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Spotify Co-Founder & CEO Launches Neko Health, Scans Sell Out Quickly
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Spotify Co-Founder & CEO Launches Neko Health, Scans Sell Out Quickly

Neko Health space
Daniel Ek has transformed music streaming. Will he do the same for the healthcare industry?

Neko Health has officially launched, and its leaders say it’s finally ready to enter the market after four years of intense research and product development. 

Co-founded in 2018 by Hjalmar Nilsonne of Watty, an energy data company, and Daniel Ek, founder of Spotify, Neko Health is looking to course-correct modern healthcare while harnessing the power of technology. 

The duo may be the perfect match for such ambition: Nilsonne describes himself as an “engineer looking for trouble (to solve)” in his Twitter bio. Ek, who has transformed music streaming with Spotify, had previously revealed that he used his spare time to develop solutions for the current healthcare system.

Neko Health interior

With the launch of Neko Health, the Swedish health-tech company has the vision to craft a healthcare system that focuses on prevention and early detection, which it says requires a complete re-imagination of the patient experience and incorporates sensors and AI.

“Current healthcare systems and primary care processes were designed over half a century ago —and have barely changed since. In addition, the cost of healthcare has increased exponentially in the past few decades, and we need to find a way to reverse this trend,” said Ek. “I have long believed that the future of efficient and affordable healthcare lies in proactive, preventative care. We service and inspect our cars like clockwork every year, but wait until our bodies crash before we act? That doesn’t make sense.”

According to Neko Health’s LinkedIn page, the company currently has 11-50 employees.

To assist in its endeavors, the health-focused tech company has created medical scanning hardware that allows broad and non-invasive health data collection that it says is convenient and affordable. The scan is $140 for a limited time, with reports of the full price being roughly $190.

As Neko Health launched, it invited people to experience its Neko Body Scan and receive an extensive examination in its health center on Regeringsgatan 61 in central Stockholm. Unfortunately, at least for now, Neko Health has announced it has already sold out of its proprietary scans but is inviting interested participants to join a waiting list

The health-tech company says it currently scans for early signs of a growing number of conditions, including glaucoma and diabetes.

The Neko Body Scan is billed as non-invasive and quick, followed by an in-person consultation with a physician to discuss the results.

Unlike traditional medicine, where a patient may have to return for a follow-up visit to discuss their health testing, Neko Health says all diagnostic results are ready during the visit and is personalized to the patient, seamlessly tracking changes over time.

“Imagine a future where serious diseases are caught and prevented before they even have a chance to develop. With our technology and AI, that future is now a possibility. We have designed a potentially game changing healthcare experience that can be the basis of a new way of thinking about healthcare,” said Nilsonne, CEO and co-founder of Neko Health.

The tech company says its data collection is used in clinical studies, which are self-financed and carried out by its doctors in tandem with other clinics and institutions. Neko Health says it is voluntary to participate but notes that it’s a requirement for those who have a scan.

Neko Health confirms that three clinical studies are underway, Cardio Alpha, DermaFlow Alpha, and Spectrum 1. 

DermaFlow Alpha involves the skin and evaluating high-resolution multimodal imaging technology, 3D, and thermal images to assess screening and early disease detection. 

Cardio Alpha examines the suitability of new laser-radar-based tech to assess arterial stiffness and its ties to cardiovascular risk and disease.

Lastly, Spectrum 1 considers skin conditions that are affected or caused by microcirculation, which can also be affected by diabetes and autoimmune diseases. Neko Health says there are few opportunities to detect microcirculation issues early on. The trial will examine the capability of a study device that uses a projector to cast a light pattern on the skin, revealing composition and structure. 

Prior to the official launch of Neko Health, there was speculation that Ek had invested in the start-up in 2018, but the Spotify founder had never made a public comment on the matter.

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Last fall, Sifted was the first to reveal that Ek was indeed transitioning into the healthcare tech sector, secretly working on what is now Neko Health. 

Sifted cultivated its assertion based on documents, reviewing website information that was temporarily posted and then deleted, and even a trip to what is now Neko Health’s office.

It appears that healthcare and its tech-related possibilities have been on Ek’s mind for quite some time.

In a 2013 interview with Financial Times, the Spotify founder predicted that wearable technology would have a considerable impact. He shared that he was a devoted user of the self-monitoring capabilities, using both the Wii Fit Scale and the Fitbit sleep monitor. 

He also touched upon his criticism of the healthcare system.

“I think in 30 years we’re going to look back and say that the way doctors are treating us now is close to witchcraft,” he told the Financial Times, adding that he spends downtime contemplating how to fix what he called a “screwed-up” healthcare system.

In the same interview, Ek revealed that he reads PhD papers on genetics and DNA sequencing and remained elusive about his entering the healthcare sector. He told FT that it might take up to ten years to have the proper technology but hinted towards his rebellious spirit (and perhaps disenchantment) with the current state of affairs in medicine. 

“I’m not the inventor,” he told FT, “but I may be the person that’s dumb enough to go against the system and try to beat it on its own terms.”

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