on the rising trends in longevity and biohacking. Investments in preventive healthcare are increasing, from insurers like Alan to lab-test startups and even an AI body scanner developed by Midjourney. Competitors in the US, such as Prenuvo and Ezra, have already begun offering whole-body MRI scans.

      The demand is evident, with over 100,000 individuals having undergone a Neko scan, and an additional 350,000 people registered or on a waiting list. According to Neko, three-quarters of returning members whose scans identified a serious issue now have it managed.

      However, some medical professionals remain skeptical. They question whether whole-body scans can detect enough genuine diseases to justify the expenses and potential false alarms. Nevertheless, with eight clinics located across Sweden and the UK, including its largest clinic in London, and a waiting line in every market it enters, Neko has garnered significant financial backing. New York is the next destination.