hearX Group
hearX Group is a South Africa-headquartered digital hearing health technology company that builds FDA-registered, CE-certified boothless audiometry hardware and software (hearScreen, hearTest, hearOAE, hearDigits) for clinical, occupational, retail, and research customers globally, now operating as part of LXE Hearing following its April 2025 merger with Eargo.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersPretoria, South Africa
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What hearX Group does
hearX Group (Pty) Ltd is a digital hearing health technology company founded in 2015-2016 (sources disagree on the precise year) by Professor De Wet Swanepoel in Pretoria, South Africa, with a US office in DeKalb, Illinois, and operating under the LXE Hearing parent entity since the April 2025 merger with Eargo Inc. The company builds boothless digital audiometry hardware and software that replicate the diagnostic accuracy of traditional clinical audiometers without requiring a soundproof booth, addressing the cost and access barriers that limit hearing care in clinical, community, school, occupational health, and retail settings. Its core product platform includes hearScreen (smartphone-based screening audiometer), hearTest (CE-certified and FDA-registered tablet audiometer), hearOAE (Bluetooth OAE diagnostic device), hearDigits (embeddable online screening widget using validated digits-in-noise technology), hearTest Occ Health (OSHA-compliant occupational audiometer), and the hearX Self Test Kit (contactless home/clinic/in-store testing), all synchronized through the hearX Cloud EHR and data management platform. Co-developed mobile apps include the WHO's hearWHO app (263,800+ installs across English, Mandarin, Spanish), the French Höra app via Fondation Pour l'Audition, and the South African hearZA app.
The company monetizes through a hybrid model: hardware sales of calibrated tablets/headphones and Self Test Kits, plus annual software licenses (paid upfront or monthly over 12 months, non-auto-renewing) for each application, with the hearX Cloud included free with hardware purchase. A subscription widget business (hearDigits Basic and Premium tiers) provides SaaS revenue with branding customization, and a third-party audiological review service supports occupational health compliance. Go-to-market is primarily B2B direct sales to healthcare providers, hospitals, occupational health programs, schools, and retailers, supplemented by embeddable widget distribution and at-home self-test kits for direct-to-consumer reach. Customers include Children's Minnesota, Lifetime Hearing, Te Whatu Ora (NZ government), RTI International, Johns Hopkins University (LASI-DAD study with 4,000+ participants), and Smart Occupational Medicine Practitioners, with devices deployed across the USA, South Africa, Tanzania, Europe, and Australia. Total disclosed equity funding is approximately $19.8M, including an $8.3M 2021 round led by Bose Ventures and Futuregrowth Asset Management. The company is led by CEO Nic Klopper with founder Prof De Wet Swanepoel serving as Scientific Advisor.
hearX Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- hearX Group
- Legal name
- hearX Group (Pty) Ltd
- Website
- https://hearxgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- hearX Group is a South Africa-headquartered digital hearing health technology company that builds FDA-registered, CE-certified boothless audiometry hardware and software (hearScreen, hearTest, hearOAE, hearDigits) for clinical, occupational, retail, and research customers globally, now operating as part of LXE Hearing following its April 2025 merger with Eargo.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
hearX Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Audiology Equipment
- NAICS
- Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)
- SIC
- Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH)
Keywords
Where hearX Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pretoria
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
hearX Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sale of hearing assessment hardware including tablets, calibrated headphones, and accessories. Hardware is standardized to comply with specific industry standards for accurate calibration.
- Software Licenses: Annual software licenses for hearX applications. Licenses can be paid upfront annually or monthly over 12 months. Software licenses do not automatically renew. Cloud platform access remains free with hardware purchase.
- hearDigits Subscription: Widget subscription service with basic and premium tiers. Basic version in standard hearDigits-branded format; premium version offers customization for theme color, logo visibility, and additional tools.
- Audiological Review Services: Network of licensed audiologists available to review hearing test results for OSHA compliance purposes, accessed through third-party service providers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Monthly | Hardware with bundled software |
| Subscription | Annual | hearDigits Basic |
| Subscription | Annual | hearDigits Premium |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
hearX Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
hearX Group develops and sells clinically-validated digital hearing health technology, including smartphone/tablet-based audiometers and otoacoustic emissions (OAE) devices that eliminate the need for traditional soundproof booths. Its portfolio covers clinical diagnostics, school and community screening, occupational hearing conservation, and retail hearing assessments, all synchronized through the hearX Cloud data management platform. The company also provides validated online hearing screening widgets and mobile apps, including the WHO-endorsed hearWHO application.
