Key Takeaways
- Neko Health raised $700M Series C led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, following a $260M Series B in January 2025
- The company is opening its first US location in New York, with 100,000+ scans completed and 350,000+ on the waitlist
- Midjourney is building a competing body scanner integrated into a San Francisco spa, opening in 2027
Neko Health, the preventive healthcare company co-founded by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, has raised $700 million in Series C funding to expand its body-scanning clinics to the United States. Lightspeed Venture Partners and O.G. Venture Partners led the round.
The funding arrives 18 months after Neko's $260 million Series B in January 2025, bringing total capital raised to roughly $1 billion. The company says it will use the money to open its first American clinic in New York City.
What does Neko Health actually scan?
Neko Health operates physical clinics where customers undergo a full-body scan using proprietary imaging technology. The company combines this with bloodwork to produce a comprehensive health assessment, checking for early signs of skin cancer, cardiovascular problems, and other conditions.
The company recently added body composition data for fitness enthusiasts. It can also integrate Apple Health information, which co-founder Hjalmar Nilsonne says gives Neko's medical staff real-world behavioral data to inform their assessments.
More than 100,000 people have completed scans at Neko's clinics in the UK and Sweden. Another 350,000 are either on a waitlist or have booked appointments. That backlog suggests strong consumer demand for preventive screening outside traditional healthcare systems.
Early detection in practice
The clearest proof of Neko's value proposition comes from Alex Tew, founder of the meditation app Calm. Tew posted on X that a Neko scan discovered a malignant mole on his back. He had it removed.
"I'm grateful to Neko for helping me discover this," Tew wrote. "I'm not sure how I would have otherwise." Skin cancer caught early is highly treatable; caught late, it kills. That single testimonial illustrates why investors keep writing large checks.
The US market opens up
New York will be Neko's first American location. The US market is both the largest opportunity and the most complicated. American healthcare is fragmented across insurers, providers, and regulators. Direct-to-consumer clinics face different rules in every state.
But the scale is enormous. Americans spend over $4 trillion annually on healthcare, and a growing slice of that is out-of-pocket spending on preventive services insurance won't cover. Concierge medicine, executive physicals, and biohacking clinics have all found paying customers.
Neko is entering a market that Forward Health abandoned in late 2024 after burning through $300 million. Forward tried to replace primary care with AI-powered pods. Neko's model is narrower: one scan, one assessment, no ongoing patient relationship. That focus may prove easier to scale.
Midjourney enters the same race
Neko isn't the only tech-adjacent company building body scanners. Midjourney, the AI lab behind the popular image and video generation tools, is developing its own scanner. The company plans to integrate it into a spa experience with hot tubs and saunas, opening in San Francisco sometime in 2027.
That's a different bet: wellness hospitality with a diagnostic layer, rather than a clinical service. Whether a spa environment produces the same medical rigor as Neko's clinics remains to be seen.
Who invested in this round?
Beyond lead investors Lightspeed and O.G. Venture Partners, the round included Atomico, General Catalyst, Lakestar, Liberty City Ventures, Positive Sum, and BDT & MSD. Several of these firms participated in earlier rounds, signaling continued conviction.
Lightspeed has been particularly active in healthtech, backing companies like Ro and Devoted Health. General Catalyst runs its own health system transformation initiative. These aren't tourists in healthcare; they know the sector's challenges.
Logicity's Take
Neko Health is making a $1 billion bet that people will pay out of pocket for preventive scans their insurance won't cover. That's worked in Europe, where 100,000 customers have already gone through the process. The US market is bigger but messier. Founders watching this space should note the narrow scope: Neko does one thing well, doesn't try to replace your doctor, and charges a premium for the convenience. That focus has let them scale faster than Forward Health ever could. The Midjourney entry is intriguing but unproven. Expect more consumer health startups to blur the line between wellness and diagnostics in 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much has Neko Health raised in total?
Approximately $1 billion, including a $700M Series C in July 2026 and a $260M Series B in January 2025.
Where is Neko Health opening in the US?
New York City will be the company's first American location.
What does a Neko Health scan include?
A full-body scan using proprietary imaging technology, bloodwork, body composition data, and optional Apple Health integration.
How many people have used Neko Health?
Over 100,000 people have completed scans. Another 350,000 are on a waitlist or have booked appointments.
Is Midjourney building a competing product?
Yes. Midjourney is developing a body scanner for a spa experience in San Francisco, expected to open in 2027.
Another major funding story reshaping an established industry
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Source: Startups | TechCrunch / Julie Bort
Manaal Khan
Tech & Innovation Writer
Produced with AI assistance and reviewed by the Logicity editorial team. Learn more in our Editorial Policy.
