November 9, 2025 • 3 mins
While binge-watching 'Love on the Spectrum' - a reality show that explores the world of dating and relationships for neurodivergent singles - Holly was inspired to launch the world's first social networking app for this marginalised and misunderstood community.
For more, Holly Fowler joins.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Well, it was just another day in Lockdown for Holly
Fowler until an idea sparked an incredible Aussie success story.
While binge watching Love on the Spectrum, a reality show
that explores the world of dating and relationships for neurodivergent singles,
Holly was inspired to launch the world's first social networking
app for this marginalized and misunderstood community.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Determined to bridge that gap, she spent the next three
years creating a platform designed to create a safer, more
supportive online space, and now with a company worth eight
point five million dollars and a spot on the Forbes
thirty Under thirty list, she's helping combat isolation one at
a time.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
And Holly Fowler joins us. Now, welcome to the show.
Thank you. So let's talk about this app. This is
such a great idea.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
It's called wable got it, which stands for willing and able.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
What's the reaction we like from the neurodivergent community.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
It's been amazing.
Speaker 5 (00:54):
It was just me, I was saying in lockdown, so
it was quite lonely building the app. But now that
there's thousands of people on the app making friends and
a few love stories as well.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
It's it's really incredible.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, tell us about that, because it's not just matchmaking.
You can find friends, you can find jobs. Give us
one of the great stories.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
Well, we have Michael Theo from Love on the Spectrum
who kind of was our breakout staff from Woollongong who
started with me on the app and he's now met
someone really special. So actually seeing Michael from Love on
the Spectrum days to finding a relationship and matching with
someone really special in the app, it is amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
And he's your ambassador.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
He sure is. Yeah, he's all in. Yeah, he's always.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
You've got some fantastic functions on the app.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
There's a conversation starter yea extra security measures and sensory modes.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Take us through that.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah. Sure.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
So we've changed the theme inside the app, the look
and feel, so the user can change the whole look
and feel of the app from the colors if you
have sensory sensitivities and the conversational tools are great because
it's hard enough for anyone to start a conversation, especially
with heightened anxiety around you know, meeting a new friend
or a date for the first time.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Hey, you've just launched in the US and the UK.
A billboard in Times Squad, I've raised one and a
half million dollars in funding. This is entrepreneurial, dream, startup,
dream stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Yeah, just pinch me stuff for you for sure.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
Yes, especially when I was doing way off the side
of my day job for a couple of years there
in the middle of the night. So pretty amazing to
get to this point and to have some.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Awesome investors on board. It's come full circle. It's pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
What's the feedback are you getting? Holy from people who
use it? What are they saying?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Yeah, amazing feedback.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
And you know a lot of the time it comes
from parents and support care workers who are saying, like
my daughter or my son has made a connection on
the app with friends and love stories. A couple in
Sydney actually as well, and the parents just say this
has changed my kids whole life. And I cry at
my laptop. It's it's really meanful. So I get to
do this every day.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
It's because it's because it is accessible, and it's that
can be done in your own time exactly, Yeah, at
your own pace.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
And with someone who gets you.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I guess totally. I mean human connection, it's a human right.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
We all want someone that can understand us, whether it's
a friend or a special someone. So if I can
make it a bit easier for twenty percent of the
population that need our help, then yeah, great.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Startup life can be challenging, right, And there are people
sitting at home now who are working from home. Got
boxes of things in the garage to mail out later today.
Everyone wants this startup dream. What were the biggest challenges.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Do you think? Oh, yeah, a lot of challenges.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
Capital raising is challenging, especially if you're a female in tech.
But I have some amazing people behind me now. But
it's just perseverance, I think. But yeah, certainly the biggest
challenge for me was Yeah, a lot of self doubt
and a lot of burnout and all those things. But
once I started hearing those love stories and new friendships,
it feels you to keep going.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, special, lovely to see you this morning.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Congratulations, Thank you so much. Thank you for your support.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Give us wable, Wable, there you go, Yes, you got it.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Thanks guys,
Well, it was just another day in Lockdown for Holly
Fowler until an idea sparked an incredible Aussie success story.
While binge watching Love on the Spectrum, a reality show
that explores the world of dating and relationships for neurodivergent singles,
Holly was inspired to launch the world's first social networking
app for this marginalized and misunderstood community.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Determined to bridge that gap, she spent the next three
years creating a platform designed to create a safer, more
supportive online space, and now with a company worth eight
point five million dollars and a spot on the Forbes
thirty Under thirty list, she's helping combat isolation one at
a time.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
And Holly Fowler joins us. Now, welcome to the show.
Thank you. So let's talk about this app. This is
such a great idea.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
It's called wable got it, which stands for willing and able.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
What's the reaction we like from the neurodivergent community.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
It's been amazing.
Speaker 5 (00:54):
It was just me, I was saying in lockdown, so
it was quite lonely building the app. But now that
there's thousands of people on the app making friends and
a few love stories as well.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
It's it's really incredible.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, tell us about that, because it's not just matchmaking.
You can find friends, you can find jobs. Give us
one of the great stories.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
Well, we have Michael Theo from Love on the Spectrum
who kind of was our breakout staff from Woollongong who
started with me on the app and he's now met
someone really special. So actually seeing Michael from Love on
the Spectrum days to finding a relationship and matching with
someone really special in the app, it is amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
And he's your ambassador.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
He sure is. Yeah, he's all in. Yeah, he's always.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
You've got some fantastic functions on the app.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
There's a conversation starter yea extra security measures and sensory modes.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Take us through that.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah. Sure.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
So we've changed the theme inside the app, the look
and feel, so the user can change the whole look
and feel of the app from the colors if you
have sensory sensitivities and the conversational tools are great because
it's hard enough for anyone to start a conversation, especially
with heightened anxiety around you know, meeting a new friend
or a date for the first time.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Hey, you've just launched in the US and the UK.
A billboard in Times Squad, I've raised one and a
half million dollars in funding. This is entrepreneurial, dream, startup,
dream stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Yeah, just pinch me stuff for you for sure.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
Yes, especially when I was doing way off the side
of my day job for a couple of years there
in the middle of the night. So pretty amazing to
get to this point and to have some.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Awesome investors on board. It's come full circle. It's pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
What's the feedback are you getting? Holy from people who
use it? What are they saying?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Yeah, amazing feedback.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
And you know a lot of the time it comes
from parents and support care workers who are saying, like
my daughter or my son has made a connection on
the app with friends and love stories. A couple in
Sydney actually as well, and the parents just say this
has changed my kids whole life. And I cry at
my laptop. It's it's really meanful. So I get to
do this every day.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
It's because it's because it is accessible, and it's that
can be done in your own time exactly, Yeah, at
your own pace.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
And with someone who gets you.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I guess totally. I mean human connection, it's a human right.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
We all want someone that can understand us, whether it's
a friend or a special someone. So if I can
make it a bit easier for twenty percent of the
population that need our help, then yeah, great.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Startup life can be challenging, right, And there are people
sitting at home now who are working from home. Got
boxes of things in the garage to mail out later today.
Everyone wants this startup dream. What were the biggest challenges.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Do you think? Oh, yeah, a lot of challenges.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
Capital raising is challenging, especially if you're a female in tech.
But I have some amazing people behind me now. But
it's just perseverance, I think. But yeah, certainly the biggest
challenge for me was Yeah, a lot of self doubt
and a lot of burnout and all those things. But
once I started hearing those love stories and new friendships,
it feels you to keep going.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, special, lovely to see you this morning.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Congratulations, Thank you so much. Thank you for your support.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Give us wable, Wable, there you go, Yes, you got it.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Thanks guys,
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