Swedish well being tech startup Neko Well being has a lofty imaginative and prescient: to create a healthcare system that helps individuals keep wholesome by way of preventive measures and early detection.
“In at this time’s major care system, docs don’t have the time or assets to deal with prevention of illness. Typically, well being points should not detected till a affected person develops extra severe signs, main to private struggling and high-cost remedies. It’s extra vital than ever to concentrate to the significance of early detection and preventative care,” stated Neko CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne.
Buyers appear to be assured that Neko, which produces medical scanning know-how, can advance itself towards attaining that mission. The corporate not too long ago raised €60 million (about $65.8 million) in Collection A financing. The funding spherical was led by Lakestar, with participation from Atomico and Basic Catalyst.
This marks the primary time that the startup has introduced in exterior capital. The corporate was based in 2018 by Nilsonne and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek — they selected the identify Neko as a result of it’s the Japanese phrase for cat.
“Cats, throughout varied cultures, have been symbols of well being and wellbeing. The truth is, in lots of cultures there’s a perception that cats have 9 lives and might narrowly keep away from seemingly disastrous conditions,” Nilsonne defined.
Neko’s medical scanning know-how goals to conveniently and affordably accumulate intensive well being information to help docs in catching illnesses early. The startup’s scan takes about 10 minutes, and it’s all the time adopted by a session with a doctor. It’s meant to help docs in detecting illnesses together with pores and skin situations, pores and skin most cancers, heart problems, diabetes and different metabolic syndromes.
The know-how makes use of greater than 70 sensors to gather 50 million information factors in minutes, the corporate claims. It additionally says that its scans can detect extremely refined modifications within the physique, reminiscent of pores and skin modifications as small as 0.2 millimeters (lower than 0.008 inches).
“Neko Well being doesn’t use MRI, CTs or different such applied sciences — we now have developed our personal medical gadget with the aim of providing an inexpensive and exact well being evaluation. We function these gadgets in our personal clinics, combining medical research with medical workflows, to offer the best high quality expertise, each for the affected person and by way of medical high quality,” Nilsonne declared.
The corporate operates two clinics in Stockholm — one is a scanning middle, and the opposite is a major care clinic that serves the general public. Sufferers are charged €250 (about $275) for a scan and private session with a doctor.
“The motivation for preventative care is missing in at this time’s healthcare system and therefore, our preliminary focus is shoppers,” a Neko spokesperson added.
Nilsonne stated that Neko is “wanting intently on the U.S. market.” The startup finds this market “very intriguing” however it doesn’t have a timeline for when its scans will grow to be accessible stateside, he defined.
However Neko isn’t the one startup on a mission to offer fast, whole-body scans that assist docs discover illnesses earlier. There’s additionally Prenuvo, which raised $70 million in October. Neither Nilsonne nor Neko’s media spokesperson responded to questions on how the corporate differentiates itself from rivals reminiscent of this.
Picture: Neko Well being
