The UK is facing a growing healthcare crisis. While the NHS remains a global leader in acute care, it struggles to provide preventive support at scale. With 65% of preventable deaths linked to avoidable causes, and 37% of cancer cases only discovered at A&E, it’s clear that proactive, personalised care is sorely lacking. Many millennials also feel dismissed when raising concerns, pointing to a gap not just in care but in communication. Emerald preventive health platform integrates AI, diagnostics, and GP access to offer people a smarter way to manage their wellbeing—before illness strikes. Designed to empower healthy individuals who want to stay ahead of potential issues, Emerald provides continuous support through comprehensive biomarker testing, wearable integrations, and longitudinal insights.
The London-based startup just came out of stealth with £625,000 in pre-seed funding. Backers include top European founders and operators like Mart Abramov (ex-Wise), Mike Benchimol (ex-Checkout.com), Jane Austin (ex-Babylon Health), and VC partners investing personally. Professional athletes, including Patrick Bamford, also participated. The funding signals strong belief in the future of digital health, especially as UK healthtech investment soared to £3.8B in 2023.
“We’re seeing a generation that’s deeply health-conscious but navigating it in silos,” said co-founder and CEO Alexander Badalyan. “People are tracking sleep, stress, exercise, nutrition—but no one is helping them connect the dots. That’s where Emerald steps in. We make sense of it all, and we give people a plan.”
How the Emerald Preventive Health Platform Works
Emerald’s mission is simple: help people take control of their health before symptoms emerge. The platform combines blood and urine testing, AI analysis, lifestyle tracking, and GP-guided insights into one seamless experience. Users receive a full report on over 115 biomarkers, with AI-generated risk assessments and actionable recommendations. This is followed by direct access to Emerald’s GP team, who provide advice, support, and referrals when needed.
Rather than building its own clinics like full-stack rivals, Emerald takes an asset-light approach by partnering with hundreds of diagnostic centres across the UK. This enables rapid growth without the burden of infrastructure. Users can complete their health check in under 10 minutes, then access an ongoing personalised plan via Emerald’s platform.
The founding team blends tech, medical, and fintech experience. Badalyan previously built Mashroom, a proptech startup; CTO Anton Shchipanov worked at Revolut; and Head of AI Nazar Beknazarov trained large language models at Toloka. Clinical strategy is led by Dr Dan McNally, who previously published London’s first 28-day COVID mortality study and now guides medical governance at Emerald.
Originally envisioned as a premium credit card platform offering health perks, the concept quickly evolved. “We thought people wanted perks like Amex wellness benefits,” said Badalyan. “But during interviews, we realised people weren’t asking for extras—they were expressing real, unmet health needs.”
Since its invite-only Alpha launch, Emerald has helped users detect early warning signs of cardiovascular disease, thyroid issues, and metabolic imbalances. With thousands already on the waitlist, the public Beta is now rolling out, offering users ongoing GP access, wearables integration, and AI-powered recommendations.
“Most online services focus on one issue—skin, fertility, diabetes,” said Dr McNally. “We begin with the full picture and guide users forward from there.”
Redefining the Future of Preventive Care
Emerald’s 12-month membership includes two comprehensive health screenings, continuous AI analysis, real-time GP chat, and integration with wearables and past lab results. It’s not just about data—it’s about insight, action, and accountability.
With early adopters including Team GB athletes, healthcare professionals, and venture capitalists, Emerald is already proving its appeal across a wide demographic. As it scales, the company plans to build evidence for integration with private insurers and, eventually, NHS systems.
“Our goal is to become the default platform for proactive health management—globally scalable, medically rigorous, and truly patient-centric,” said Badalyan.
By shifting the healthcare model from reactive to preventive, Emerald is positioning itself at the forefront of a growing movement. As people seek more control over their health, platforms like Emerald preventive health platform are set to lead the way—bridging technology, medical expertise, and user empowerment.
