What Hidden Hearing does

Hidden Hearing Ireland is Ireland's largest hearing healthcare provider, established in 1989 and operating 85+ owned retail clinics across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The company is a subsidiary of Demant, the Danish hearing healthcare conglomerate that also owns the Oticon and Bernafon brands. Hidden Hearing's core offering centers on digital hearing aids sourced from Oticon (BrainHearing platform with DNN 2.0 deep neural network processing, Bluetooth streaming, and rechargeable battery options) and Bernafon, sold across multiple form factors including behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, and invisible models.

The business model is a direct-to-consumer retail audiology model. Customer acquisition is driven by free in-clinic hearing tests (60,000+ annually) and free online screening tools, supported by content marketing, social media, GP referrals, and a freephone booking line. Revenue is generated primarily through per-unit hearing aid hardware sales, complemented by professional services revenue from earwax removal, hearing aid fitting, and adjustments. Recurring relationships are reinforced through a free lifetime aftercare programme (batteries, adjustments, cleanings, repairs), an opt-in Essential Care Plan, and a 90-day money-back guarantee. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but is partially offset for eligible customers through the Irish PRSI government grant scheme, with financing options offered to non-eligible buyers. The consultative sales motion is delivered by certified hearing aid audiologists using real-ear measurement calibration.

The company serves four primary persona segments: adults experiencing hearing loss (primary), pensioners eligible for PRSI subsidies, family/caregivers driving referrals, and GP/ENT-referred patients. Distribution is conducted exclusively through company-owned physical clinics, supplemented by online booking, phone sales, and select co-locations in pharmacies and primary care centers. Recent strategic emphasis has been placed on digital channel extensions, including an online tinnitus questionnaire, online hearing test, and remote care services for hearing aid adjustments.

Name

Hidden Hearing

Legal name

Hidden Hearing Ireland

Website

https://hiddenhearing.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hidden Hearing is Ireland's leading hearing healthcare provider, operating 85+ owned retail clinics across Ireland and Northern Ireland that sell Oticon hearing aids and deliver free hearing tests, earwax removal, and lifelong aftercare as a subsidiary of Denmark's Demant Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hearing Healthcare

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hearing Enhancement / Assistive Listening Audio Devices (CRACANAL), Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated) (HLAKAMAI), Otology & Neurotology (Ear/Hearing/Balance) (HLAKAMAC)

Keywords

• Hearing healthcare services
• Hearing aid fittings
• Audiology assessments
• Earwax removal
• Tinnitus treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices31 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hearing Aid Sales: Sale of digital hearing aids including behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), and invisible hearing aid models. Revenue is generated on a per-unit basis with various technology tiers available at different price points.
2. Professional Audiology Services: Hearing tests, hearing aid fitting, earwax removal services (ear irrigation and micro-suction), and hearing aid adjustment and repair services. Some services are provided free as part of customer acquisition and aftercare.
3. Aftercare Services: Free lifetime aftercare including batteries, adjustments, cleanings, and consultations for hearing aid customers. Extended care plans such as Essential Care Plan available for additional coverage.
4. Government Subsidy Programs: PRSI (Public Service Identity and Related Insurance) grants that cover or subsidize hearing aid costs for eligible pensioners and welfare recipients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hidden Hearing provides hearing healthcare services and products through a network of 85+ retail clinics across Ireland and Northern Ireland. The company sells Oticon digital hearing aids in multiple styles (behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, invisible, rechargeable, and Bluetooth-enabled models), conducts free hearing assessments, performs earwax removal via irrigation and micro-suction, and delivers lifetime aftercare including batteries, adjustments, and repairs.

