Hearing Center Oldenburg

What Hearing Center Oldenburg does

Hörzentrum Oldenburg gGmbH (Hearing Center Oldenburg) is a nonprofit research organization headquartered in Oldenburg, Germany, affiliated with the University of Oldenburg and the Evangelical Hospital Oldenburg. Founded in 1996 by Prof. Dr. Dr. Birger Kollmeier, Dr. Rüdiger Schönfeld, and colleagues, and re-formed in its current gGmbH structure in 2021 through the merger with HörTech gGmbH, the company operates across the full hearing-care value chain: university-level basic research, audiological method development, CE-certified software products, contract research for hearing-device manufacturers, and direct hearing-care consultation for private individuals.

Its core products center on proprietary audiological measurement and fitting methods. trueLOUDNESS is the first fitting method globally that measures individual binaural broadband loudness perception, producing precise initial gain values in approximately 10 minutes. revoloud validates loudness perception using natural signals; the OMA (Oldenburger Messprogramme) is a CE-certified modular measurement platform; and ACALES quantifies subjective listening effort. Underlying technology is platform-independent, deployable on mobile devices, and integrated as a partner module within Acousticon's ACAM 5 fitting system worldwide.

The business model combines three revenue streams: (1) one-time software licenses for OMA, trueLOUDNESS, revoloud, and ACALES sold to audiologists and hearing-aid retailers; (2) full-service contract research (CRO) for hearing-aid, cochlear-implant, and OTC-device manufacturers under MDR 2017/745, MPDG, ISO 14155, and GCP, leveraging an in-house database of 2,293 active clinical-trial participants; and (3) D2C hearing-care packages at the Oldenburg facility, priced between 75€ and 280€ per service. Go-to-market is sales-led enterprise field sales plus the exclusive Acousticon channel partnership, supported by academic positioning through the Hearing4all Cluster of Excellence, SFB 1330, and EU-funded projects (IMFIT, EASYLI).

Name

Hearing Center Oldenburg

Legal name

Hörzentrum Oldenburg gGmbH

Website

https://hz-ol.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hörzentrum Oldenburg gGmbH is a German nonprofit research organization, affiliated with the University of Oldenburg, that develops proprietary audiological measurement and fitting software (trueLOUDNESS, revoloud, OMA, ACALES), runs contract clinical research for hearing-device manufacturers, and provides direct hearing-care consultations to private individuals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audiological research and hearing care services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Real-World Evidence (RWE), HEOR & Epidemiology CROs (HLAGAAAK), Otology & Neurotology (Ear/Hearing/Balance) (HLAKAMAC)

Keywords

• Audiological measurement software
• Hearing aid fitting methods
• Contract research services
• Hearing care consultation
• Loudness perception tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldenburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Products: Sale of software products including OMA (CE-certified medical device), standalone research versions, and partner integrations. Products include trueLOUDNESS, revoloud, and ACALES.
2. Contract Research Services (CRO): Full-service contract research organization offering preclinical and clinical studies, PMS/PMCF studies, usability tests, claim studies, and regulatory consulting for hearing aids, cochlear implants, OTC devices, and other hearing solutions. Conducted under MDR 2017/745, MPDG, ISO 14155, and GCP standards.
3. Hearing Care Consulting: Direct-to-consumer hearing care services including comprehensive hearing needs assessment (Package 1 at 190€), hearing system fitting (Package 2), fine-tuning (Packages 3A/3B at 75€/150€), hearing check with optimization (Package 4 at 210€), listening practice (Package 5 at 280€), and audio coaching (Package 6 at 230€).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hörzentrum Oldenburg gGmbH develops, certifies, and sells proprietary audiological measurement and fitting software — revoloud, trueLOUDNESS, the Oldenburger Messprogramme (OMA, a CE-certified medical device), and ACALES — to hearing care professionals and hearing aid manufacturers. It also operates as a full-service contract research organization (CRO) running audiological and clinical studies for hearing aid, cochlear implant, and OTC device manufacturers, and offers direct hearing care consultation services to private individuals in Oldenburg.

