HearingAssist
HearingAssist, a subsidiary of InnerScope Hearing Technologies (OTC: INND), sells over-the-counter hearing aids and personal sound amplifiers directly to consumers 55-plus via OTCHealthMart.com and retail partners like Walgreens.com and Walmart Canada, leveraging app-based remote-fitting and at-home screening technology from its iHEAR Medical acquisition.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersVirginia Beach, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What HearingAssist does
HearingAssist is a wholly-owned subsidiary of InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (OTC: INND), a publicly traded company headquartered in Roseville, California, with origins in a family hearing-aid practice that traces back to the 1950s and an OTC-focused operating pivot under CEO Matthew Moore and family leadership since InnerScope's 2016 public-market debut. The company sells over-the-counter hearing aids and personal sound amplifiers (notably the iHEAR Matrix and TReO) under the HearingAssist brand, targeting the 55-plus demographic and the tens of millions of US adults with untreated or under-treated hearing loss.
The core operating stack combines consumer hardware (OTC hearing aids and personal sound amplification products) with a digital-health technology base acquired through iHEAR Medical, which delivers app-based remote-fitting and at-home hearing screening. The iHEARtest free at-home hearing screening iOS app is currently in private beta with 75 testers ahead of a public App Store launch, built jointly with strategic partner OTCHealth. This software layer is intended to enable testing, fitting, and ongoing support without requiring clinic visits, aligning with the FDA's OTC hearing-aid regulatory shift.
Commercially, HearingAssist operates a multi-channel model: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via the OTCHealthMart.com storefront (operated by OTCHealth Inc.), established retail partnerships including Walgreens.com and Walmart Canada, and a stated strategic focus on the 90,000+ US pharmacy locations as the primary untapped distribution white space. Revenue derives primarily from hardware sales, supported by a $2,750,000 receivable factoring facility with Star Funding Inc. (July 2022) to meet anticipated demand following the OTC Hearing Aid Law enactment. Customer engagement is supplemented by investor-relations and shareholder communications that double as DTC acquisition channels via a $50 welcome credit toward OTCHealthMart purchases.
HearingAssist firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HearingAssist
- Legal name
- InnerScope Hearing Technologies, Inc.
- Website
- https://hearingassist.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- HearingAssist, a subsidiary of InnerScope Hearing Technologies (OTC: INND), sells over-the-counter hearing aids and personal sound amplifiers directly to consumers 55-plus via OTCHealthMart.com and retail partners like Walgreens.com and Walmart Canada, leveraging app-based remote-fitting and at-home screening technology from its iHEAR Medical acquisition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HearingAssist industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Over-the-counter hearing aids
- NAICS
- Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)
- SIC
- Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores (5731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hearing Enhancement / Assistive Listening Audio Devices (CRACANAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Headphones & Personal Audio Retail (Earbuds, ANC, DACs) (CRACAEAG)
Keywords
Where HearingAssist is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Virginia Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
HearingAssist business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Hearing Aids: Sale of OTC hearing aids and personal sound amplification products including iHEAR Matrix, TReO personal sound amplifier, and over-the-counter hearing aids through e-commerce and retail channels.
- Receivable Factoring: Working capital funding through receivable factoring agreement with Star Funding Inc. to support operational growth and meet demand for hearing products.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
HearingAssist product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HearingAssist sells over-the-counter hearing aids, personal sound amplification products (iHEAR Matrix, TReO), and hearing aid accessories directly to consumers through the OTCHealthMart.com e-commerce platform and retail partnerships with Walgreens.com and Walmart Canada. The offerings are targeted at the 55-plus demographic with mild-to-moderate, age-related hearing loss and are supported by the iHEARtest at-home hearing screening app and remote-fitting technology inherited from the iHEAR Medical acquisition.
Product overview
HearingAssist is a brand portfolio of hearing products under InnerScope Hearing Technologies (OTC: INND) that includes over-the-counter hearing aids, personal sound amplifiers (iHEAR Matrix, TReO), and related hearing care products. These products are sold through the OTCHealthMart.com e-commerce platform (operated by OTCHealth Inc.) and major retail partners including Walgreens.com, Walmart Canada, and additional Walmart locations. The product line serves the direct-to-consumer market, particularly the 55-plus demographic, and leverages app-based screening and remote-fitting technology inherited from the iHEAR Medical acquisition.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OTCHealthMart.com: Consumer storefront operated by OTCHealth Inc. for iHEAR and HearingAssist brands, serving the 55-plus shopper demographic with hearing aids and personal sound amplifiers
Products and services
- iHEAR Matrix Over-the-counter hearing device sold directly to consumers through OTCHealthMart.com, targeted at adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss seeking an affordable, non-prescription hearing solution.
- TReO Personal Sound Amplifier Personal sound amplification product (PSAP) sold to consumers through OTCHealthMart.com for adults seeking non-prescription amplification for everyday listening situations.
- Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids FDA-enabled over-the-counter hearing aids sold without a prescription through pharmacy retailers, direct-to-consumer e-commerce via OTCHealthMart.com, and other mass-market channels for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
- HearingAssist Hearing Aid Accessories Companion accessories for HearingAssist hearing aids, including rechargeable batteries, TV listening devices, and other supporting accessories sold to consumers through OTCHealthMart.com and retail partners.
