Spotify billionaire’s body scan startup has come to America

Spotify co‑founder David Ek and entrepreneur Hjalmar Nilsonne have launched their health‑tech venture Neko Health in the United States, opening its first U.S. clinic in New York on October 13. The company offers a one‑hour body‑scan that combines blood analysis, skin imaging and metabolic assessment, using advanced computer‑vision and AI to deliver a suite of biomarkers—55 in the latest iteration, up from 15 in earlier versions. Neko Health, which was founded in Sweden and has raised close to $1 billion, already boasts a global waitlist exceeding 300,000 people. The service costs $500 per scan, a fee that is not covered by insurance but can be paid from Health Savings Accounts.

Investor Farooq Abbasi of Preface Ventures, who has personally undergone the scan twice, told TechCrunch that the startup could reshape preventative medicine in a country where such care is underutilised because of cost concerns. Abbasi highlighted that the U.S. healthcare system’s fragmented nature makes affordable, accessible screening crucial, and he sees Neko’s model as a way to provide “actionable insights” rather than a fleeting wellness trend. He noted the rapid evolution of the product’s diagnostic depth and argued that AI‑driven tools like Neko’s are central to improving medical outcomes, while also acknowledging the hurdles the company faces in scaling operations and securing regulatory clearance across the United States.

Looking ahead, Abbasi expressed optimism that Neko Health will expand to multiple locations nationwide, envisioning clinics in many cities to meet the growing demand. He believes further venture capital will flow into companies that can address systemic healthcare inefficiencies, and he contends that no aspect of the system is beyond repair. While the firm still must navigate U.S. regulatory pathways and prove its model at scale, its entry into the market signals a broader push toward technology‑enabled, preventive health services that could alter how Americans approach routine medical care.

⚡ Effects Interpreter