Neko Health opens its first American branch in New York as body-scanning investments accelerate

Body-scanning technology company Neko Health is preparing to launch its US expansion with the opening of its first American office and center on September 24, selecting Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, known as a luxury retail hub, at 300 Lafayette Street. The move comes in response to growing consumer interest, with the company reporting that more than 25,000 New York City residents have already joined the waiting list to try its preventative health scans once available.

Neko Health was founded by Spotify co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek alongside Hjalmar Nilsonne, who serves as the company's chief executive officer. The company has developed proprietary body-scanning technology that pairs direct physical scans with detailed blood tests and integrates data from fitness wearables to create a comprehensive health assessment for individuals.

Neko Health draws on an operational track record spanning existing locations in the United Kingdom and Sweden, where more than 100,000 people have undergone scans at its centers.The company backed its expansion plans with a $700 million Series C funding round closed last month. Its move into the US market reflects a noticeable increase in health-scanning companies founded by tech entrepreneurs or backed directly by venture capital funds.

The trend is evident across several initiatives in the sector, including the entry of AI research lab Midjourney, known for its image and video generation model and platform, into health hardware through the development of its own body scanner. Midjourney plans to integrate the scanner into a comprehensive wellness retreat experience, with its first facility scheduled to open in San Francisco in 2027. In parallel, Tony Robbins and Peter Diamandis own Fountain Life, a longevity company that provides diagnostic scans and preventative medical evaluations.

Partnerships and non-traditional funding models are helping accelerate the rollout of comprehensive screening services to consumer markets.A prominent example is Function Health, co-founded by physician and health podcaster Dr. Mark Hyman, which offers blood testing and added full-body scans following its acquisition of startup Ezra. Function Health also bolstered its finances with a $450 million loan from General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund, a financing model in which companies repay capital through revenue-sharing arrangements, highlighting the diverse investment avenues funding the health-screening sector.