Neko Health, the well being tech startup co-founded by Spotify co-creator Daniel Ek, has raised €60 million ($65 million) in its first exterior spherical of funding.
The Collection A spherical was led by Lakestar, with participation from Atomico and Common Catalyst.
Based out of Sweden in 2018 by Ek and Hjalmar Nilsonne, Neko Well being exited stealth back in February with the lofty promise of preventative healthcare by way of full-body scans backed by AI software program that assist medical doctors detect pores and skin circumstances together with most cancers, heart problems, diabetes, amongst different metabolic syndromes.
Every scan apparently takes round 10 minutes and prices €250, in keeping with the corporate, and is adopted by an in-person session the place the outcomes are defined.
Neko Well being scan Picture Credit: Neko Well being
The Stockholm-headquartered firm claims a staff of 35 medical doctors, researchers, and technicians unfold throughout Europe, and it has a ready checklist for individuals searching for full-body scans out of its inaugural clinic in Stockholm.
“Healthcare prices are spiraling uncontrolled — we consider preventive well being might be key to reversing this development,” Neko Well being CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne famous in an announcement. “Medical doctors right now simply don’t have sufficient time or assets to concentrate on prevention. This results in many well being issues going unnoticed till they get actually severe, inflicting plenty of ache and placing an enormous pressure on the healthcare system.”
Unhealthy silence
What’s maybe most notable about Neko at this juncture is its aversion to interviews, notably in opposition to the backdrop of high-profile well being techs comparable to Theranos’ spectacular fall from grace after making bold claims with little foundation. Certainly, Neko Well being declined to present interviews to worldwide media when it formally launched earlier this 12 months, and little alternative was given to ask questions forward of right now’s funding announcement.
At any fee, Neko Well being has amassed a reasonably spectacular roster of traders spanning the U.S. and Europe, which have collectively backed firms together with Spotify, AirBnb, Snap, and Hubspot. And because of their investments, Lakestar and Atomico’s founders, Klaus Hommels and Niklas Zennström respectively, will be part of Neko’s board of administrators alongside Neko’s two founders.
The corporate mentioned it’s going to use its contemporary money injection to speed up its enlargement plans together with extra clinics throughout Europe, and investing in R&D, medical research, and recruitment.
