Contact Lens That Reads Tears? Neko Health Bets $700M on It

Neko Health raised $700M to fund trials for a smart contact lens that reads biomarkers from tears.

29 Jul 2026

Swedish preventive health startup Neko Health has raised a landmark $700 million Series C round to advance clinical trials for a medical-grade smart contact lens that analyzes biomarkers in human tears. Co-founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, the company is betting that routine diagnostics can move from the lab to a device patients barely notice wearing. Nelson Advisors said the funding reflects growing confidence in non-invasive health monitoring.

The idea is deceptively simple. Tears contain a wealth of biological information, and embedding biosensors inside a contact lens could allow continuous monitoring without needles, skin patches, or frequent clinic visits. For people managing chronic eye conditions, that could mean earlier detection and far less disruption to daily life.

Remote healthcare has expanded rapidly since the pandemic, yet many wearable devices still rely on skin-based sensors with practical limits. A lens positioned directly on the eye offers access to biomarkers that are difficult to capture elsewhere. If clinical trials confirm its performance, physicians could gain a more accurate and comfortable way to monitor patients over time.

The implications stretch well beyond healthcare providers. Companies across digital health, medtech manufacturing, and medical supply chains will be watching closely as Neko Health moves through clinical validation, the key step toward regulatory approval in Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Success would open the door to broader adoption of non-invasive diagnostics and could reshape how routine biomarker screening is delivered.

With $700 million now backing its clinical program, Neko Health has the resources to move from an ambitious prototype toward a regulated medical device. The road to approval remains demanding, but the direction is becoming clear. Wearable diagnostics are entering a new phase, and patients with chronic or complex conditions may be among the first to benefit.