Dear Optism Family,
Two years ago, Optism started as a simple idea from my son Vince: "Let’s help other people." At the time, I thought, why not? I’ve worked in publishing all my life, and during the lull of COVID, I saw an opportunity to contribute to a community I care deeply about.
I launched Optism as Asia’s first bilingual, content-driven autism support platform. I even put my personal mobile number on my business card, never imagining what would follow — families reaching out around the clock with stories that were often too heartbreaking to share.
As a fellow mother, I did what I could. But I’m not an expert, and I quickly realized this wasn’t sustainable. Families needed more than just one person to lean on. That’s when I knew we needed something smarter, something innovative — something that could connect parents to the fragmented and sometimes loosely regulated landscape of autism support.
Today, as we celebrate Optism’s 2nd anniversary, I’m proud to say we’ve kept our promise: no parent should walk this journey alone. With the official launch of Expert Hub, Asia’s first AI-powered triage system, we’ve created a groundbreaking platform that connects families to trusted experts, offering lifelong support tailored to their needs.
The past 12 months have been a labor of love. We didn’t stop with Expert Hub — we also launched the Autism Marketplace, upgraded Ask Optism with our own LLM, and introduced the Parents Forum to foster meaningful connections.
From just a handful of parents, we’ve grown to a community of over 50,000 families. With the soft launch of Expert Hub just 30 days ago, we’ve already welcomed 10,000 new users.
This journey wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of SIE Fund and Oxfam Hong Kong, who believed in our vision when all I had was a story, a vision, and a system that felt so new it was hard to explain. AI became an incredible tool—a way to organize, connect, and make sense of what often feels fragmented. But true support requires more than technology; it needs warmth, empathy, and the human touch.
Thank you for believing in this vision and trusting us to create something that balances innovation with heart. To the incredible experts who share their knowledge, the parents who trust us, and the partners who believe in our mission — thank you.
Here’s to continuing this journey together. We’re just getting started.
Love,
Carmen
