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

      Neko Health, the body-scanning startup founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, has secured $700 million in funding and now boasts a valuation of approximately $7 billion. The company is expanding 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 offered for free, yet hundreds of thousands of individuals willingly wait in line to pay for a scan,” Daniel Ek shared with the New York Times. “That aspect is truly captivating.” This appeal is evidently resonating with investors as well.

      Neko Health’s recent Series C funding round has raised $700 million, increasing the company's valuation to nearly $7 billion—about four times its worth in January 2025. The funds will be used to launch its first clinics in the US, starting in New York later this year.

      The funding round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and co-led by O.G. Venture Partners. The list of backers reads like a who's who, featuring Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, Maria Sharapova, will.i.am, Thierry Henry, Jimmy Iovine, and author Tim Ferriss, among others.

      “With this funding, we are bringing our mission to the US for the first time,” said co-founder and CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne in the announcement. Lightspeed’s Bejul Somaia referred to Neko as “one of the most significant healthcare companies of our generation.”

      What Neko offers

      Neko operates private clinics centered around a 60-minute full-body scan. A pod filled with sensors collects millions of data points regarding skin, heart health, and circulation. A blood test is conducted concurrently, and patients receive their results from a doctor the same day.

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

      The selling point is that Neko controls its entire operation. It creates its own hardware, software, and clinic designs, which the company claims allows for faster improvements compared to competitors reliant on standard machines.

      The surge in preventive care

      Neko is capitalizing on the growing interest in longevity and biohacking. Significant investments are flowing into preventive healthcare, encompassing insurers like Alan, lab-test startups, and even an AI body scanner developed by Midjourney. US competitors like Prenuvo and Ezra are already providing whole-body MRI scans.

      The momentum is evident. Over 100,000 individuals have undergone a Neko scan, with an additional 350,000 registered or waiting for their scans. According to Neko, 75% of returning members whose scans indicated a serious condition have since managed to control it.

      However, not everyone is convinced. Some medical professionals question whether whole-body scans can detect enough genuine diseases to justify their cost and the potential for false positives. Nonetheless, with eight clinics operating across Sweden and the UK, including its largest location in London, and a line of eager customers in every market it enters, Neko has attracted significant financial backing. New York is its next destination.