Jul 6, 2023

Sweden founded comoany, Neko Health has secured an impressive €60 million ($65.4 million) in venture capital, marking a significant stride towards global expansion. Renowned tech entrepreneur Niklas Zennstrom, co-founder of Skype, and Klaus Hommels, founder of Lakestar, are notable figures participating in the investment round. Ek’s involvement in Neko Health reflects his dedication to health innovation, a cause close to his heart. “I’ve spent more than 10 years exploring the untapped potential of health-care innovation,” Ek revealed in a recent statement. “We are dedicated to building a health-care system that focuses on prevention and patient care, aiming to serve not just our generation, but those that follow.” Neko Health’s USP lies in its proprietary, cutting-edge 3D scanner. Their clinics, equipped with this revolutionary technology alongside other diagnostic tools, offer comprehensive health checks. This 3D scanner integrates a variety of sensors that, when coupled with the company’s artificial intelligence software , can instantly identify potential skin conditions, such as abnormal moles, and provide crucial data related to cardiovascular health. In a recent interview, Neko Health’s CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne, proudly elaborated on their unique model, “We have our own nurses, doctors and specialists. We have dermatologists employed just to review the skin images. We have a doctor on site who can make qualified medical judgments for anything that comes up.” Neko Health’s first clinic, which opened in February in Stockholm, offers a full-body examination for €250. This 10-to-20-minute examination, followed by a doctor’s review, has already attracted more than a thousand customers. Nilsonne has noted that thousands more are on a waiting list, and around 80% of their current clientele have already prepaid for follow-up scans in a year’s time. With the spectre of Theranos’ downfall looming over health-tech startups, investor scrutiny is expected to be heightened. Nilsonne, however, remains unfazed, confident that Neko Health’s backers appreciate their transparent approach. Unlike Theranos, whose secretive practices led to its downfall, Neko Health operates with transparency at its core. “We’re pretty darn transparent about what we do and how it works,” Nilsonne confidently stated. Nilsonne recalled that Ek reached out to him in 2018, around the time of Spotify’s IPO, expressing his desire to do something meaningful for the world. With Nilsonne’s previous company, Watty, being wound up, the timing was perfect to focus on a new venture in healthcare. The €60 million investment is set to propel Neko Health’s expansion to other European countries. The company’s website had recently posted a job opening for a doctor in London, indicating plans to establish a clinic in the UK despite Brexit concerns. Nilsonne explained their choice, “We’ve been told by so-called experts that with Brexit and everything, maybe the UK should be the last market we look at. But we feel different We would love to contribute to the UK. It’s a great country and we hope we will be able to do something there soon.” What sets Neko Health apart is not just its advanced diagnostic technology or team of dedicated medical professionals. Rather, it’s the vision of its co-founders, Ek and Nilsonne, who wish to transform healthcare to focus more on prevention and patient care. With their transparent approach, ground-breaking technology, and now, a considerable financial boost, Neko Health is well on its way to redefine the future of healthcare. Time will tell how their journey unfolds, but one thing is certain: their dedication to providing top-notch healthcare services that cater to future generations is unshakeable. In this venture, Ek has successfully intertwined the worlds of technology and healthcare, proving once again that the tech industry’s capacity to innovate and make a significant social impact extends far beyond the realms of entertainment and communication. Neko Health stands as a beacon of hope, demonstrating how technology can be utilised to enhance patient care, improve diagnostics, and potentially, save lives. While the global expansion of Neko Health, starting with a move into the UK, presents new challenges, it also opens up opportunities for this revolutionary service to reach more people. Nilsonne, Ek, and their team are poised to bring a new standard of healthcare to the world, one scan at a time. Related Articles