0:00:21 > 0:00:23In last year's series,
0:00:23 > 0:00:25I travelled the length and breadth of the country,
0:00:25 > 0:00:30meeting some of Northern Ireland's most innovative entrepreneurs.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Who could forget Call Cop from Newtownards...
0:00:32 > 0:00:35- Doing a runner! - That's Stephen Nolan!
0:00:35 > 0:00:36How low can you go?
0:00:38 > 0:00:39..Snap It from Belfast...
0:00:41 > 0:00:43..and Tug from Castlereagh?
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Now that we've got a second series,
0:00:48 > 0:00:52we've even more hungry entrepreneurs to show you.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53This year, we're bringing in Sarah Travers.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56- Hello, Sarah.- Hello, Stephen. - What are we doing this year, then?
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Well, this time I'm going to be giving you
0:00:58 > 0:01:00a little bit of a helping hand as we travel across the country
0:01:00 > 0:01:03to meet some of the brilliant entrepreneurs out there.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06We'll be hearing all about manufacturing in Moira...
0:01:06 > 0:01:08And beds in where?
0:01:08 > 0:01:09- Ballymena.- Ballymena.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14I know exactly what's going to be going on at home now.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18People will be watching this and they love one idea...
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Yeah, and then some of you at home will be saying,
0:01:20 > 0:01:22"That's never going to work."
0:01:22 > 0:01:25So that's why we've created the People's Panel,
0:01:25 > 0:01:29members of the public like you and I looking at the products
0:01:29 > 0:01:32and thinking to themselves, "That is going to actually work."
0:01:32 > 0:01:33Or not.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Hello, welcome to Made In Northern Ireland, and tonight,
0:01:41 > 0:01:45first up, Stephen's off to Moira to partake in his favourite pastime.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Burgers! As Mark Carruthers would say, looking forward to it.
0:01:51 > 0:01:52Lovely bright sunny day.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55What's brought me down to beautiful Moira today?
0:01:55 > 0:01:56Food, would you believe it?
0:01:56 > 0:02:00And more importantly, a special sauce called Hollah.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Hollah was set up by young mums and best friends
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Trudy Hodkinson and Paula Latuske in 2014.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16And lucky for me, they've kindly invited me to a barbecue
0:02:16 > 0:02:19to sample their wares. Mmm!
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Hollah products range from Bucky Barbecue and Wingnut sauces
0:02:23 > 0:02:26to chilli, strawberry and prosecco jam chutney.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29And by the way, if I ever run out of burgers or food to eat,
0:02:29 > 0:02:31the filming stops.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Keep it going, keep it going.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Where was the idea conceived?
0:02:37 > 0:02:41- Who came up with this? - So, take you back to what, 2014,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43and we were on the east coast of America.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45My family were out there for a couple of years
0:02:45 > 0:02:48with my husband's work and Paula and her family came out to visit,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50and we were getting ready to move
0:02:50 > 0:02:53back home and both of us were going, you know what?
0:02:53 > 0:02:55We both had been stay-at-home mums for a number of years
0:02:55 > 0:02:57and we'd been neighbours, friends, and we said, you know,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59we really wanted to start a business,
0:02:59 > 0:03:00wanted to start a business together.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05And what a business.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Sales of Trudy and Paula's hot sauces
0:03:07 > 0:03:09are going from strength to strength.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15But in the early days, it wasn't always that easy.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Do you know, if there was a craft fair in a church hall
0:03:20 > 0:03:23the other side of Northern Ireland, me and her jumped
0:03:23 > 0:03:25in the back of the car with the jars and away we went
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and it very much started in our own kitchens.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30And what are the lessons you've learnt?
0:03:30 > 0:03:31Oh, so many.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32That you wouldn't do again.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36OK, we probably cooked in our own kitchens for too long.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39My long-suffering husband is at the end of the bench here and
0:03:39 > 0:03:42he would still talk about the time he came down at two o'clock
0:03:42 > 0:03:46in the morning and there's me at the table labelling jars, crying.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- Were you?- Oh, yeah. - So there have been difficult times?
