[Neko Health](https://www.nekohealth.com/gb/en), a Stockholm-based company co-founded by [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/intl-de)'s Daniel Ek, received a significant investment, raising $260 million in a Series B round. The investment boosted the company's post-money valuation to $1.8 billion. The company is at the forefront of the body scanner market, capitalizing on consumers' interest in understanding and preventing health problems before they become serious.

This significant financial contribution will allow Neko to expand its operations into new markets, notably in the United States, and to further strengthen its diagnostic capabilities, possibly through acquisitions. In addition, to meet the growing demand for its services, the company plans to open new clinics. In a [conversation with TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/22/neko-the-body-scanning-startup-co-founded-by-spotifys-daniel-ek-snaps-up-260m-at-a-1-8b-valuation/), CEO Hjalmar Nilsonne said the company surreptitiously purchased another startup that creates sensors, improving Neko's ability to collect data, while the details of the deal are unknown.

With a rapidly growing waiting list of more than 100,000 people, up from 40,000 just months ago, Neko Health has successfully scanned and examined 10,000 patients at its Stockholm and London clinics. The demand for a creative approach to healthcare is clear, and Neko is well positioned to meet this demand by expanding its presence and continuing its pioneering work in the healthcare sector.

Lightspeed Venture Partners led the Series B fundraising, which included contributions from General Catalyst, O.G. Venture Partners, Rosello, Lakestar and Atomico. This follows a successful Series A round in 2023 that attracted $65 million from big-name investors such as Lakestar, Atomico and General Catalyst, as well as early seed funding from Prima Materia, which Daniel Ek also co-founded.

This increased investment comes at a time when the global healthcare industry is focusing on preventative care and adopting new technologies to better detect and manage health conditions. As Neko Health grows and innovates, it emerges as a pioneer in integrating technology and healthcare to provide proactive solutions that have the potential to transform the way health problems are predicted and prevented.

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Neko Health Secures $260M to Enhance Body Scanning Technology


###### January 21, 2025

Swiss scientists have developed a biodegradable living battery capable of powering environmental sensors. Environmental sensors are useful for collecting data, but they often experience power supply issues. The Swiss researchers' solution is a 3D printed biologically degradable battery.

This battery uses the metabolism of two different types of fungi to produce energy, acting like a microbial fuel cell. Between 300 and 600 millivolts, as reported [in the paper ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c05494), the efficiency is not particularly high, but it is enough to run a four-cell temperature sensor for two and a half days. Usually, environmental studies and agriculture use these sensors.

Since these fuel cells historically use bacteria, the technique isn't exactly new. But this invention, made by the team at [Empa's Cellulose and Wood Materials Laboratory](https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/fungal-biobattery), is the first time that two separate fungi have been used to produce a functional fuel cell. While the cathode uses a white rot fungus that produces an enzyme to transport electrons, the anode releases electrons using regular baker's yeast.

The creation procedure involves 3D printing an ink composed of cellulose and fungal cells, to which graphite flakes and carbon black are added for conductivity. To keep the material electrically conductive and biodegradable, this ink is designed to promote fungal growth and preserve cell viability.

By eating the extra sugar molecules and, once the sugar is depleted, the cellulose itself, mushrooms also contribute to battery breakdown. When water and nutrients are added, the cells wrapped in beeswax, which can be kept dry, become active.

In the future, the Empa team intends to study more species of fungi that may be suitable for this technology and improve the functionality and durability of their fungal battery. According to them, fungi have untapped potential in materials science that deserves to be studied in more depth.

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Swiss Researchers Develop Biodegradable Battery Powered by Fungi for Environmental Sensors


In an effort to advance cognitive robotics, the Metzingen, Germany-based robotics company [Neura Robotics](https://neura-robotics.com/) has raised €120 million in a Series B funding round. To challenge the dominance of China and the United States in the humanoid robotics industry, the company intends to use this money to improve the hardware and software development of its robots.

Blue Crest Capital Management, Volvo Cars Tech Fund, InterAlpen Partners, Vsquared Ventures, HV Capital, Delta Electronics, C4 Ventures, L-Bank and David Reger, founder and CEO of the company, all contributed to the investment campaign led by Lingotto Investment Management.

In order to strengthen its national presence and promote its still globally successful “Made in Germany” label, Neura Robotics, founded in 2019 and initially operated in China, [repatriated the majority of its production to Germany in 2024](https://www.heise.de/news/Roboterhersteller-holt-Fertigung-komplett-nach-Deutschland-9637687.html).

