Liverpool star Cody Gakpo has invested in a company which is using AI to build a ‘European health operating system’.
The Dutchman, who played in the 4-1 FA Cup victory over Barnsley at Anfield on Monday night, has joined several other angel investors into Zurich-based Ahead Health.
The $6 million seed round was led by RTP Global, with VC firms Tiny.VC and Pareto 20 also participating. Prominent entrepreneurs joining the round include Kai Eberhardt (Oviva), Stef van Grieken (Cradle), Sara Hürlimann (Zahnarztzentrum), Thomas Wolf (Hugging Face) and Michiel Bakker (DeepMind).
It will be used to expand Ahead around Europe as it looks to develop tests to catch diseases or health conditions before they cause problems.
Founded in 2024 by ex-Google executives, medical doctors and HealthTech builders, Ahead Health combines preventive check-ups such as MRI scans, advanced blood tests, and CT-scans into a single platform to democratise access to sophisticated preventative healthcare.
It translates complex biomarkers (naturally occurring indicators in the body which can indicate disease) into personalised, actionable insights. This can lead to detection of conditions like cancer, brain disease, endometriosis, and cardiovascular issues years earlier than traditional healthcare.
Ahead Health’s full-body MRI scan and blood tests take just 30 minutes, result in a personalised health plan, and the entire process is digital and seamless.
It has already partnered with leading clinics in Switzerland and Germany and claims to have helped 25% of its customers find previously unknown health issues.
“Well-analysed data for preventative health purposes is already making a massive difference, with 25% of those who have used our services discovering a medical issue that was previously unknown to them,” said Nick Lenten, CEO and co-founder at Ahead Health.
“Next to that, we also uncover more longevity-focused insights – for instance when our MRI analysis pinpointed the root cause of my own nagging lower back pain, which then allowed me to treat the issue.
“We’re thrilled to welcome new investment as we enter a new stage of growth and many more people will experience such relief as a result. We all want to be able to lift our grandkids when we’re 70, and early detection is the key.”
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