Hao2: The British Startup Built By An Autistic Workforce

Last week, a report on German software firm SAP's recruitment drive for autistic programmers hailed the company's innovative step to attracting new talent. But for one British startup, realising the power of an autistic workforce is nothing new.

Hao2, a small social enterprise that designs, programs and sells 3D 'virtual office' software, has a staff of 14, 12 of whom are on the autistic spectrum.

For the last three years, the Surrey-based firm has tapped into the unique qualities of its autistic workers in order to design products for remote working, including the "3D office," where daily meetings are conducted using avatars around a virtual table. The cyber office is also popular with Hao2's staff, who sometimes find face-to-face dealings uncomfortable.