Dineout Founders Secure $4.5M to Launch "The Medical Travel Company"

The powerhouse entrepreneurial team that built and sold the restaurant tech platform Dineout—Ankit Mehrotra, Sahil Jain, Nikhil Bakshi, and Vivek Kapoor—is back. The founders have launched their new venture, The Medical Travel Company, and have hit the ground running with a substantial $4.5 million seed funding round from top-tier venture firm Nexus Venture Partners. Their mission: to tackle the critical issue of healthcare accessibility by creating a seamless and trustworthy platform for medical tourism, initially focusing on the UK-to-India corridor.

The Problem: A Tale of Two Health Systems

This venture is born from a stark global disparity. In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service (NHS), while a cherished institution, is buckling under immense pressure. Patients often face agonizingly long waiting lists for elective but life-changing surgeries like hip replacements, knee surgeries, and certain cardiac procedures—sometimes waiting for years.

Meanwhile, India has cultivated a world-class private healthcare ecosystem. It is home to a significant number of JCI-accredited hospitals (the global gold standard) like Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, and Max Healthcare. These institutions feature state-of-the-art technology and highly skilled, English-speaking doctors, often trained in the UK or US. Crucially, the cost of procedures in India can be anywhere from 60-90% lower than in the West, without compromising on quality.

More Than a Directory: A Platform Built on Trust

The Medical Travel Company is not just a listing website; it's a high-touch, managed marketplace designed to handle the complexities and anxieties of cross-border healthcare. The founders are leveraging their deep experience from Dineout in building a trusted, large-scale consumer platform. Their model is built on several key pillars:

• Rigorous Curation: The platform partners with a select, heavily vetted network of Indian hospitals and surgeons, ensuring the highest standards of quality and patient safety.
• End-to-End Concierge Service: They manage the entire patient journey—from initial medical consultations and visa processing to flights, accommodation, hospital admission, and post-operative follow-ups.
• Transparent, Bundled Pricing: Patients receive a clear, all-inclusive quote upfront, eliminating the risk of hidden costs and financial surprises.

"We learned at Dineout that trust is the most important currency. For medical travel, that's amplified a hundredfold. We are building a bridge of trust between patients in need and India's world-class healthcare providers." - Ankit Mehrotra, Co-founder.

The Road Ahead: A Global Vision

The $4.5 million in seed funding from Nexus Venture Partners is a powerful validation. Nexus is betting on a proven team tackling a massive, fragmented global market ripe for technological disruption. The initial focus on the UK-India corridor is a strategic starting point. The company plans to use this capital to build out its technology platform, expand its network of hospital partners, and establish a strong brand presence in the UK.

Looking ahead, the model is eminently scalable. The platform could expand to serve patients from the US, Canada, and the Middle East, and broaden its scope to include wellness, dental, and cosmetic procedures. This venture is not just building a potentially huge business; it is poised to significantly boost India's standing as a premier global healthcare destination, delivering high-quality medical care to those who need it most.