A Ballymena entrepreneur who built a travel preparation app after finding herself lost and overwhelmed abroad will represent Northern Ireland at the UK Start-up Awards national finals this September.
Help You Home, founded by Grainne Bankhead, has been named the Northern Ireland winner in the Hospitality, Tourism & Events Start-up of the Year category at the UK Start-Up Awards 2026 and will now progress to the UK final at Ideas Fest.
The idea for Help You Home came from Grainne's own travel experience after finding herself unexpectedly on her own in an unfamiliar place and realising how quickly confidence can disappear when important information isn't easy to find.
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"I never set out to build a tech company. I was just trying to solve a problem," said Grainne.
"I learned first hand how quickly you can panic when you're away from home and don't know what to do next. Although nothing serious had happened, I still found myself panic scrolling through messages, emails and booking confirmations trying to find information I thought I'd need.
That experience made me realise how much confidence comes from preparation.
Most trips don't involve emergencies. They involve moments of uncertainty. Getting lost, losing signal, being separated from friends, or trying to find important information when you need it quickly. But when you suddenly feel unsafe, or something more serious does happen, that's not the moment you want to be searching for phone numbers, accommodation details or trying to remember what you planned to do."
Help You Home helps travellers organise key trip information in advance so it can be accessed quickly when needed. The app includes tools such as trip specific emergency contacts, directions back to accommodation, location sharing without tracking and emergency support features as well as an NFC wristband designed to provide access to important information if their phone is inaccessible.
The judges praised Help You Home for tackling a practical challenge many travellers face, where important information is often spread across emails, messages, screenshots and multiple apps. They also highlighted Grainne's journey from building an early prototype without a technical background to launching a live iOS and Android platform supported by an NFC wristband. The business was recognised for turning a personal travel experience into a credible travel safety proposition with meaningful potential.
The UK Start-Up Awards were launched to recognise and celebrate the UK's most ambitious startups. More than 2,000 businesses entered the awards in 2026, with over 900 shortlisted across ten nations and regions.
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Regional winners now progress to the UK national final, which will take place at Ideas Fest on 9 September 2026 at Champneys, Tring, Hertfordshire.
Professor Dylan Jones Evans OBE, co founder of the UK StartUp Awards, said:
"New businesses are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation, and contributing to prosperity right across the UK. Our regional winners represent the very best of British entrepreneurial talent, and they have earned their place at the national final on merit alone."
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