This year’s theme: Inspiring Inclusion

Kate Ricketts, a Kiwi mother and entrepreneur has created the world’s first biofluorescent nit powder to improve visibility of head lice during treatment, address the stigma associated with the condition and increase access for vulnerable children.

The product, which was recognised with a UN Sustainable Development Goal associated award, has now entered production for domestic and international markets.

NZ Manufacturer caught up with Kate ahead of International Women’s Day to hear about her journey. 

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? 

It is a time to celebrate the amazing things that female innovators are currently doing and recognise the pioneers who have paved the way for change. It’s also a time to reflect on the areas where progress is still needed.

In today’s business environment, do you see opportunities and also recognition for aspirational female entrepreneurs?

Having developed my product with the University of Auckland, I’ve been fortunate to have experienced their entrepreneurship incubators and how they feed into the wider world of industry.

You have access to amazing people who have helped when the training wheels came off and who understand some of the additional pressures that come with being a female founder.

Tell us about what you do  

I’m the founder of ISpyNits, a company that produces a glow-in-the-dark head lice treatment product that allows you to better identify lice eggs and remove them to prevent reinfections.

We have developed a supporting education programme using biofluorescence to destigmatise the condition among children.

How did the idea for a biofluorescent powder come about?

The product was developed in response to a frustrating problem that many parents have faced treating head lice and missing eggs. As a vet nurse I used UV light to confirm the presence of ringworm and read an article suggesting fingerprinting powder could fluoresce insect exoskeletons, and I wondered whether that would help.

That started a two-year journey working with PhD students to find a non-toxic, affordable powder.

What has been the response to your product so far? 

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. We have received numerous orders and started working on consignments for school as well.

What has the UN award meant to you?

The award was associated with the UN’s sustainable goal of reducing inequalities, and the satisfaction was the understanding and recognition that my idea could have both elements of commercial and social innovation.

How will the product benefit communities?

It’s been amazing to see people start to change the narrative and talk about life, science and glow effects. This will have a huge impact not only on the awareness and the early identification of the eggs but also on the stigmatisation that we know comes with an infection in our communities.

Do you envisage international markets for the product?

The model will work well for Australia – we plan to start engaging with interested parties and roll it out there as soon as we’re able to.

What inspires you?

People who figure out different ways of doing things – it’s so easy to complain about something and just leave it as is. I find it fascinating how different minds work. My 9-year-old is neurodiverse and is incredibly innovative and quite entrepreneurial and it never fails to impress me how his mind will see something completely different and come up with a great idea. It allows you to appreciate each person for their ideas.

Do you have other ideas for the development of the business?

The ISpy Nits mission is to ensure that we can make this product and education package accessible to everybody. There’s a lot of opportunity to partner with community organisations that have a similar interest in those fields.