Product overview

Hidden Hearing is Ireland's leading provider of hearing healthcare offering a comprehensive portfolio of hearing solutions and services. The core product offering centers on Oticon digital hearing aids featuring advanced AI-powered BrainHearing technology with Deep Neural Network processing. The portfolio includes various hearing aid styles (behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, invisible, rechargeable, and Bluetooth-enabled models) spanning multiple Oticon product lines (Intent, Real, Own SI, Own, Zeal, Jet PX). Services complement the hardware through free hearing tests (in-clinic and online), online tinnitus assessment, professional earwax removal, hearing aid repair and maintenance, and the Essential Care Plan providing free lifelong aftercare. Financial accessibility is supported through PRSI government grants, financing options, and insurance. The company operates 85+ clinic locations across Ireland and Northern Ireland, delivering over 60,000 free hearing tests annually. The product ecosystem integrates Bluetooth connectivity for smart device streaming and incorporates AI technology for intelligent sound processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oticon Hearing Aids

Quantifiable outcome

• 9.3/10 customer satisfaction rating based on 43,052 reviews
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• OticoncoreTechnology or IntegrationOticon is a premier hearing aid brand that Hidden Hearing partners with to provide customers with advanced hearing solutions. Products include Oticon Intent, Oticon Real, Oticon Own, Oticon Zeal, and Oticon Jet PX featuring BrainHearing technology and AI-powered sound processing.
• BernafonsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationBernafon is an award-winning hearing aid brand partnered with Hidden Hearing to offer a broad selection of hearing solutions across multiple technology tiers and price points.
• DemantcoreOthersHidden Hearing is part of the Demant group, one of the world's leading hearing healthcare and audio technology companies. This corporate relationship provides access to global hearing technology R&D and established hearing healthcare brand expertise.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Amplifon: Amplifon is one of the world's largest hearing aid retailers with a global clinic network. While it operates across multiple geographies beyond Hidden Hearing's Irish focus, it directly competes in hearing aid retail, fitting, and aftercare services with similar product breadth.
• Sonova Retail (Connect Hearing / HearingLife): Sonova operates retail hearing clinic networks under brands like Connect Hearing and HearingLife across multiple countries. It is a vertically integrated competitor combining hearing aid manufacturing (Phonak, Unitron) with retail dispensing similar to Hidden Hearing's Demant-owned structure.
• WS Audiology (Widex / Signia retail): WS Audiology owns hearing aid brands Widex and Signia and operates associated retail networks globally. As another major vertically integrated hearing healthcare group, it competes with Hidden Hearing at both the product and clinic-network level.
• GN Hearing (ReSound / Beltone parent retail): GN Hearing manufactures ReSound and Beltone hearing aids and supports associated retail channels globally. It competes with Demant/Hidden Hearing as another vertically integrated hearing healthcare group at the manufacturer and dispensing level.

Direct peers

• Boots Hearingcare: Boots Hearingcare provides in-store hearing tests, hearing aid fittings, and aftercare services across the UK and Ireland. It competes head-to-head with Hidden Hearing in the pharmacy-anchored retail clinic model with similar target customer demographics.
• Specsavers Hearcare: Specsavers operates hearing care services alongside its optical retail business across Ireland and the UK. It is a direct competitor offering hearing tests, hearing aids, and aftercare through a similarly large clinic network with comparable bundled-retail positioning.
• Miracle-Ear: Miracle-Ear is a major North American hearing aid retailer with a franchise clinic network offering free hearing tests, hearing aids, and lifetime aftercare. Its clinic-based retail model and aftercare positioning closely mirror Hidden Hearing's customer engagement strategy.
• Beltone: Beltone operates a network of independently owned hearing care clinics offering hearing tests, hearing aids, and aftercare services. It targets a similar demographic of older adults with hearing loss through a comparable retail clinic model.

Emerging players

• Lexie Hearing: Lexie Hearing sells hearing aids directly to consumers through an online subscription model with remote audiology support. It represents the DTC/online channel that threatens traditional clinic-based retailers like Hidden Hearing by addressing price-sensitive customers.
• Jabra Enhance: Jabra Enhance (formerly Lively) offers FDA-cleared OTC hearing aids through an online-direct model with optional remote audiology support. As an OTC/DTC player, it represents a category disruptor competing for entry-level hearing aid customers away from clinic retailers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hiddenhearing
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hiddenhearingireland
• Facebookfacebook.com/hiddenhearingireland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hidden-hearing-ireland
• Instagraminstagram.com/hiddenhearingire

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Hidden Hearing