About Maria Health
Maria Health was founded in 2015 by Vincent Lau, who left a career in Silicon Valley to move to Manila and build the Philippines’ first online health-insurance exchange focused on small and medium enterprises — a segment that traditional HMO sales channels have historically underserved relative to large corporate accounts.
The platform lets MSMEs compare, purchase, and manage employee health-insurance plans online rather than through a manual broker-driven process, aiming to make group health coverage more accessible and transparent for smaller Philippine businesses.
Maria Health’s first institutional investor was Wavemaker Partners, and the company has raised approximately $1.65 million across four rounds since founding, with its most recent disclosed round — a Series A of undisclosed size — closing in November 2021.
The Problem They're Solving
Philippine MSMEs have historically had limited, broker-dependent access to group health insurance, with less negotiating leverage and fewer plan options than large corporations buying employee health coverage.
Who They Serve
Small and medium enterprises in the Philippines purchasing group employee health insurance, and their employees enrolled in Maria Health-brokered plans.
What Makes Them Different
Maria Health built the Philippines' first dedicated online exchange for MSME health insurance, letting smaller businesses compare and purchase coverage directly online rather than through a manual broker relationship — a market traditional HMOs and brokers had largely left underserved.
Traction & Milestones
Approximately $1.65 million raised across 4 rounds since 2015; first institutional backing from Wavemaker Partners; most recent disclosed round (Series A, undisclosed amount) closed November 2021.
The Founders
Vincent Lau
Founder & CEO