Platos Health, a Lagos-based health-tech startup that allows people to monitor their body fat and other health metrics from the comfort of their homes, has raised a $1.4 million pre-seed round to scale its AI-driven metabolic health platform, Platos Monitor.
Google for Startups led the round, with participation from Invest International and a group of angel investors from Google, Tesla, and Unicredit. The company will use the funding to roll out its hardware medical-grade device, Platos Body Monitor, in Nigeria.
Launched in 2020 by Joseph Fakayode, Platos Health is a preventive health platform that allows users to monitor their metabolic health from the comfort of their homes using a medical-grade device, Platos Body Monitor. The device provides personalized health insights by measuring key metrics such as heart rate, weight, body mass index (BMI), fat levels (including both visceral and subcutaneous fat), and hydration status. Users can track up to 49 quantifiable indicators that comprehensively show their overall health status.
The Platos platform comes with Platos Monitor Software and is available on Android, iOS, and the web. The software also integrates well with popular health ecosystems like Apple Health and Google Health Connect, allowing users to consolidate all their health data in one place. Platos Body Monitor, which is distributed through 300 pharmacies—including Medplus, Justrite, and Alpha Pharmacy—across Nigeria, is priced between ₦80,000 ($50) and ₦120,000 ($80).
Platos is among the Nigerian healthcare startups helping to address the country’s rising burden of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. With about 30% of Nigerian adults now living with at least one chronic condition and more than 8 million diagnosed with diabetes, the need for innovative, accessible solutions has never been more important. Nigeria’s severe shortage of medical professionals—just 500 cardiologists for over 200 million people—and the ongoing exodus of doctors further strain the health system. By leveraging technology to empower individuals to monitor and manage their health, startups like Platos are filling critical gaps in care, making preventive and chronic disease management more accessible and effective for millions.
The company believes this is a $30 million market opportunity. However, it will have to fend off established competitors like Omron, whose medical devices have decades of clinical validation and are widely recommended by healthcare professionals globally.
However, Platos has scored some early wins. The platform, which makes money primarily from the sale of its devices, claims 33% of its users achieved clinically significant weight loss within three months, and 59.4% of users in a recent survey said they’d be disappointed without Platos.
Unlike competitors—Omron, Withings, Fitbit, and Qardio—which focus on measuring health data primarily for people already diagnosed with illnesses such as cardiovascular risk or hypertension, Platos targets both the visibly ill and the millions of Africans living with hidden fat and undiagnosed metabolic risk. Platos helps users to identify and address silent threats before they escalate, shifting the focus from reactive care to proactive prevention.
When asked about its choice to launch in Nigeria, the startup points to these gaps in care and prevention. “We saw a gap. Health isn’t just clinical; it’s personal,” Fakayode said. “Platos Monitor brings that power to Nigerians first.”
Platos also uses Google’s Gemini to provide users with personalized insights and health summaries, such as distinguishing between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fat. Fakayode says these tools help users manage weight, improve metabolic health, prevent disease, and address age-related muscle loss. The Platos software is designed for urban women and health-conscious men, groups often affected by poor diet and inactivity.
With the fresh funding, Platos is ramping up research and expansion efforts. The company works with scientific advisors, including Professor Hanno Pijl, an expert in metabolic health and lifestyle medicine, and Dr. Jimoh Itopa, to study how diet affects body fat and metabolism. These initiatives draw on research by Dr. William Li, whose work focuses on the body’s natural defense systems, as Platos seeks to build a more evidence-based approach to preventive health.
Although its devices currently cost more than Nigeria’s minimum wage ( ₦70,000 or $43.56), Platos is betting that it can capture the majority of Nigeria’s high-income-earning households. But if history is any guide, today’s luxury could become tomorrow’s necessity. For Platos, the real test will be whether it can turn a premium product into a mass-market prescription for better health before the next silent epidemic hits.
