Central Texas father creates autism support app inspired by daughter
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A Central Texas father is turning a personal challenge into a new tool for autistic children and their families.
Inspired by his daughter, Bill Murray is creating an app called BrighterBuddy, which is now in its final stages of development.
While helping his daughter through her journey with autism, Murray identified a gap in available resources.
“I see there’s a gap there. There’s a gap between parents sending their kids off to school, sending them to therapy, and what are they doing in between then? How are they helping themselves? Kids are all on iPads now, my kids are, everybody’s kids are, and how can we help them feel confident?” said Bill Murray, founder of BrighterBuddy.
App development progresses from concept to reality
His answer is an app designed to help neurodivergent kids build confidence in who they are, while practicing social and emotional skills.
KWTX first introduced BrighterBuddy last May, when Murray said the app was more of a concept than a reality. Since then, he has hired a development team to help bring the project to life.
“It’s crazy how this thing has grown, but it’s also great, because, when you do things you want to, or do things you feel like you need to do, for not only yourself, but your family, your kids, it’s really a great experience. It’s not work to me, it’s just a great time,” Murray said.
Features designed for neurodivergent children
The app comes equipped with zones designed to assist in areas such as speech, social skills, and emotional regulation.
Each user has a “buddy” within the app to help guide them through the process, with the option of purchasing a plush doll of the avatar for added comfort and security.
“We all decompress when we get home from work, or we get home from school and everything. Kids on the spectrum need that decompression too, and it’s different, because, to self-regulate, to keep their nervous system focused, or just back to square one, they need different things,” Murray said.
Pricing and launch timeline
Once launched, Murray said the service will cost subscribers $6 per month, with the option to create profiles for multiple children on the same device without incurring extra charges.
“It costs much less than going to speech and OT, and we’re not trying to substitute that. But everyone can use that, right? The speech teacher can use that as a tool. These are just tools, we’re not trying to replace anyone,” Murray said.
Murray said BrighterBuddy is set to officially launch in early February, with the accompanying plush “buddies” set to roll out later in 2026.
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