0:03:49 > 0:03:51There's been times when we've been really stressed out.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54But they're also the things that keep you going,
0:03:54 > 0:03:56because we've done... I'm not saying we're through
0:03:56 > 0:03:59the worst of it but we've been through some really tough times
0:03:59 > 0:04:01and we're able to laugh about it.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04# Hola, dime como estas? #
0:04:04 > 0:04:07These girls have personality
0:04:07 > 0:04:11and they've managed to infuse it into their recipes.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12That barbecue sauce is beautiful.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- Which one's that?- This is our Bucky.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17- The Bucky Barbecue.- Bucky Barbecue.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Yeah, there is a secret ingredient.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21- What's that?- Well, we're in Moira,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23and we'd be very close to Lurgan,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26and there's a wee dash of Lurgan champagne in there.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Is there? Is there indeed?
0:04:28 > 0:04:31- What's Lurgan champagne?- Buckfast.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32That's why it's called... Yeah.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I've got a mate who'd be all over that too!
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Right, let's get to the important stuff.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40What do these Hollah sauces actually taste like?
0:04:40 > 0:04:42We put prosecco in a chilli jam because we thought,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44well, why wouldn't you?
0:04:44 > 0:04:47So what's the potential, then, for this to really grow?
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Well, we've done our research.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53The sauce market in the UK is worth about 1.3 billion annually.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58We would just like to get a wee, tiny, chilli-soaked bite of that.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01I think we really do believe in our brand.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06And a lot of people buy into the story behind products and, you know,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10we were two stay-at-home mothers and it's not that we were bored,
0:05:10 > 0:05:14but we genuinely did believe that we could build something and, you know,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16that we want our children to be proud of.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20We have three girls each, you know, and we want them to see that,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22you know what? You can start something at your kitchen table
0:05:22 > 0:05:25and it can grow with determination and perseverance.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28And obviously, just you keep talking because if we stay here
0:05:28 > 0:05:31for another two hours I should have about 20 burgers by then.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33- There's plenty.- Keep them coming.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38What would your advice be to other, I guess, mums,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41that they want to start a business and they reckon
0:05:41 > 0:05:44they've got an idea? Because it's scary.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Oh, it's really scary. Well, we started this business,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49we invested £1,000 each.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51And that's how we started.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Now, that's a significant amount of money but we used it wisely and,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- you know... - That's it and we've grown it.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03I would advise any mum... One of our straplines is preserving sanity.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07That's why we started it, because we really feel like,
0:06:07 > 0:06:09do it, do it now, you know? Life's short.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Since those early days of crying by the kitchen table,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20their business has really grown and Hollah sauces can now be found
0:06:20 > 0:06:23everywhere, from a big-name supermarket in Portstewart
0:06:23 > 0:06:26to a luxury delicatessen in London.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- I'm in love with that Bucky Barbecue sauce.- Good, I'm glad.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31And the thing is, there's only three more burgers for me to eat.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Three dozen. Three dozen!
0:06:35 > 0:06:38The thing is, Sarah Travers doesn't even need half a one.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45I think that's the happiest I've ever seen Stephen Nolan.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47I want to taste it. It looks good.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49He's eating all their profits.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52My wife would be all over that chilli jam with the Prosecco in it.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54It's a very difficult market, though, is it not?
0:06:54 > 0:06:56In terms of, there's so many sauces.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Yeah, that's what I was going to say.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Like, myself now, I just stick with what I know.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04I wouldn't buy it for me personally because I'm very fussy
0:07:04 > 0:07:06but the wife would, I know for a fact she would.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08I want to see PJ try the hot sauce first.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09Just taste it? Right, I'm having a go.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- You go first. - I'm having a go on the hot sauce.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18- Is it hot?- Oh, my...
0:07:19 > 0:07:20It's so hot. I need a drink.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23I've water here.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26I was going to have a taste. I'm not going to bother any more.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28But it is a big jump from a kitchen cook, you know,
0:07:28 > 0:07:29just cooking for your family to thinking,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32"I'm good enough that I could make money out of this," do you know?
0:07:32 > 0:07:34There's a real entrepreneurial spirit there
0:07:34 > 0:07:35and I'd certainly encourage them
0:07:35 > 0:07:38and for that reason, would look out to buy these things.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45Well, Britons spent seven billion last year on pet pampering.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Sarah's off to Crumlin now to see a man about a cat.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53# See these eyes so green
0:07:55 > 0:08:00# I can stare for 1,000 years... #
0:08:00 > 0:08:02When it comes to being an entrepreneur,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05they say there's no such thing as a new idea,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08but you can always make an old idea better.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12We're off to meet the man who's reimagined the cat flap.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Hi!