Product overview
hearX Group provides an integrated platform of digital hearing health technology solutions centered on the hearX Cloud platform. The core product portfolio includes hearScreen (smartphone-based screening audiometer), hearTest (CE-certified/FDA-registered tablet audiometer), hearDigits (online hearing screening widget), hearOAE (Bluetooth OAE testing device), and hearTest Occ Health (occupational health audiometer), all synchronized through the hearX Cloud data management system. The hearX Self Test Kit enables contactless testing with add-on modules for speech-in-noise (hearSpeech), ear risk assessment (hearRisk), and digital otoscopy. Mobile apps include hearWHO (WHO app with 263,800+ installs), Höra (France), and hearZA (South Africa). Sister company Lexie Hearing provides OTC hearing aids, with LXE Hearing formed from the April 2025 merger with Eargo Inc.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- hearTest: CE-certified tablet-based digital audiometer combining traditional clinical audiometer capabilities with mobile testing convenience.
- hearScreen®
- hearOAE
- hearDigits
- hearX Cloud
- hearScope
- hearRisk™
- hearSpeech
Products and services
- hearTest CE-certified and FDA-registered tablet-based digital audiometer combining traditional clinical audiometer capabilities with mobile testing convenience. Certified to IEC 60645-1 and ANSI S3.6 standards, it requires no soundproof audio booth and includes environmental noise monitoring, real-time integrated reporting, and extended high frequency testing for ototoxicity detection. Built for audiologists, ENT surgeons, hospitals, and clinical hearing healthcare providers.
- hearScreen Award-winning smartphone-based audiometer for digital hearing screening suitable for clinical, school, and community screening programs. Features environmental noise monitoring, customizable pass/refer criteria, automated testing sequences, and real-time secure data management. Used by schools, community health programs, and clinics.
- hearOAE Next-generation smartphone and tablet-based OAE (otoacoustic emissions) device with Bluetooth functionality. Performs DP and TE otoacoustic emissions screening and diagnostic testing with cloud-based data management. Suitable for newborns to elderly populations, used by audiologists and clinical screening programs.
- hearDigits Validated online hearing screening widget using clinically-validated digits-in-noise technology that can be embedded on any website. Enables free hearing screening in approximately 2 minutes with 90% sensitivity and specificity for detecting hearing loss. Available in basic and premium subscription tiers with customizable branding and user journeys. Used by retailers, healthcare providers, and consumer-facing websites for lead generation.
- hearTest Occ Health CE-certified boothless digital audiometer for occupational hearing screening and hearing conservation programs. Features ambient noise attenuation via insert earphones with ear defenders (40-50 dB), automated STS calculations, and country-specific protocols for OSHA compliance. Used by employers, occupational health providers, and hearing conservation programs.
- hearX Self Test Kit Certified tablet-based hearing solution enabling contactless testing for home, curb-side, or counter-side assessments. Supports pure tone audiometry, speech-in-noise testing, ear risk assessment, and optional digital otoscopy with cloud-based reporting. Used by clinics, pharmacies, retailers, and at-home consumers for self-administered hearing assessment.
- hearX Cloud Cloud-based data management platform that synchronizes with all hearX smart devices and applications, enabling data capturing, management, surveillance, referrals, and report generation. Included free with purchase of any hearX software. Also includes a secure Leads Portal for managing customer leads from the hearDigits widget. Used by healthcare providers and enterprise customers.
- hearWHO Mobile hearing screening app developed solely by hearX Group for the World Health Organization, based on validated digits-in-noise technology. Provides general public access to a hearing screener in English, Mandarin, and Spanish, with 263,800+ app installs since launch.
- hearScope Digital video-otoscope for capturing images of the eardrum and ear canal. Used by clinicians for visual ear examination in conjunction with hearX audiometry solutions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Conduct hearing screenings at $1,200 less per device compared to average market selling price
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use hearX Group
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
hearX Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability5 records
Feature8 records
hearX Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Lexie HearingcoreLexie Hearing is the company's sister company providing cutting-edge software technology for affordable OTC hearing aids. The retail section of hearX website promotes Lexie Hearing products. hearDigits post-test journeys can recommend Lexie hearing aid purchases for US customers.
- Eargo Inc.flagshipIn April 2025, US-based Eargo Inc. merged with South Africa's HearX Group to form LXE Hearing, creating a strategic alliance aimed at expanding global reach and combining technological expertise in the OTC hearing aids market.
- A-LIGNminorThird-party audit firm that conducted hearX's SOC 2 Type II examination, validating commitment to critical security standards for protecting and securing client data.
