The Future of Preventative MRI | The Further, Faster Podcast

Why It Matters

1 MRI demonstrates how private preventive imaging can fill gaps in public health systems, creating early‑diagnosis opportunities and opening a new, scalable market for health‑tech entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaways

• Whole-body MRI offers preventive screening for asymptomatic individuals
• 1 MRI identified serious conditions in 2‑3% of scans
• Scan costs $2,990, making it accessible beyond affluent market
• Founder leveraged existing radiology clinic to prototype full-body MRI service
• AI and rising health consciousness drive demand for preventive imaging

Summary

The Further Faster podcast features Andrew Barnes, co‑founder of 1 MRI, discussing the company’s whole‑body magnetic resonance imaging service as a preventive health tool. 1 MRI grew from a hobbyist experiment—buying an MRI machine after a viral Kim Kardashian post—to a structured business offering full‑body scans across 60 Australian locations. Barnes explains that the scans, priced at $2,990, detect serious conditions in roughly 2‑3 % of asymptomatic customers, enabling treatment years earlier than typical symptom onset. The service relies on a proprietary imaging protocol developed with in‑house radiographers, ensuring quality without manufacturing the hardware. He cites stories of patients who would otherwise have flown overseas for similar scans, highlighting early‑detection cases such as cancers and aneurysms that changed treatment outcomes. The venture’s origin—tinkering in a Brisbane clinic—illustrates how unmet demand can evolve into a scalable health‑tech business. The broader implication is a shift toward preventive diagnostics, driven by growing health awareness and AI‑enhanced analysis. As research validates MRI screening’s cost‑effectiveness, public insurers may eventually subsidize it, expanding market reach and reshaping early‑intervention strategies.

Original Description

In this episode of The Further, Faster podcast, Bede Moore speaks with Andrew Barnes, Co-Founder of Go1 about his pivot into health-tech with OneMRI.

The venture began when Andrew and co-founder Vu Tran "tinkered" by purchasing an MRI machine, only to face a surge of interest after a viral Kim Kardashian post. This revealed a massive gap in the medical system for proactive, radiation-free screening capable of identifying over 500 conditions.

Andrew discusses the "first principles" approach to developing scanning protocols and his belief that patient agency is the next frontier in medicine.

Andrew outlines a bold vision for taking this Australian innovation to the global stage with support from investors like Antler.

Follow on Spotify:

https://to.antler.co/podcast

Subscribe to Antler:

https://www.youtube.com/@AntlerGlobal

Find out more about Antler:

https://to.antler.co/4cFj1SP

Apply to join our next cohort:

https://to.antler.co/4sHRjKU

More links & resources:

https://linktr.ee/antler.global

This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, tax, or investment advice. It does not constitute an invitation or recommendation to purchase or subscribe for, and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision in; any Antler fund, or any other investment or instrument.

About Antler 🚀

Antler is where exceptional founders come to go further, faster. Join our community of world-class talent and dedicate yourself to the most meaningful work of your life — building the next category-defining company.

#startupjourney #venturecapital #buildwithantler