Swedish well being tech startup Neko Well being has a lofty imaginative and prescient: to create a healthcare machine that is helping other folks keep wholesome via preventive measures and early detection.

“In as of late’s number one care machine, docs do not need the time or assets to concentrate on prevention of illness. Frequently, well being problems don’t seem to be detected till a affected person develops extra severe signs, main to private struggling and high-cost therapies. It’s extra vital than ever to concentrate on the significance of early detection and preventative care,” mentioned Neko CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne.

Buyers appear to be assured that Neko, which produces clinical scanning generation, can advance itself towards attaining that project. The corporate lately raised €60 million (about $65.8 million) in Sequence A financing. The investment spherical was once led through Lakestar, with participation from Atomico and Common Catalyst.

This marks the primary time that the startup has introduced in exterior capital. The corporate was once based in 2018 through Nilsonne and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek — they selected the title Neko as a result of it’s the Eastern phrase for cat.

“Cats, throughout quite a lot of cultures, had been symbols of well being and wellbeing. If truth be told, in lots of cultures there’s a trust that cats have 9 lives and will narrowly steer clear of reputedly disastrous eventualities,” Nilsonne defined.

Neko’s clinical scanning generation targets to very easily and cheaply acquire intensive well being information to assist docs in catching illnesses early. The startup’s scan takes about 10 mins, and it’s all the time adopted through a session with a doctor. It’s supposed to lend a hand docs in detecting illnesses together with pores and skin stipulations, pores and skin most cancers, heart problems, diabetes and different metabolic syndromes. 

The generation makes use of greater than 70 sensors to gather 50 million information issues in mins, the corporate claims. It additionally says that its scans can locate extremely delicate adjustments within the physique, similar to pores and skin adjustments as small as 0.2 millimeters (lower than 0.008 inches).

“Neko Well being does no longer use MRI, CTs or different such applied sciences — we’ve advanced our personal clinical instrument with the objective of providing an inexpensive and actual well being overview. We perform those units in our personal clinics, combining scientific research with scientific workflows, to give you the absolute best high quality enjoy, each for the affected person and when it comes to clinical high quality,” Nilsonne declared.

The corporate operates two clinics in Stockholm — one is a scanning heart, and the opposite is a number one care medical institution 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 as of late’s healthcare machine and therefore, our preliminary center of attention is customers,” a Neko spokesperson added.

Nilsonne mentioned that Neko is “having a look intently on the U.S. marketplace.” The startup reveals this marketplace “very intriguing” nevertheless it doesn’t have a timeline for when its scans will change into to be had stateside, he defined.

However Neko isn’t the one startup on a project to supply fast, whole-body scans that lend a hand docs in finding illnesses previous. There’s additionally Prenuvo, which raised $70 million in October. Neither Nilsonne nor Neko’s media spokesperson replied to questions on how the corporate differentiates itself from competition similar to this.

Picture: Neko Well being