- Johns Hopkins UniversityflagshipJohns Hopkins Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health's Audiology Core collaborated with hearX to collect objective hearing data using hearTest mobile audiometry for the Longitudinal Aging Study in India, Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia (LASI-DAD). The nationally representative cohort of 4,000+ participants produced approximately 1,600 hearing tests.
- World Health Organization (WHO)flagshiphearX Group developed the hearWHO mobile app solely for WHO, based on validated digits-in-noise technology. The app provides the general public access to a hearing screener to check their hearing status and monitor it over time. Screening languages include English, Mandarin, and Spanish. The app has achieved over 263,800 installs since launch.
- Fondation Pour l'AuditioncoreFondation Pour l'Audition in France launched Höra, a mobile application for identifying hearing loss in 3 minutes. The digits-in-noise test technology was developed by hearX Group. The French digit material is owned by the Fondation Pour l'Audition and was recorded in collaboration with the University of Montpellier.
- University of PretoriacoreThe smart patented technology in hearScreen was developed and validated by the University of Pretoria. The South African digit set for hearDigits was developed by the University of Pretoria. Ongoing research collaboration for hearing health technology development.
- Cincinnati Children's HospitalcoreAmerican English accent digit set for hearDigits was developed in collaboration with Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The validated hearing test technology enables accurate online hearing screening.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
hearX Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Eargo (LXE Hearing): OTC hearing aid company that merged with hearX in April 2025 to form LXE Hearing. Direct peer across the OTC hearing aid and hearing health technology stack, now part of the same corporate parent.
- Lexie Hearing: hearX's sister company providing FDA-cleared self-fitting OTC hearing aids. Directly comparable product line and consumer channel, with cross-promotion via the hearDigits post-test journey.
- Interacoustics: Established audiology diagnostic equipment manufacturer producing clinical audiometers, OAE, and tympanometry devices. Most direct traditional peer competing in the same booth-based and emerging booth-less diagnostic categories.
- Grason-Stadler (GSI): Veteran clinical audiology equipment maker (audiometers, tympanometers, OAE). Directly comparable in clinical diagnostic audiology and a competitor for the same hospital and ENT clinic buyers.
- Inventis: Italian audiology and balance diagnostics manufacturer offering audiometers, tympanometers, and OAE. Closely comparable mid-sized diagnostic equipment peer competing in clinical and research segments.
- Maico Diagnostics: Audiometry and hearing screening equipment maker with screening and clinical audiometer product lines. Comparable in occupational health and clinical audiology channels where hearTest competes.
Broad incumbents
- Natus Medical: Broader neuro/hearing diagnostics incumbent offering newborn hearing screening (ABR/OAE) and audiology suites. Overlaps with hearX's newborn-to-elderly screening use cases at hospital and government scale.
- Demant (Oticon, Bernafon, Sonic): Global hearing healthcare group with hearing aid brands (Oticon, Bernafon, Sonic) and diagnostic interests. Broad incumbent in the same hearing health value chain, including retail hearing care.
- Sonova (Phonak, Unitron): Largest global hearing aid group (Phonak, Unitron) with growing audiological care services. Operates across the same hearing health funnel hearX targets via screening → device fitting.
Emerging players
- Nuheara: ASX-listed hearables company making smart earbuds with hearing enhancement and self-fit features. Comparable as a smartphone-driven, lower-cost alternative to clinical audiology in the consumer/OTC segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
hearX Group social profiles
Digital presencehearX Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
hearX Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
hearX Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
hearX Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
hearX Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds9 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
hearX Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about hearX Group
What does hearX Group do?
hearX Group develops and sells clinically-validated digital hearing health technology, including smartphone/tablet-based audiometers and otoacoustic emissions (OAE) devices that eliminate the need for traditional soundproof booths. Its portfolio covers clinical diagnostics, school and community screening, occupational hearing conservation, and retail hearing assessments, all synchronized through the hearX Cloud data management platform. The company also provides validated online hearing screening widgets and mobile apps, including the WHO-endorsed hearWHO application.
Is hearX Group a public or private company?
hearX Group is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was hearX Group founded?
hearX Group was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is hearX Group based?
hearX Group is headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does hearX Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are software Licenses, hearDigits Subscription and audiological Review Services.
Who are hearX Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Eargo (LXE Hearing), Lexie Hearing, Interacoustics, Grason-Stadler (GSI), Inventis and Maico Diagnostics. Broad incumbents are Natus Medical, Demant (Oticon, Bernafon, Sonic) and Sonova (Phonak, Unitron). Nuheara is listed as an emerging player.
Does hearX Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for hearX Group.
What industry is hearX Group in?
hearX Group's product category is Digital Audiology Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFAKAH, Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers. Its NAICS code is 621340 and its SIC code is 3841.