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Now, when you see a cat flap, you think, "What's more to invent?"
0:08:19 > 0:08:20But Joe Graham from Crumlin
0:08:20 > 0:08:23has come up with the Groomiez pet door...
0:08:25 > 0:08:28..a cat flap that cleans your cats as they go through it.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Hello, Joe. Lovely to meet you.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33What is it that you've come up with?
0:08:33 > 0:08:35We spent an awful amount of time removing the hair,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37brushing the animals, brushing ourselves,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39brushing our furniture, and I thought,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41"Would there be a way of doing this
0:08:41 > 0:08:43"where our pets do it for themselves?"
0:08:46 > 0:08:50So what makes this brilliant? Is it the rubber on the prongs?
0:08:50 > 0:08:53The rubber on the brush element is made of TPE.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56You've probably seen it on the likes of lint removers
0:08:56 > 0:08:57and things like that.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01It's easily removed and rinsed so it can be used over and over again.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05You've a lot of pets, too. You've got two cats and a dog.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Yes, and a fish.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Right, but the fish doesn't go through here.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11- The fish doesn't, no.- Oh, right, OK.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13And neither does Joe's dog...
0:09:15 > 0:09:18..but it's still very early stages.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Joe has just completed a prototype in his garage.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Our plans now are to release a version of just the flap
0:09:26 > 0:09:29which will work with existing cat flaps
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and then we're going to modify
0:09:31 > 0:09:33and improve upon the original complete unit.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37How much will this cost if somebody was to buy this?
0:09:37 > 0:09:39We will be looking at a cost of around about £10.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42And that would be for two brush panels.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48As a cat owner myself, I really like this idea,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50particularly during the summer.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53But the Groomiez pet door has a more serious application.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56We found that a lot of people unfortunately have to
0:09:56 > 0:09:59give their pets up for adoption because they can't deal with
0:09:59 > 0:10:00brushing down their furniture
0:10:00 > 0:10:02and trying to remove the hairs from there.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05It would also help people with allergies and asthma,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07things like that, because a lot of the particles that would
0:10:07 > 0:10:10irritate that condition would be trapped by this as well.
0:10:10 > 0:10:11And how has it changed, you know,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15your house and the level of fur that would have been around?
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Oh, it's fantastic in the fact that we can now allow our pets to come up
0:10:19 > 0:10:22on us without constantly having to brush fur off us.
0:10:22 > 0:10:23It is really, really good.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28At the Assisi Animal Sanctuary, cat lover Rachel can see
0:10:28 > 0:10:31the real practical benefits of Joe's invention.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35So, in the main sanctuary we have 32.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38In the kitten unit, we have, well, 18,
0:10:38 > 0:10:39probably have more than that now.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43In isolation, we can have up to 20 plus as well,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46so rather than grooming, it would be so convenient
0:10:46 > 0:10:48just to have the cats go through the door
0:10:48 > 0:10:50and then to groom themselves, it would be fantastic.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54So, there's quite a lot on sanctuary.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57They usually come to us, the majority of them are strays.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00No, you just didn't!
0:11:00 > 0:11:02THEY LAUGH
0:11:02 > 0:11:04CAT MEOWS
0:11:08 > 0:11:12What was that maxim about never working with children or animals?
0:11:13 > 0:11:18But Joe has even bigger plans to expand his cat flap beyond cats.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23At the moment, the trend in the UK pet industry
0:11:23 > 0:11:26is that people are going for smaller dogs,
0:11:26 > 0:11:31so the size of this is designed to look after the average cat
0:11:31 > 0:11:33and the small dogs.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35And do you like being an entrepreneur?
0:11:35 > 0:11:37It's exciting, there's no good saying it's not.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40It is also very frightening,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43but it's something that does help you get up in the morning
0:11:43 > 0:11:45and really give the day your everything.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Well, cat lovers would, I think, spend any amount of money
0:11:53 > 0:11:55to make life a lot more easier for their cats.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59I thought if you're brushing your cat, you kind of enjoy doing that.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02I suppose when you think about it, people buy their cats and dogs
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Christmas presents and put a wee thing up with the cat's name on it,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07dog's name on it, something to give them in the morning.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09My ma done it. Fair play on the idea
0:12:09 > 0:12:11but I'm not 100% sure it's going to work.
