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Signals Inbox·July 15, 2026·AI DevTools

Neko Health has raised $700 million to bring its one-hour preventive body scans to America, starting in New York. The bigger signal is not just the money. Neko has already completed more than 100,000 scans, has over 350,000 people registered, and reportedly quadrupled its valuation before opening a single US clinic.

Q1What actually happened?

Neko Health officially announced a $700 million Series C led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and co-led by O.G. Venture Partners. The company says it will use the money to open its first US clinics in New York and other cities during 2026.

Q2What does Neko actually scan?

This is not a traditional full-body MRI. Neko combines skin imaging, cardiovascular measurements, blood tests and metabolic checks during a one-hour visit. Its equipment captures millions of data points, then a clinician explains the results that same day. The goal is to spot risks before people feel sick.

Q3Why is a $700 million round so large?

Neko raised $260 million only 18 months ago. This new round is almost three times larger and reportedly values it near $7 billion, up from roughly $1.7 billion in January 2025. That is around a fourfold jump before the company has earned a single dollar from its biggest planned market.

Q4Is there real demand behind the valuation?

Yes, at least in Europe. Neko says more than 100,000 people have completed scans, compared with only 10,000 in early 2025. More than 350,000 people have registered for a scan, and roughly 75% of members book and prepay for another visit the following year. That repeat behavior is what makes this look more like a healthcare platform than a one-time novelty.

Q5How is this different from Prenuvo?

Prenuvo uses full-body MRI machines and charges around $2,500 for its main scan. Neko charges £299 in the UK and uses faster, custom-built sensors rather than MRI. Prenuvo can see deeper inside the body, while Neko focuses more on skin, heart, blood and circulation. Neko’s bet is that a cheaper annual check can reach far more people.

Q6Why launch in America now?

Neko recently received FDA clearance for two of its devices, removing an important regulatory barrier. America also has a huge private healthcare market and more willingness to pay directly for preventive tests. But it is a harder operating challenge. Neko must hire clinicians, build physical clinics and keep the same experience while expanding across several cities.

Q7So what is the real tension?

Neko has already proven that people will queue and come back for a polished annual health check. It has not yet proven that the model can scale across America without becoming slower, more expensive or medically messy. The $700 million round is funding that test. If New York works, Neko could turn preventive scanning from a luxury experiment into a repeatable consumer healthcare habit.