UK (Commonwealth Union)_ Sri Lankan British doctor Ben Maruthappu, known formally as Mahiben Maruthappu MBE, has become one of the most recognized health-tech leaders in the UK. Born in London in 1988 to Sri Lankan Tamil parents, he built Cera into what is now the UK’s largest health-technology company, reporting around $500 million in annualized revenue by 2025. Cera delivers roughly 2.5 million home-care visits every month and is credited with saving the NHS close to £1 million a day through its technology-led model.
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Maruthappu’s path into entrepreneurship grew out of personal experience. After his mother suffered a serious fall that left her with a spinal fracture, he and his sister struggled to arrange consistent, reliable home care. The experience exposed what he saw as deep flaws in the system, gaps that affected countless families across the country. That frustration became the starting point for Cera, which he founded in 2016. The company initially launched a digital service that matched families with qualified carers and gave relatives real-time updates on a loved one’s progress.
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Before entering the start-up world, Maruthappu built an academic and medical career across several leading institutions. He studied preclinical medicine at Selwyn College, Cambridge, graduating with a triple first and running a number of student-led charities. He later completed his clinical training at Oxford’s Green Templeton College and went on to become a Kennedy Scholar in Global Health at Harvard University. His early medical career included posts at Ealing Hospital and Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, followed by specialist training in public health. He also served as a scholar at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, where he focused on improving surgical feedback systems.
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Under his leadership, Cera has grown rapidly. The company now employs over 10,000 carers and nurses and operates on a scale equivalent to all NHS A&E departments combined. Its services reach 30 million people through collaborations with governments, insurance, and the NHS. Beyond its size, Cera has distinguished itself by developing artificial intelligence systems that can identify health hazards, thereby reducing patient falls and hospitalizations. Independent evaluations reveal that these solutions greatly reduce the burden on public health services. Cera’s growth has established it as one of Europe’s fastest-growing firms, earning top-tier ranks in the Deloitte Fast 50 on several occasions. Furthermore, Maruthappu has received more than 100 honors, including an MBE in 2020, the Great British Entrepreneur of the Year in 2023, and the EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year in 2024.
