NextSense

What NextSense does

NextSense, legally the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, is an Australian not-for-profit organization founded in 1860 that operates Australia's largest and most comprehensive cochlear implant program alongside integrated hearing and vision loss services. The organization delivers clinical services (cochlear implant surgery, device activation, and ongoing programming), paediatric audiology, allied health therapies (speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology), specialist schools and preschools, and early intervention programs across 20+ physical sites spanning NSW, Victoria, the ACT, Queensland, and the Northern Territory, with Connected Services (telepractice) extending reach to regional and remote Australia.

The core technology stack centers on cochlear implant clinical workflows supported by world-leading surgeons, telepractice/remote service delivery, and a portfolio of six digital learning applications (Auslan Tutor 2, Ling Test, Auslan Storytime, Signs and Sounds, Listen and Learn, and Adapting Signs). The professional education arm — NextSense Institute — affiliates with Macquarie University to deliver the Master of Disability Studies and a suite of certificate and on-demand courses, with the Rydge Family Library now merged into the Macquarie University Library. The Centre for Innovation on the Macquarie University campus houses research, education, and clinical operations under one roof.

Revenue is generated through a mixed managed-services and charitable model: Medicare bulk-billing (no out-of-pocket costs for cochlear implant services), NDIS provider billings, dedicated NSW Government funding (a $20.4 million allocation in the 2026/27 State Budget supports over 1,000 NSW children annually), postgraduate tuition, corporate partnerships, and donations/bequests. The customer base spans children and adults with hearing or vision loss, their families, and education/health professionals accessing postgraduate and continuing professional development programs. The organization is governed under the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children Act 1998, registered with the ACNC, and accredited as an NDIS provider.

Name

NextSense

Legal name

Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children

Website

https://nextsense.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1860

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

NextSense is an Australian not-for-profit (founded 1860) operating Australia's largest cochlear implant program and integrated hearing, vision, allied health, education, and research services across 20+ sites nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sensory Disability Healthcare Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), All Other Outpatient Care Centers (621498), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated) (HLAKAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH), ENT (Otolaryngology) Telemedicine Platforms (HLALAGAM)

Keywords

• Hearing loss services
• Vision loss services
• Cochlear implant program
• Early intervention therapy
• Professional disability education

Headquarters

HQ city

The Rocks

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Health Funding: NSW Government allocated $20.4 million to NextSense and The Shepherd Centre as part of 2026/27 State Budget for cochlear implant follow-up care. Services are bulk-billed through Medicare with no out-of-pocket costs.
2. NDIS Provider Revenue: Registered NDIS provider delivering services covered under NDIS plans for eligible individuals and families. Many assessments and services covered by NDIS funding.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Not-for-profit organisation relying on generous donations from supporters. Website facilitates donation amounts of $80, $120, $200 or custom amounts. Monthly giving program available.
4. Bequests and Legacy Gifts: Supporters can leave a gift in their Will to help NextSense support future generations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NextSense provides integrated hearing and vision loss services across Australia, including Australia's largest cochlear implant program supporting 400+ recipients annually, paediatric audiology, allied health and speech therapy, early intervention programs, specialist schools and preschools, and professional education through NextSense Institute. Services are delivered through 20+ physical locations and a Connected Services (telepractice) platform reaching regional and remote areas, with cochlear implant services bulk-billed through Medicare at no out-of-pocket cost.

Product overview

NextSense offers a comprehensive suite of hearing and vision loss services operating as an integrated platform with multiple service lines. The core offerings include Australia's largest cochlear implant program (supporting 400+ recipients annually), early intervention services for hearing and vision, paediatric audiology, allied health and speech therapy, specialist schools, preschools, and connected/telepractice services reaching clients nationwide. The professional education arm (NextSense Institute) provides postgraduate degrees (Master of Disability Studies), certificate courses, on-demand training, and a specialised library. Digital products include six apps for Auslan learning, hearing assessment, and sound recognition (Auslan Tutor 2, Ling Test, Auslan Storytime, Signs and Sounds, Listen and Learn, Adapting Signs). The organisation delivers services through 20+ sites across Australia plus remote delivery, positioning NextSense as both a service provider and educational institution in the sensory disability sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NextSense Institute: Professional education arm offering postgraduate degrees, continuing professional education, and research programs for professionals supporting people with hearing or vision loss
• NextSense School
• Rydge Family Library
• NextSense Centre for Innovation

