Neko Health, the startup co-founded by Spotify’s Daniel Ek and Hjalmar Nilsonne, is set to expand its preventative healthcare model to London. The company offers an innovative service that involves annual full-body scans and AI-powered insights, aiming to detect conditions such as heart disease and skin cancer early on. Neko Health London is officially open for business. Incredible to reflect on how far we’ve come, considering the idea almost didn’t happen. Back in 2018 I reached out to @HNilsonne , who wasn’t exactly eager to dive into healthcare 🤣 fortunately, he eventually changed his mind… pic.twitter.com/GapdffHBCb — Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) September 4, 2024 For a fee of £299 and an hour of a patient’s time, Neko Health conducts a series of scans and tests, generating “millions” of data points that assess a person’s health across a range of cardiovascular, metabolic, and other conditions. Starting today, @NekoHealth is open for business in London! In the heart of Marylebone, you’ll find our biggest health centre yet. With an incredible design, we guarantee it will be unlike any healthcare experience you’ve ever had before. Our new location features: — Hjalmar Nilsonne (@HNilsonne) September 4, 2024 While 78.5% of these individuals were found to have no health issues, 14.1% required further medical attention, and 1% were identified with severe undiagnosed conditions such as cardiovascular diseases or cancer. Notably, none of the individuals in the latter group were aware of their health conditions prior to visiting Neko. Now this is what I call innovation in healthcare! With Neko Health, the future of body scanning and AI-powered insights is here. £299 for a comprehensive annual scan that detects heart disease and skin cancer? That’s a game changer! — Ella Harper (@ellatechies) September 3, 2024 Despite Daniel Ek’s high-profile involvement, Neko Health maintains an understated approach. The company’s London clinic, for example, is discreetly marked by a minimalist logo, making it easy to miss. The interior design combines elements of a day spa and a futuristic medical clinic, with sparse furnishings, muted colors, and soft electronic music, creating a calming environment for patients. How exciting! The price tag is a bit high for me atm, but on my wishlist. — Amandine Flachs (@AmandineFlachs) September 4, 2024 They are then guided to a cylindrical chamber fitted with 70 sensors and volumetric cameras that produce a composite image with 50 million data points. Additional scans measure eye pressure, blood pressure, and grip strength, and a clinician draws a blood sample, the only invasive part of the procedure. Any estimate on when you are going to catch up on the queue in Stockholm? Would love to try a scan! — Micael Widell (@micaelwidell) September 4, 2024 The origins of Neko Health trace back to 2018 when Ek first approached Nilsonne through a direct message on Twitter. At the time, Nilsonne was winding down his AI-powered smart home energy monitoring startup due to a lack of product-market fit. Impressive, congrats Hjalmar! — Linus Petersson (@LinusPeters) September 4, 2024 They saw an opportunity to combine AI technology with the explosion of high-quality health data from wearables like Fitbits and Apple Watches to create a different kind of healthcare system. Very cool. Keen to try — kate (@whoiskatrin) September 4, 2024 @eldsjal would love to layer real time biodata on top of Neko to make it even more powerful 👊 Happy to send a personal look to show you how if interested — borisberjan (@borisberjan) September 4, 2024 Currently, the waiting list stands at 22,000, highlighting the demand for their preventative healthcare service. Going for my follow-up next week since my first visit and scan 15 months ago! Will be interesting to compare the data. — Daniel Feldt (@dafeld) September 4, 2024 Looks awesome Daniel, congrats — Alex Banks (@thealexbanks) September 4, 2024 The startup hypothesizes that prevention and early detection could alleviate much of this burden. i would love to understand what it does that other scans and tests don’t. or is it the price point? — Azeem Azhar (@azeem) September 4, 2024 can’t wait to try it out! think this is such a cool product pic.twitter.com/NS3CsA6jGC — Josiah Senu (@josiahsenu) September 4, 2024 While Neko Health is not the only startup focusing on preventative healthcare technology, it differentiates itself by offering a more comprehensive and frequent service. This is incredible! Joining the waitlist! — Denys Zhadanov 🇺🇦 (@DenZhadanov) September 4, 2024 I live in London and I can’t schedule it ! Got sent to a type form 🙂 — Rami – e/acc (@ramiabih) September 4, 2024 By expanding to London, Neko Health is taking a step toward broadening access to preventative healthcare and reshaping the traditional approach to medical treatment by focusing on early detection and personalized health insights. For more news and trends, visit AI News on our website.
This is the company’s first expansion outside of its home market in Sweden, where it has already opened two clinics in Stockholm.
– Five scan… pic.twitter.com/ENeHMLPEhw
Each session includes an in-person consultation with a doctor to review the data. The company is coming to the UK after a successful start in Stockholm, where it scanned 2,707 people in its first year of operation.
The name “Neko” is derived from the Japanese word for “cat,” referring to the idea that cats have nine lives, a metaphor for the company’s aim to offer “lucky breaks” for their users through early detection and prevention.
I don’t understand how in 2024 this is not something we all do on a regular basis. I always feel like I have to beg or find justifications to get a bloodwork.
Once inside, patients are guided through a streamlined process. An assistant takes initial notes before leading them into a room where they change into a robe and slippers.
The entire experience takes less than an hour, after which patients consult with a doctor to discuss the findings. Neko focuses on identifying risks and encouraging proactive prevention rather than merely treating existing conditions.
Ek, freshly after Spotify’s IPO and seeking a new challenge, offered to fund a startup with Nilsonne at the helm, despite neither having a medical background.
This collaboration led to five years of developing prototypes for physical clinics and their accompanying data analysis software.
Despite launching in Sweden, a country known for its comprehensive socialized medicine. Neko Health has found strong demand. The company managed to attract a waiting list of thousands and raised $60 million in funding last year.
While part of this interest could be attributed to Ek’s status as a successful entrepreneur, Nilsonne believes that Neko addresses a major gap in current healthcare systems, which are mostly focused on treating existing conditions rather than prevention.
Nilsonne points out that 75% of healthcare costs are directed towards treating chronic diseases, which are often preventable with early intervention.
He contrasts Neko’s frequent and comprehensive health checks with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) Health Check, which is available only once every five years to individuals aged 44 to 74 and covers a narrower range of tests without a consultation.
Nilsonne emphasizes that chronic diseases are increasingly appearing in younger individuals, with the average age of a Neko customer being under 44, underscoring the need for a proactive approach to health.
Do you guys provide some kind of dashboard? It would be great to make those checkups every 6 months, see progression, be able to share the dashboard with a GP and functional trainer, been thinking about this for a while
Similar companies, such as Zoi in France and Aware in Germany, operate in Europe, but the UK’s NHS offers a less frequent health check that does not include a detailed consultation to discuss results.
Neko Health aims to fill this gap by promoting early detection and ongoing health monitoring, especially for younger individuals who may not yet qualify for public health checks.
Neko Health, AI Health Startup from Spotify’s Daniel Ek, Launches in London!
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Digital marketing enthusiast by day, nature wanderer by dusk. Dave Andre blends two decades of AI and SaaS expertise into impactful strategies for SMEs. His weekends? Lost in books on tech trends and rejuvenating on scenic trails.Dave Andre
Digital marketing enthusiast by day, nature wanderer by dusk. Dave Andre blends two decades of AI and SaaS expertise into impactful strategies for SMEs. His weekends? Lost in books on tech trends and rejuvenating on scenic trails.
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Digital marketing enthusiast by day, nature wanderer by dusk. Dave Andre blends two decades of AI and SaaS expertise into impactful strategies for SMEs. His weekends? Lost in books on tech trends and rejuvenating on scenic trails.