- iHEARtest At-Home Hearing Screening App Free iPhone app that performs an at-home hearing screening and returns a "Hearing Number" indicating hearing status (e.g., Hearing Number of 12 = normal hearing), built jointly by InnerScope Hearing Technologies and OTCHealth and aimed at consumers considering OTC hearing aids or amplification products.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free at-home hearing screening accessible via iPhone app
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use HearingAssist
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
HearingAssist technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
HearingAssist partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- OTCHealth Inc.coreOTCHealth Inc. operates OTCHealthMart.com, the consumer storefront for iHEAR and HearingAssist brands. Jointly developed iHEARtest app for at-home hearing screening. Strategic relationship for retail distribution and technology development.
- OTCHealthcoreStrategic partner for iHEARtest beta development - built jointly by InnerScope Hearing Technologies and OTCHealth. App-based hearing screening technology collaboration.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HearingAssist competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Eargo: Eargo sells rechargeable, virtually invisible over-the-counter hearing aids directly to consumers online. It is a direct competitor to HearingAssist in the DTC/OTC hearing aid category, targeting the same 55-plus demographic with similar price points and a direct-to-consumer motion.
- MDHearingAid: MDHearing sells affordable OTC and direct-to-consumer hearing aids targeted at older adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. It competes head-to-head with HearingAssist on price, e-commerce positioning, and the OTC value proposition.
- Lexie Hearing: Lexie Hearing (backed by hearX Group) sells OTC hearing aids online and through pharmacy retail, including a partnership with Walmart. It is a near-direct competitor, sharing the same OTC, pharmacy-anchored, DTC GTM motion as HearingAssist.
- Jabra Enhance (GN Hearing): Jabra Enhance (part of GN) sells prescription and OTC hearing aids direct-to-consumer online with remote support. It is a direct competitor combining established hearing aid manufacturing with a DTC/OTC motion similar to HearingAssist.
- Audicus: Audicus is an online-first hearing aid retailer offering affordable, direct-to-consumer prescription and OTC hearing aids. It competes directly with HearingAssist on price, online customer experience, and the 55-plus demographic.
Broad incumbents
- Bose (Hear/SoundControl): Bose entered the OTC hearing aid market with SoundControl after receiving FDA clearance, leveraging its consumer audio brand and broad retail distribution. It is a broad incumbent competitor with significantly greater brand equity and marketing firepower than HearingAssist.
- Sonova (Phonak): Sonova is a global hearing aid leader (Phonak, Unitron) that has launched OTC and self-fit product lines to defend against the OTC shift. As a vertically integrated incumbent with audiology relationships, it represents both a competitive threat and a potential acquirer in the same addressable market as HearingAssist.
- WS Audiology (Signia/Widex): WS Audiology owns Signia and Widex, two of the largest prescription hearing aid brands, and has introduced OTC and online-fit offerings. It is a broad incumbent competing in the same OTC category and targeting the same 55-plus consumer.
- Demant (Oticon): Demant owns Oticon and other hearing healthcare brands and has begun expanding into OTC channels globally. It is a broad incumbent with deep R&D and clinic relationships that increasingly compete for the same OTC customer as HearingAssist.
Emerging players
- Nuheara: Nuheara sells smart hearing buds and OTC hearing enhancement devices through consumer electronics and pharmacy retail. It is an emerging player with overlapping hearables/OTC technology that competes for the same early-adopter OTC consumer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HearingAssist social profiles
Digital presenceHearingAssist financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HearingAssist leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
HearingAssist subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
HearingAssist funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HearingAssist 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 HearingAssist
What does HearingAssist do?
HearingAssist sells over-the-counter hearing aids, personal sound amplification products (iHEAR Matrix, TReO), and hearing aid accessories directly to consumers through the OTCHealthMart.com e-commerce platform and retail partnerships with Walgreens.com and Walmart Canada. The offerings are targeted at the 55-plus demographic with mild-to-moderate, age-related hearing loss and are supported by the iHEARtest at-home hearing screening app and remote-fitting technology inherited from the iHEAR Medical acquisition.
Is HearingAssist a public or private company?
HearingAssist is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was HearingAssist founded?
HearingAssist was founded in 2016.
Where is HearingAssist based?
HearingAssist is headquartered in Virginia Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does HearingAssist make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Hearing Aids are the primary driver. The others are receivable Factoring.
Who are HearingAssist's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Eargo, MDHearingAid, Lexie Hearing, Jabra Enhance (GN Hearing) and Audicus. Broad incumbents are Bose (Hear/SoundControl), Sonova (Phonak), WS Audiology (Signia/Widex) and Demant (Oticon). Nuheara is listed as an emerging player.
Does HearingAssist have an API?
No public API is recorded for HearingAssist.
What industry is HearingAssist in?
HearingAssist's product category is Over-the-counter hearing aids. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACANAL, Hearing Enhancement / Assistive Listening Audio Devices, with a secondary code of CRACAEAG, Headphones & Personal Audio Retail (Earbuds, ANC, DACs). Its NAICS code is 621340 and its SIC code is 5731.