Welcome back to the Ideas to Impact podcast, powered by Techscaler, where we bring you unfiltered conversations with founders and ecosystem leaders reshaping the future of work, tech, and entrepreneurship. Each episode unpacks the personal stories, practical lessons, and hard-won insights from those building the next generation of startups.
In this episode, we speak with Andrew McGinley, founder of Care Sourcer and now entrepreneur-in-residence at CodeBase, who shares a deeply personal journey from family care business to tech entrepreneur. After helping grow his family’s care-at-home business into Scotland’s highest-rated provider, Andrew built Care Sourcer – a “Trust A Trader for care” platform – that raised an £8.5M Series A before being acquired in 2023.
We explore his candid reflections on taking significant investment before achieving product-market fit, navigating the COVID-19 pivot that transformed the business, and the bittersweet reality of acquisition while feeling there was “unfinished business.” Andrew also reveals his next venture Hosel, described as “Vinted for golf”, and shares insights on building marketplace businesses, scaling from Scotland, and why keeping teams lean can be critical.
From rapid growth pressures to mentoring early-stage founders, Andrew’s story is a masterclass in resilience, marketplace dynamics, and building businesses that create real impact in people’s lives.
In this episode of the Ideas to Impact podcast, host Shona Marsh sits down with Andrew McGinley, an Entrepreneur in Residence at CodeBase and former founder of Care Sourcer. They explore Andrew’s journey from building a family-run care business to launching a tech-enabled care marketplace, scaling with millions in investment, navigating acquisition, and now helping other Scottish startups grow globally. They also dive into Scotland’s startup ecosystem, the evolving landscape with AI, and Andrew’s upcoming venture in the golf space.
“The businesses I see with the most potential right now are all AI agent startups. This isn’t a game changer. It’s a world changer.
Andrew McGinley, Entrepreneur in Residence at CodeBase
Andrew McGinley is an entrepreneur and startup advisor currently serving as an Entrepreneur in Residence at CodeBase. Previously, he was the co-founder and CEO of Care Sourcer, a tech platform revolutionising how people find care at home and in care homes.
Andrew grew up in a family deeply involved in the care industry, helping build a care-at-home business that became Scotland’s top-rated provider for four consecutive years. Motivated by witnessing the painful process families endured to secure care, he launched Care Sourcer, securing multi-million-pound funding rounds and scaling the company until it was acquired in 2023.
Today, Andrew mentors early-stage founders, invests in property, and is launching a new venture called Hosel, a marketplace for second-hand golf equipment. Outside of business, he’s passionate about solving real problems and enabling founders to navigate the challenging journey of building companies.
In a rich and candid conversation, Shona interviews Andrew McGinley, who shares the highs, lows, and lessons from his entrepreneurial path.
Andrew discusses starting his career in the family care sector after his father was made redundant, eventually helping grow their care-at-home business into Scotland’s highest-rated provider. Seeing first-hand how difficult it was for families to find care, Andrew was inspired to create Care Sourcer – a tech platform likened to “Trust A Trader for care” – to simplify and speed up matching people with care providers.
They discuss raising a significant seed round, scaling quickly to a team of 12 and later raising an £8.5M Series A. Andrew candidly reflects on the pressures that came with taking large investment before fully achieving product-market fit, and the internal communication challenges as the team grew.
COVID-19 hit Care Sourcer hard, with care homes closing to new admissions, leading to a dramatic pivot. They launched a new service as an employee benefit – helping workers navigate care needs for family members – and eventually were acquired in 2023. Andrew describes the acquisition process, his role as Head of Transformation, and the bittersweet feelings of leaving behind “unfinished business,” while taking pride in the legacy they created in the care sector.
Now an Entrepreneur in Residence at CodeBase, Andrew mentors early-stage Scottish founders, helping them think globally from day one. They explore the unique advantages and mindset shifts needed to grow from Scotland, the rise of AI agent startups in the ecosystem, and how keeping teams lean can be a critical advantage.
Finally, Andrew reveals his next startup – Hosel, described as “Vinted for golf”—drawing on his marketplace experience, this time with sharper SEO and customer acquisition insights.
Whether you’re a founder navigating early traction, considering raising money, or curious about Scotland’s startup community, this episode is filled with wisdom on resilience, scaling carefully, and building businesses with real impact.
Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to subscribe to stay updated on future conversations with founders and exciting guests.
Connect with Andrew McGinley on LinkedIn.
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