Hi! We’re May and Addie, an early childhood educator and physiotherapist, and we’re working to brighten the future for children on the spectrum with Auty, a family education and community platform.

The problem 

Every week in our work, May and I meet parents of children who are newly diagnosed with autism, and we’ve seen that they share three common problems. Parents are:

• Fearful for their child’s future
• Overwhelmed by the day to day challenges of life on the spectrum
• Lost in an unfriendly system where they have to wait for up to a year for basic therapies like occupational therapy, speech therapy and psychology

Auty’s solutions

• First, Auty solves the problem of waitlists by supporting families to understand autism and to implement therapeutic practices themselves. This means that when therapists do come on board, families are positioned to lead the therapy, rather than rely on the therapist.
• Second, Auty shows families how all the different therapies work together. This gives them a holistic picture of their child’s autism.
• Third, and most importantly, Auty puts power back in the hands of families, gives them a sense of control over their day to day, and gives them hope for a bright future for their child.

Market Size

Autism is the largest disability category in the NDIS. In 2021, there were over 150K people with autism in the scheme. That number is projected to more than double to 340K by 2030.

The NDIS spends on average over $20,000 annually on supports for every child with autism, yet in our experience, this is rarely enough to cover the cost of meaningful therapy.

Business model

We are creating a subscription model and will charge $100 per month. The cost will be fully funded by the NDIS. Over a year, the cost of the subscription equates to the cost of just 4 therapy sessions, and delivers infinitely more future value for the NDIS and for families.