Medivys, In Conversation With Caroline Andrewes, Co-Founder

Caroline Andrewes, founder of Medivys, is leading an inspiring mission to revolutionise healthcare by introducing highly secure, AI-powered solutions to primary care. With over two decades of experience in the UK public sector and tech industries, Caroline’s entrepreneurial journey is driven by her passion to solve critical problems in healthcare.

We’re thrilled to feature Caroline as part of our Female Founder Friday campaign. Her story is one of resilience, innovation, and a dedication to improving healthcare systems. In our conversation, Caroline shared her experiences as a founder, the challenges she faced, and her vision for the future of healthcare.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Caroline about her incredible work and what’s next for Medivys.

FC: Can you tell us about your background and how Medivys came to be?

CA:"I started as a developer in 2001, working in the UK public sector, specifically on software solutions for emergency services and central government. Over the years, I took on roles in customer service, account management, and public sector sales. I worked for companies like Capita and later joined AWS to focus on big tech and cloud migration.

However, my heart has always been in the UK public sector, and certain stars aligned telling me it was a now or never moment to found my own startup.

I founded Medivys after a discussion with Simon Oddy, a former colleague and a team of General Practitioners. We wanted to tackle healthcare issues with AI, particularly in the NHS.

We formally launched the business in June and are building cyber secure AI-powered neural networks, focused on reducing the administration burden facing general practice."

FC: Embedding AI into healthcare is fascinating. What inspired you to focus on AI for healthcare specifically?

CA: "It all started by talking to friends who were GPs. We asked them about the biggest challenges they face, and one of them mentioned that they really wanted to leverage AI to solve some of the systemic issues in primary care in terms of the administration burden. The NHS is under immense pressure, and I wanted to help in any way I could. AI used correctly and securely, offers powerful tools to help streamline processes and improve efficiency, so that’s what we set out to do with Medivys."

FC: What are some of the main challenges you’ve faced when it comes to securing funding for Medivys?

CA: "Funding is always tricky, especially when you’re bootstrapping. For me, the hardest part has been aligning my personal mission with the narrative that investors want to hear.

I’m doing this because I believe in making a real difference, but many investors are primarily focused on financial returns. That means I have to adapt how I present my story, which can be uncomfortable. Selling a product or service is one thing, but selling yourself is much harder."

FC: Have you experienced any specific challenges as a female founder during the fundraising process?

CA: "Yes, definitely. I think the way we, as women, communicate can sometimes make investors uncomfortable. For example, I recently had a VC reach out to me asking for my pitch deck, and after I sent it to him, he told me to come back when we’re making ￡200k a year. The same VC then reached out to my male co-founder with a much warmer message, even offering to schedule a call. It’s subtle, but these kinds of biases still exist."

FC: That’s really eye-opening. What advice would you give to younger female founders who are just starting out?

CA: "Find mentors who have been through it all before. Don’t just focus on finding mentors in your specific field—look for people with a wide range of experiences, even in different industries.

The most important thing is finding someone you connect with, rather than just someone who happens to be in your sector. Mentors with diverse backgrounds can help you navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship in ways you might not expect."

FC: What has been the most rewarding part of your experience with FounderCatalyst?

CA: "The community, without a doubt. The knowledge-sharing in the FounderCatalyst WhatsApp group has been invaluable. It’s great to know there’s a support network of founders who are going through similar challenges. Sam has also been amazing—he’s constantly sharing relevant contacts and opportunities, which has been so helpful. It’s reassuring to know that you’re not alone on this journey."

FC: That sense of community is crucial. Do you have any exciting projects or milestones on the horizon?

CA: "We’re working on closing initial funding by the end of the year, which is exciting. We’re also starting the regulatory process to get our AI solution approved for use in the NHS as a medical device. It’s a long process, but the sooner we can get our product approved for use in a general practice, the better. Ultimately, we hope to scale across other areas of the NHS and also take our technology internationally to help improve healthcare systems around the world."

FC: That’s incredibly exciting! Is there anything else you’d like to share that we haven’t touched on?

CA: "I’d like to encourage founders, especially women, to give back to their communities. I’m a trustee for a small charity, and it’s been a great way to step back from the day-to-day pressures of family life and of running a business. It’s important to have something else that allows you to recharge through a different dimension. Being a founder can be all-consuming, so finding balance is key."

Thanks to Caroline for contributing to Female Founders Friday and we'll be on hand to guide her if needs be throughout her fundraising process.

The Medivys website is here if you'd like to learn more about it. And the LinkedIn page is here.

Click this link to let us guide you on your fundraising journey.

Author:Gideon Stott, Digital Marketing Executive at FounderCatalyst