0:12:11 > 0:12:12Well, if I was a cat lover,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14I might be inclined, but because I'm not a cat person...
0:12:14 > 0:12:16That would tear the face off it, would it not?
0:12:16 > 0:12:19If you think of the amount of times a cat goes in and out of the door,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21it's not going to go through it enough to fully be brushed by that.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24You're still going to have to brush it yourself.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25Put your head through it!
0:12:25 > 0:12:27My head can fit in.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28THEY LAUGH
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Stephen's off to Dungannon next to meet a very special couple,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37a schoolteacher and her young student who have come up with
0:12:37 > 0:12:40a business to help people at a very difficult time in their lives.
0:12:42 > 0:12:48Almost 2,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in the UK every year.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51This team from St Patrick's College Dungannon have created
0:12:51 > 0:12:55a series of books to help the children and their families
0:12:55 > 0:12:57to understand what they're going through.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04And this was all inspired by teacher Tracy Hughes's niece, Eva,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07who lost her life to cancer in December 2015.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16We could definitely see there was a big gap in the market for
0:13:16 > 0:13:19something to deal with life-threatening illnesses,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22especially where there was nothing available on the market
0:13:22 > 0:13:25that would deal with such issues in a child-friendly manner.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29And it is definitely, like, amazing that there wasn't anything
0:13:29 > 0:13:31up until we created this book to help children
0:13:31 > 0:13:35that don't yet understand medical terms.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Tracy, tell me about Eva.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Oh, Eva was an exceptional girl.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42She is my niece and Eva was diagnosed with
0:13:42 > 0:13:46a very rare brain tumour in October 2012 and as such,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50she had to undergo some gruelling treatment -
0:13:50 > 0:13:52a year of chemotherapy and radiotherapy
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and two stem cell transplants in there as well.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57And when her hair fell out, I remember well,
0:13:57 > 0:13:59it was a Sunday morning and she scratched her head,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02just like any normal child does, but when she took away her hand,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05that whole hair from this side of her head came with it.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09And I made up this story about how boys and girls do have hair
0:14:09 > 0:14:12that goes on an adventure, and this was Eva's hair's time to
0:14:12 > 0:14:15adventure on its own, and so she actually, ironically,
0:14:15 > 0:14:16was very excited.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20- And you can remember being told about this, Iveta?- Yes, absolutely.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24We sort of lived the same experience in the classroom.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26I told them the story about the adventures of Eva's hair
0:14:26 > 0:14:30that I had told Eva, and they said to me, that's a great story,
0:14:30 > 0:14:31a great concept, like. And I said, you know,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I'm going to be JK Rowling, like, I'm going to write this into a book.
0:14:34 > 0:14:35And we had a joke about this,
0:14:35 > 0:14:39and it was a long-standing joke in my classroom.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43The idea, however, became a reality in 2015 when,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45as part of the Young Enterprise scheme,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Iveta and her team developed the books,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50with the guidance of Mrs Hughes,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52to help comfort children suffering from cancer.
0:14:56 > 0:14:57One such child is Ross.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05He was diagnosed with leukaemia aged four and, along with his parents,
0:15:05 > 0:15:10knows first-hand how important these books could prove to be.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12It simplifies things.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15And obviously, the pictures are good for the children.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19These would have really helped me when I was sick, so they would.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Help me understand what they would be for.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26I think the one there about Tina's teeth would have helped you.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27You had to get five teeth out,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30and that was the worst thing in the whole treatment.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Yeah, he didn't understand why they'd taken his teeth out,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34and we didn't know what to say to him.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37He was on chemotherapy for three years, four months.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40You know, looking at it now, looking back and going, yes,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42I can remember that, and I remember that happening.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45I mean, if that had been on the ward when we were on the ward,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47I would have lifted it and I would have read it.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50And then I would have, as I went through the journey with Ross,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53more things would have been, "Oh, right, that's..."
0:15:53 > 0:15:55You know, it would have been relevant to us.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59By presenting Eva's experiences in an honest but positive way,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Tracy hopes to keep her niece's memory alive
0:16:02 > 0:16:05by helping other children just like her.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11So, as a business, where does the profit go?
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Where does the money go?