Unlike other companies that focus on robotic hardware or software, Neura Robotics stands out in the European market by producing both.

Five models are currently in the company's product line, including the MAiRA cognitive robotic arm, the MAV heavy-duty transport robot, and the MiPA humanoid robot, which is intended for healthcare but is not yet commercially available. The third generation of the 4NE-1 humanoid robot, already in its second iteration, is expected in 2026.

In terms of software, Neura Robotics offers Neuraverse, a cloud-based platform that allows customers to train robots and develop custom robotic applications, such as technology providers and specialized machine manufacturers.

With an order book of one billion euros and a workforce that has almost doubled to 300 people, Neura Robotics has recorded tenfold growth in its turnover in 2024.

With this additional funding, Neura Robotics is poised to scale up its robotics research and development activities, with a focus on software and hardware advancements. The company wants to launch new products based on Neuraverse.

In order to counterbalance the domination of the United States and China in this field, Neura Robotics wishes to establish itself in the lucrative and rapidly expanding sector of robotics, particularly with humanoid robots.

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Neura Robotics Raises €120 Million to Advance Humanoid Robotics and Challenge US-China Dominance

###### January 14, 2025

The UK had placed itself at the forefront of the debate over AI safety in 2023, highlighting its influence on international conversations about the dangers of AI . The tone has now radically changed. Yesterday, the government presented a comprehensive [investment plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-sets-out-blueprint-to-turbocharge-ai), promoting artificial intelligence as the cornerstone of a “decade of national renewal”.

Part of the “Plan for Change” are a record £14 billion ($17 billion) in commitments from private tech companies, expected to create 13,250 jobs, creating 'AI Growth Zones' to support AI infrastructure such as data centers and R\&D facilities, and significant investments in AI to improve public services.

Culham, in Oxfordshire, was highlighted in early announcements as the first of several AI growth areas. The UK Atomic Energy Authority and data centers managed by [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/de/free/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAs5i8BhDmARIsAGE4xHzMquvd_ge16adE1QWEz1RhMREqGBWYmfCrrDm2XC4rual0N6WV_HgaAq9OEALw_wcB\&trk=946a9192-9b37-44c7-8b34-dbfa59d5a000\&sc_channel=ps\&ef_id=Cj0KCQiAs5i8BhDmARIsAGE4xHzMquvd_ge16adE1QWEz1RhMREqGBWYmfCrrDm2XC4rual0N6WV_HgaAq9OEALw_wcB:G:s\&s_kwcid=AL!4422!3!455709741510!e!!g!!aws!10817378570!108173613722\&all-free-tier.sort-by=item.additionalFields.SortRank\&all-free-tier.sort-order=asc\&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Types=*all\&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Categories=*all) and [CloudHQ](https://www.cloudhq.net/g_suite) are located here. A new supercomputer project, a national data library for public data storage and use of AI, a twenty-fold increase in public computing capabilities and a new Energy Council to meet the energy demands of the AI are also included in the proposal. It is based on 50 proposals from venture capitalist Matt Clifford's July 2024 "[AI Opportunities Action Plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/artificial-intelligence-ai-opportunities-action-plan-terms-of-reference/artificial-intelligence-ai-opportunities-action-plan-terms-of-reference)." 

Given the significant impact artificial intelligence is expected to have, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has underlined the necessity of government engagement in the field. He said that considering the significance of this technology on a global scale, waiting is not an option. His strategy urges quick and forceful action to establish Britain as a leading AI nation.

In the UK, which remains the largest hub of technology investment in Europe and a major player in AI companies, this development comes at a pivotal moment between politics and technology. However, when it comes to producing major IT giants, the UK lags behind the US.

In the long term, the government wants to modernize the UK economy and strengthen its sovereignty. Reaction from the investment community has been largely supportive but cautious, recognizing the long-term work required for the strategy to succeed. All things considered, today's statements mark a bold but controversial shift in the UK's approach to AI, prioritizing technological leadership and economic growth over previous AI concerns about ethics and security.

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Neko Health Secures $260M to Enhance Body Scanning Technology

Swiss Researchers Develop Biodegradable Battery Powered by Fungi for Environmental Sensors

Neura Robotics Raises €120 Million to Advance Humanoid Robotics and Challenge US-China Dominance

UK Unveils Ambitious AI Strategy for National Advancement