Neko Health Launches in New York, Bringing Body Scan Startup to U.S.
Neko Health, co-founded by Spotify's David Ek, has launched in New York with a $500 one-hour body scan and a 300,000-person global waitlist.
The company’s scan uses advanced technology to screen for issues in the blood, skin, and metabolism. Neko charges $500 for a one-hour scan, according to TechCrunch. The scan is not covered by insurance, but it should qualify as an acceptable expense for people with health savings accounts. Neko is currently eyeing an expansion across the U.S.
TechCrunch interviewed Farooq Abbasi of Preface Ventures, an investor in Neko Health. Abbasi hopes the company can become the future of preventative medicine, particularly in the United States, where the medical system is known to be plagued with problems. He said preventative care utilization in the U.S. is low because people worry about its cost. “I think preventative care and healthcare should be cheap and accessible,” Abbasi said.
Abbasi has been scanned twice and said he loves the experience. “I think there should be Neko clinics everywhere,” he said. He added that the product has grown significantly since he first tried it. “In my generation one scan, it was a blood test with 15 biomarkers,” he said. “It was fifty-five this time.”
Neko also uses advanced computer vision in its scans, and Abbasi sees it as another example of how AI is improving the medical sector overall. He argued that Neko Health is not just another wellness fad, but something that provides people with “actionable insights to make their lives better,” he said.
Neko still has a long way to go in the U.S., especially on scaling and regulatory approval. Abbasi is optimistic, saying he hopes more venture dollars will pour into the right companies and that he does not think anything is too broken to fix.
Editor's Summary
Neko Health, a Swedish body-scan startup co-founded by Spotify’s David Ek, has opened in New York and says its global waitlist exceeds 300,000. Its $500 one-hour scan screens blood, skin and metabolism but is not covered by insurance; the company is eyeing a broader U.S. expansion. Investor Farooq Abbasi argues the service can support preventative care, though scaling and regulatory approval remain ahead.