0:16:13 > 0:16:15Going forward, we've registered as a company,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18and we've also registered Eva's Adventures as a charity,
0:16:18 > 0:16:24so we fully intend to have a big face in the community
0:16:24 > 0:16:25with charity status.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28It seems to me that what you're doing is
0:16:28 > 0:16:30taking the fear out of everything.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35I wanted a book for Eva that would deal with exactly the issue at hand
0:16:35 > 0:16:39but without causing more fear than the situation we were already in.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41I can see you're...
0:16:41 > 0:16:44I can see you've got a big smile,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- but a little bit of pain in your eyes.- Yeah.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49- She was special to you? - Very much so.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53And you're trying to make this business successful
0:16:53 > 0:16:56- in part to help other little girls like her?- Absolutely.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58And boys too, you know.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00I mean, our hope...
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Oh, I need a minute. Sorry.
0:17:02 > 0:17:03It's OK, take your time.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05You know, there's no end to what we hope to do.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07I mean, we're not stopping at books.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10We've got aspirations for from book to screen.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12We've got aspirations for animation.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14This will be global. It could...
0:17:14 > 0:17:17I'm not saying it could be global, it will be global.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Having already won a number of awards for the project,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23and with a new book on its way,
0:17:23 > 0:17:27the team behind Eva's Adventures have big plans,
0:17:27 > 0:17:31and hopefully they really can comfort many of the sick children
0:17:31 > 0:17:32who need it most.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38That means a lot to children,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40and means a lot to everybody dealing with cancer,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43because it's just so awful to deal with.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45So I think the idea is excellent.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48How tough is it to try and talk a kid through something like that?
0:17:48 > 0:17:50There's so many things going round your head
0:17:50 > 0:17:52that if you were able to just read it
0:17:52 > 0:17:53and it was pitched at their level,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and you knew it was going to strike a chord...
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Regardless of what it is, if it's well-written
0:17:57 > 0:18:00and it's educational, then, yes, it's definitely a good thing.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01Some people are very wary of charities.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04They're saying, how much goes to the charity and how much goes to
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- the business?- There's nothing wrong with charities making money
0:18:07 > 0:18:09in order to continue the work that they do.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12I think it's fair enough to make a career off it
0:18:12 > 0:18:13and make money off it.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15This was born out of good intentions
0:18:15 > 0:18:17rather than maybe a moneymaking idea.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Right, let's look at another invention, shall we?
0:18:22 > 0:18:24This time, it's a medical prototype
0:18:24 > 0:18:29that could change the lives of millions. Sarah has got more.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32OK, Georgia, I'm going to do your wee skin prick test this morning.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36You know that you have a wee allergy to nuts and maybe dogs as well.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37OK?
0:18:37 > 0:18:39For millions of adults and children around the world,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42like ten-year-old Georgia,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45having a skin prick test to see what they're allergic to
0:18:45 > 0:18:47is part of their normal life.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57What do you feel? Just a wee tiny pinch?
0:18:57 > 0:18:58Yeah.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01This test has been around for over 50 years
0:19:01 > 0:19:05and involves piercing the skin with individual needles to expose
0:19:05 > 0:19:07the patient to a mild dose of the allergen.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13Some of the most common allergies tested for are foods...
0:19:14 > 0:19:18..like nuts, eggs,
0:19:18 > 0:19:19dairy products...
0:19:21 > 0:19:24..and even fresh fish and shellfish.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29But there are also allergens within our environment,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33like pollen and animal hair, that can be potentially dangerous.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38It's estimated that by 2025,
0:19:38 > 0:19:42over half the population of the EU will suffer from allergies.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Well, today, I've come to this gorgeous wood to meet a duo
0:19:45 > 0:19:49from Northern Ireland who are going to change the way that allergies
0:19:49 > 0:19:51are tested throughout the world.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58This is paediatrician Dr Sharon Christie,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01and together with a young designer, Philip Douglas,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03they've come up with Dotta,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07an all-in-one device that helps simplify allergy testing.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Two years ago, Philip came to me and he said,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15"I'm doing product design at university, this is my final year,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18"is there something that you can think of
0:20:18 > 0:20:20"that might benefit patients and would be helpful
0:20:20 > 0:20:22"to healthcare professionals?"
