This is unlike any exam I’ve had at a doctor’s office before. I’m standing in front of an array of cameras wearing just my boxers, and a calm, disembodied female voice is giving me guidance: “We will start your scan by using 2-D, 3-D, and thermal cameras to create a detailed picture of your health from the outside.” Moments earlier, an IRL “medical operator” had taken my Neko waffled-robe and slippers and ushered me through the sliding door of the cylindrical chamber. “It will be very bright for a few seconds, so please close your eyes. Initiating in three, two, one.”
I’m bathed in warm light and there’s a synth swell sound effect with a note starting off low, peaking, then dropping, signaling the end of the scan. Later, I’ll discover that 1,596 of my skin markings have been identified and photographed and all my moles mapped. It feels as if I could be in the sick bay of the Starship Enterprise, but I’m actually in Soho, New York City, at the first American outpost of Neko.
Inside the Neko Health Center in New York City.
The Swedish start-up, cofounded by Spotify creator Daniel Ek, joins a crowded and disjointed preventive health care space where various companies are addressing various aspects of wellness. There are genetic-marker early-detection cancer tests like Galleri, and MRI-based imaging platforms like Prenuvo; services that deliver biological age tests and blood-marker-focused health programs; places like Canyon Ranch that feature medical-grade longevity retreats; and many concierge doctors such as Peter Attia, MD, who offer exercise-forward lifespan-enhancing programs. All attempt to address the same fundamental question: Will additional data give you peace of mind—as well as clearer guidelines—about your future health?
Neko is different in that it combines various aspects of many of the other services—radiation-free imaging, blood work for 50 biomarkers, cardiac testing, time with an actual doctor, and an easy-to-use app—all in 60 minutes in a brick-and-mortar space. “We’ve spent the last few years asking a simple question: What if a single visit could give you a more complete picture of your health, where it’s heading, and a clear plan from a medical professional to change what happens next?” says Neko cofounder and CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne. Launched in Sweden in 2023, and also available in England, Neko now has more than 100,000 members who have done the scan. Approximately 75 percent of people who do it once sign up for another scan in 12 months, according to Neko. Soho is just the beginning of Neko’s U.S. expansion. The company plans to open other locations in New York City, followed by openings in Miami, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco over the next year.
The exam room at Neko Health.
“Neko is a symptom of a market failure,” says Jordan Shlain, MD, a physician who runs Private Medical, a concierge health company with six locations across America. “Our health care system rewards specialty care because that is where the money is, and primary care—the part of medicine meant to know you and catch things early—has been starved for decades. Neko walks into that gap with beautiful technology and a one-hour visit, riding the wave of interest in prevention and longevity.” About the cost: It’s $499, approximately the same as a fancy steakhouse dinner for four or a quarter of the new Apple flip phone.
The Experience
The scan involves eight elements and starts with “Body and Skin” and the 3-D body mapping. After that, you put on your robe and lie down on the treatment table for a “Blood Assessment,” which tests for 50 biomarkers. The human medical operator does the blood draw, and you can follow along on a flat-screen TV that displays where you are in the process. In a Jetsons moment, the blood vials are sent via pneumatic dispatch tubes to the onsite lab for analysis.
