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Cricketers Ben Stokes, KL Rahul Back $4.5 Million Bet to Fix Broken Medical Tourism
Introduction
The founders of Dineout, Ankit Mehrotra and Sahil Jain, are back with a bold new idea — and they’ve already raised $4.5 million to make it happen.
Their new venture, The Medical Travel Company, aims to transform how people access elective medical treatments. With long wait times crippling the UK’s public healthcare system, the startup offers British patients a faster, more affordable option: high-quality surgeries and procedures in India — with all the comfort, care, and continuity of local treatment.
And their vision has attracted big names — from venture capitalists to cricketing superstars like Ben Stokes, KL Rahul, and Jofra Archer.
Who’s Behind This Disruptive Startup?
Ankit Mehrotra and Sahil Jain are no strangers to building consumer businesses at scale. They previously co-founded Dineout, a leading restaurant-tech platform that was acquired by Swiggy.
Now, they’re taking on a different kind of challenge — medical travel. Their goal is to fix the broken system of cross-border healthcare by making it safe, seamless, and supported at every stage.
Their new venture is based out of both the UK and India, giving them a strategic advantage in both sourcing demand and delivering care.
Backed by Cricketers and Top VCs
The seed funding round raised $4.5 million and was led by Nexus Venture Partners.
Also investing were:
- Kriscore Capital
- 4CAST, a collective founded by Ben Stokes, KL Rahul, and Jofra Archer
- Angel investors including Sriharsha Majety (Swiggy), Abhishek Goyal (Tracxn), Dr. Ritesh Malik (Innov8), Manish Vij (Smile Group), and Arjun Vaidya (V3 Ventures)
- Funds like 1947 Rise Fund and Peercheque
This mix of seasoned investors, successful founders, and global athletes shows just how wide the appeal of the idea is — and how big the potential market could be.
The Big Problem: Long Wait Times in the UK
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is currently overwhelmed. Over 7.7 million people are waiting for elective procedures — many of them for months or even years. These are not emergencies but essential surgeries like joint replacements, cataract operations, or diagnostic scans that directly affect quality of life.
Private care in the UK can be prohibitively expensive, and flying abroad for treatment often means navigating confusing systems, hidden costs, and poor aftercare. Patients are left on their own once they return home.
This is where The Medical Travel Company steps in.
What The Medical Travel Company Offers
The startup aims to create a full-stack, end-to-end medical travel experience that’s safe, affordable, and transparent. Here’s what sets them apart:
1. Access to World-Class Indian Healthcare
Patients in the UK can choose from JCI- and NABH-accredited hospitals in India. These institutions meet international standards and are staffed by experienced, globally trained doctors.
2. Oversight by UK Doctors
To ensure medical continuity and peace of mind, UK-based doctors oversee treatment plans and offer consultation before and after the procedure.
3. All-Inclusive Packages
The company manages everything — flights, visas, accommodation, surgery, aftercare, and even rehabilitation. There are no hidden fees.
4. Insurance That Works in the UK
They provide a 12-month post-treatment insurance plan that covers patients once they’re back in the UK — something almost unheard of in medical tourism.
5. End-to-End Digital Platform
An integrated patient portal will allow users to book consultations, track their recovery, and manage paperwork and insurance — all in one place.
Founders’ Vision: Rebuilding Medical Tourism from Scratch
Co-founder and CEO Sahil Jain described the industry as fundamentally broken. According to him, patients are often left to navigate fragmented care systems, suffer from lack of support, and face unpleasant surprises when it comes to pricing or post-op complications.
The Medical Travel Company, he says, is about reinventing this entire process — not just fixing it. By combining medical excellence in India with patient-first technology and UK oversight, the startup wants to give people a better, more reliable option.
Ankit Mehrotra adds that the team’s background in consumer tech helped them understand how to build trust at scale, something that’s crucial in the healthcare space.
Investor Confidence: Why They’re Betting Big
Nexus Venture Partners believes the medical tourism industry has massive untapped value — but needs a brand patients can trust. With a clear problem and a team experienced in building consumer-facing platforms, The Medical Travel Company checks all the right boxes.
Kriscore Capital echoed similar sentiments, highlighting how this startup not only bridges a crucial healthcare gap but also showcases India’s capabilities in global health services.
From the athlete-turned-investor side, Ben Stokes shared that 4CAST was set up to support innovative businesses with strong founders — and this investment fits that mission perfectly.
KL Rahul, who grew up in India, expressed excitement about promoting the country’s world-class healthcare system and helping build a bridge for international patients seeking better treatment options.
What’s Next for The Medical Travel Company?
With the $4.5 million seed funding in place, the startup plans to:
- Enhance its digital patient management platform
- Expand clinical partnerships with top hospitals and specialists across India
- Grow operations in the UK through clinics, partnerships, and patient support systems
- Prepare for global expansion, targeting the US, Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe over the next 3–4 years
The founders believe their model can be replicated in multiple countries facing similar healthcare backlogs, rising costs, and patient dissatisfaction.
Why This Matters
Access to quality, affordable healthcare is one of the most pressing issues in developed and developing countries alike. The Medical Travel Company is tackling this head-on by building a bridge between two healthcare systems — offering faster access to care without compromising safety or support.
If successful, this could set a new global benchmark for how medical tourism is done — and it could also cement India’s position as a world leader in healthcare delivery.
Conclusion
The Medical Travel Company is more than just a tech-driven platform. It’s a reimagining of what cross-border healthcare can look like — combining compassion, convenience, and clinical excellence.
With proven founders, smart money backing, and a pressing global need, it’s not just trying to fix medical tourism — it’s aiming to own it.