Products and services

• Cochlear Implant Services
• Early Intervention (Hearing)
• Paediatric Audiology
• Allied Health and Speech Therapy
• NextSense School (Hearing)
• Preschool and Kindergarten (Hearing)
• Connected Services (Hearing)
• Early Intervention (Vision)
• Vision Assessments
• Accessibility and Inclusion
• Allied Health and Therapy (Vision)
• NextSense School (Vision)
• Auslan Tutor 2
• Ling Test
• Auslan Storytime
• Signs and Sounds
• Listen and Learn
• Adapting Signs
• NextSense Institute
• Master of Disability Studies
• Certificate Courses
• On-demand Courses
• Centre for Innovation

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ people receive cochlear implants annually; 5,200+ children and adults supported with cochlear implant services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NSW Government (NSW Minns Labor Government)coreOthers · 20 June 2026The NSW Minns Labor Government allocated $20.4 million to NextSense and The Shepherd Centre as part of the 2026/27 State Budget to provide specialized pre- and post-implantation care for children with cochlear implants. The funding will support over 1,000 NSW children annually with services including initial device activation, ongoing programming, early intervention for speech and language development, and family support.
• Macquarie UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNextSense relocated to the Centre of Excellence at Macquarie University, a hub for innovation and advancements in research, education and care. The Master of Disability Studies is administered and delivered by NextSense Institute in affiliation with Macquarie University's School of Education. Library collection merged with Macquarie University Library.
• Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre (SCIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2014, RIDBC partnered with SCIC to create Australia's largest and most comprehensive cochlear implant program.
• Early Education Program for Hearing Impaired Children (EEP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2018, RIDBC merged with EEP to expand services into Victoria.
• TaralyemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2018, RIDBC merged with children's early education and hearing services provider Taralye to expand services into Victoria.
• Qantas PathfindersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual charity flight from Sydney to Uluru celebrating 24 years of support for NextSense. The 2026 Qantas Pathfinders Flight raised a record-breaking amount.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cochlear Limited: Global leader in implantable hearing solutions and manufacturer of cochlear implant technology. Industry-defining player adjacent to NextSense's clinical service delivery; technology partner whose product roadmap shapes NextSense's clinical offerings.
• Ability First Australia: National federation of disability service providers in Australia. Broader-incumbent peer operating across multiple disability categories, providing scale context for NDIS-funded service delivery models comparable to NextSense's.

Direct peers

• Guide Dogs Australia: National federation of state-based not-for-profits delivering mobility, orientation, and accessibility services for people with low vision or blindness. Direct peer in vision loss services, including allied health, assistive technology, and orientation/mobility training.
• Vision Australia: Australia's leading not-for-profit provider of blindness and low-vision services, including assistive technology, therapy, and education. Direct peer to NextSense's vision services arm (early intervention, vision assessments, allied health, accessibility).
• Hearing Australia: Australian Government-funded national hearing services provider delivering hearing assessments, hearing aids, and rehabilitation to children and adults. Direct peer in pediatric and adult audiology, with overlapping cochlear implant referral pathways across Australia.
• The Shepherd Centre: A NSW-based not-for-profit providing pediatric cochlear implant and hearing services. Direct peer to NextSense in cochlear implantation, early intervention, and spoken-language programs; jointly received $20.4M in 2026/27 NSW State Budget for cochlear implant follow-up care.
• Senses Australia: Western Australia-based not-for-profit providing services for people who are deaf, blind, or deafblind, including therapy, early intervention, and assistive technology. Comparable specialist sensory disability service provider with similar operating model.

Others

• Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) - predecessor entity: NextSense's predecessor organisation, providing historical context for service offerings but no longer operating as a distinct entity. Included only as a referential identity; effectively the same entity post-2021 rebrand.

Regional players

• Bloom Hearing Specialists: Australia-wide hearing services provider offering diagnostic assessments and hearing aids via a clinic network. Comparable commercial audiology services provider operating in adjacent (but non-cochlear-implant) hearing services market segments.
• Telethon Speech & Hearing: WA-based not-for-profit providing pediatric audiology, speech therapy, and hearing services. Regionally-focused peer offering overlapping clinical services to children with hearing loss, primarily in Western Australia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nextsenseau
• Facebookfacebook.com/nextsenseau

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NextSense