0:20:22 > 0:20:23So, here we are.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26So, talk us through what's actually in this Dotta.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28We have small pods that go inside it
0:20:28 > 0:20:32that contain all of the stuff that does the test.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34So it has the allergen extract in it,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37it has the sharp tip that does the prick on your skin.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41So, yeah, these go on the device and they get compressed by the top half,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43which deposits all the extract on your skin
0:20:43 > 0:20:45and does the prick in one go.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52The all-in-one nature of Dotta means this device cuts down costs
0:20:52 > 0:20:54and, crucially, man hours,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57something the NHS and their spiralling waiting lists
0:20:57 > 0:20:58could really do with.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06How will this make the NHS easier?
0:21:06 > 0:21:08So, at the minute, in Northern Ireland,
0:21:08 > 0:21:12there is a 6 to 22-month waiting list for a hospital allergy clinic
0:21:12 > 0:21:14- appointment across the five trusts. - Wow.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19All skin prick testing is performed in a hospital environment.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22And the beauty of this is it's reliable,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26it's safe, and we would anticipate that it would allow...
0:21:27 > 0:21:31..skin prick testing to move out of that hospital setting
0:21:31 > 0:21:35and into the GP environment. It's quite intuitive.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38And also, there's a smartphone app with it to help with the reading
0:21:38 > 0:21:40and interpretation of the results.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Georgia, you've got a nut allergy,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44that's why you're here being tested today.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46What is life like for you?
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Like, I come out and, like...
0:21:48 > 0:21:50My skin goes all crackly.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54My lips go purple, but inside I feel, like, tingly.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56So, you can see... you can see the welts.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Back at the clinic, Georgia's allergy results
0:22:00 > 0:22:02are starting to come through.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07- Pistachio.- Pistachio?
0:22:07 > 0:22:08That's the baddie.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12This new Dotta testing device...
0:22:14 > 0:22:16..could change, and possibly improve,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18work practices for the better.
0:22:20 > 0:22:21But it's slightly positive,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23it's not as bad as your peanuts and things, OK?
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Obviously, when I'm doing that test,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28I'm using different pressure for each bubble that I'm bursting.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30I can't make each pressure the same,
0:22:30 > 0:22:31and, ideally,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33the same pressure from a device
0:22:33 > 0:22:35would do all the tests at the same time.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Again, I'm doing ten different pricks there.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40If you were doing the prick all at the one time,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42it would be a lot easier for the child.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Obviously, with the development of Dotta, it would be amazing.
0:22:46 > 0:22:47It would be a real step forward
0:22:47 > 0:22:51in something which hasn't changed for many years.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Sharon and Philip's device only costs £350.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00And yet, the NHS spends about £1 billion a year on allergy services.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04So, for Dotta, the future is looking bright.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07In terms of patenting this,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10where are you at with protecting your design?
0:23:10 > 0:23:13So, we have... We have patents pending in both the UK and Europe.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16So, how successful do you think this will be?
0:23:16 > 0:23:18We are at a very early stage.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22I would hope that Dotta would be in use not only across the UK
0:23:22 > 0:23:24but across the globe in the next five years.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- Exciting.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Great.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Yeah, it looks like a no-brainer, doesn't it?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40I really like it.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44I work with mental health, often our patients would be diabetic and stuff
0:23:44 > 0:23:45and doing the prick test for that.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48But even knowing what it's like for them to get that one shot at a time,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50that's it, over and done with.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- I've had allergy tests done. - Have you?
0:23:53 > 0:23:54If you're not a fan of needles...
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Even though you can't see the needle, it's nice that,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58if it was just one thing on your arm and you were done,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01even just the anxiety would go away.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04So many people have so many ailments that are related to allergies now...
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- Yep.- ..instead of physiological problems.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- Yeah. - It would maybe be worth exploring.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12It's not that expensive, as well...
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- 350. For a GP's surgery, that... - But there's so many big players
0:24:15 > 0:24:18and big pharmaceutical companies out there that,
0:24:18 > 0:24:19if you're not part of that,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21it would be so hard to break into that market.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Over the past five weeks, we have visited 20 of the country's
0:24:28 > 0:24:31most diverse and innovative entrepreneurs.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34From Modius Health, and Rolltack,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37to Incisive...
0:24:37 > 0:24:39No, I don't think I'm going to be picked to play for
0:24:39 > 0:24:41- Ireland any time soon. - ..and Sioda Lingerie,
0:24:41 > 0:24:45entrepreneurship is big business in Northern Ireland,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and every year the industry recognises the cream of the crop
0:24:48 > 0:24:51in a gala awards night held here in the Waterfront.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Some of the people featured in our series
0:24:56 > 0:24:58are in the running for awards tonight.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00We have the all-in-one buggy cover Blinky...
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Do you know, I'm just happy to be here,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06and there's such strong competitors, like, just amazing businesses and
0:25:06 > 0:25:08I'm delighted to get to the last 12.
0:25:08 > 0:25:09..the inflatable life-saving aid, EDDE...
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Jamie, as the co-inventor of this product, you must be quite excited,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14then, when you're getting such good feedback.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Yeah, we are now. We're actually at the stage now where we're ready
0:25:17 > 0:25:18to push this out to the market.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20What we said all along, the EDDE is great.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23if it can save one life, it's all been worth it.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25..and the wearable heat pack, Hug.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27I didn't think I would even get this far,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29so it's exciting to be here this evening,
0:25:29 > 0:25:30but to win would be a whole other level
0:25:30 > 0:25:32of me jumping up and down, frankly.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33Well, everything crossed.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35- Thank you so much.- Good luck.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Our young entrepreneurs are also being celebrated,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40like String Sense...
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Look, you're all here. Look how well dressed you are.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45But where's the guitar? Where is it?
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Decided to leave it at home today. We've done enough work on it.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49..Never Lace...
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Been a great opportunity for us just get out there and show the benefits
0:25:53 > 0:25:55of what it can bring.
0:25:55 > 0:25:56..First Aid Locker...
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I'm here just having a good time, meeting lots of new people,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01try and, you know, network a wee bit.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Make the most of it, like.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04..and the Mobile Phone Tidy...
0:26:04 > 0:26:06I mean, you've just turned into a local celebrity.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Yeah, I feel like a celebrity.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10A woman stopped me on the bus and said,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12"I seen you on the BBC last night!"
0:26:12 > 0:26:14- And how did that feel?- Oh, wow.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16I can't describe it. I felt so famous.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19..all being considered for the prestigious Student Award.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23So, this is it, Sarah, then,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25a big night for the six people who have got through.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28So exciting. I've just caught up with a few of them.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30I mean, this whole programme has been incredible.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32Yeah, it has. And it's the ambition, isn't it?
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Somebody in their teens saying,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36"Right, I'm going to design a product, I'm going to create it,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39"I'm going to push it, I'm going to try to sell it,"
0:26:39 > 0:26:41right through to people who maybe have families,
0:26:41 > 0:26:42and they're doing it too.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Will we go in and find out who's going to win?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46I believe there's a wee bit of dinner too.
0:26:46 > 0:26:47Let's go in.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55People from all over Northern Ireland have come together
0:26:55 > 0:26:59to clink glasses and celebrate what's great about our wee country.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01To me, they're all winners for just getting out there
0:27:01 > 0:27:03and making it happen.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07But it's time to find out who has won this year's awards.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13The overall winner was Phion Therapeutics,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16and from the nominees featured in this series
0:27:16 > 0:27:18of Made In Northern Ireland, brilliantly,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22Hug and the First Aid Locker picked up the top prize
0:27:22 > 0:27:23in their respective categories.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30We caught up with Fiona and Daniel after they accepted their awards.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Blown away, really, like, it's just completely unexpected.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37We came here just hoping to enjoy the night,
0:27:37 > 0:27:42make the most of making new contacts, talking to some people,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45and really had no idea that we'd be in with a chance of even winning,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47really. The competition was so strong.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51I didn't expect it, to be fair, but I can't believe it's happened,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53and it's going to be such great publicity for Hug.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55I'm really proud, and I'm really proud
0:27:55 > 0:27:58- that my husband did this for me. - SHE LAUGHS
0:27:58 > 0:28:00I can't believe we've come to the end of the series.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02It's been absolutely fantastic, Stephen.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Yeah, and all of those people who say,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07"Are there really enough entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland?"
0:28:07 > 0:28:08- You bet there are.- Yep.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11They are coming out of absolutely everywhere,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14of all different age groups, and they are making it happen here.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18So if you are one of those people and you've got an idea in your head,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21well, our experience is, it really is worth trying, right?
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Just go for it, and you could be on this programme next time,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26right here on Made In Northern Ireland.