Product overview

Hörzentrum Oldenburg is a nonprofit research organization (gGmbH) affiliated with the University of Oldenburg that combines university-level basic research, audiological method expertise, product development, contract research, and hearing consultations under one roof. The product portfolio centers on innovative measurement and fitting tools for hearing care professionals. The core offerings include: revoloud (a standalone loudness validation tool), trueLOUDNESS (a binaural broadband loudness fitting method available as standalone or partner module for ACAM 5), Oldenburger Messprogramme (OMA, a modular software system for precise audiological measurements available as CE-certified medical device or research version), and ACALES (a listening effort measurement tool). All products are research-based and practice-oriented, developed from the organization's hearing research expertise. Additionally, the organization offers contract research services for manufacturers (full-service CRO for hearing aids, cochlear implants, OTC devices) and personalized hearing consultation services for individuals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• revoloud: Product for measuring and visualizing loudness perception in hearing aid fitting
• trueLOUDNESS
• Oldenburger Messprogramme (OMA)
• ACALES

Products and services

• trueLOUDNESS A software fitting method that measures individual binaural and broadband loudness perception — how speech, music, and the environment actually sound — to provide precise gain values for initial hearing aid fitting. Designed for hearing care professionals; achieves high initial acceptance even in noisy environments in approximately 10 minutes per measurement.
• revoloud A standalone software tool that makes loudness perception precisely measurable and visible, enabling hearing care professionals to verify hearing aid settings using natural signals. It complements trueLOUDNESS by providing validation of whether set gain values actually reach the client's ear.
• Oldenburger Messprogramme (OMA) A modular software system for precise audiological measurements, with users able to compose individual solutions from specialized measurement modules. Available as a CE-certified medical device and a research version.
• ACALES A test procedure for measuring subjective listening effort quickly and easily, going beyond speech intelligibility testing to assess the cognitive load required during auditory processing. Designed for hearing care professionals optimizing hearing aid fittings for real-world communication.
• Audiological Contract Research (CRO) Full-service contract research organization (CRO) offering preclinical and clinical studies, PMS/PMCF studies, usability tests, claim studies, and regulatory consulting for hearing aids, cochlear implants, OTC devices, and other hearing solutions. Conducted under MDR 2017/745, MPDG, ISO 14155, and GCP. Designed for hearing device manufacturers.
• Hörakustik 360° Hearing Consultation Packages A suite of fixed-price hearing consultation packages for private individuals: comprehensive hearing needs assessment (Package 1, €190), hearing system trial fitting (Package 2), fine-tuning with or without modern measurement methods (Package 3A €75 / Package 3B €150), comprehensive hearing check with optimization (Package 4, €210), listening practice (Package 5, €280), and audio coaching (Package 6, €230), plus €120/hour telephone consultations. Designed for individuals with hearing loss.
• Newborn Hearing Screening Tracking (NHS-Niedersachsen) A newborn hearing screening tracking service in Lower Saxony, partnering with hospitals and private practice specialists to ensure early identification and reliable follow-up care for children with hearing screening results requiring further attention. Designed for families of newborns and pediatric hearing care providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Measurement time of approximately 10 minutes for trueLOUDNESS loudness assessment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Acousticon Hörsysteme GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Exclusive sales partner offering trueLOUDNESS as integrated measurement module for ACAM 5 fitting system worldwide. Contact: +49 6162 9324-00, [email protected].
• NHS-Niedersachsen NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Newborn hearing screening tracking network in Lower Saxony. Partnership with participating hospitals and private practice specialists to ensure early identification and reliable care for children with hearing screening results requiring follow-up.
• IMFIT Project PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024EFRE-funded innovation network for individualized model-based hearing aid fitting. Partners: Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg (Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics), Jade University of Applied Sciences Wilhelmshaven/Oldenburg/Elsfleth (Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology). Duration: September 2024 - August 2027.
• EASYLI Project PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Horizon Europe Doctoral Network Project on listening effort. Partners: Liverpool John Moores University (Effort Lab), Amsterdam UMC (consortium coordinator), University of Oldenburg. EU MSCA funded. Duration: February 2024 - January 2028. Six doctoral researchers trained.
• SFB 1330 Collaborative Research Center PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center (Project-ID 352015383) on hearing acoustics. Partners: University of Oldenburg, Jade University of Applied Sciences, Fraunhofer IDMT, TU München, RWTH Aachen. Project duration 2018-2026.
• University of Oldenburg (Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Hörzentrum Oldenburg is an affiliated institute (An-Institut) of the University of Oldenburg. Provides university-level basic research foundation and academic expertise including Prof. Dr. Dr. Birger Kollmeier and Prof. Dr. Volker Hohmann. Partner in Hearing4all Cluster of Excellence and SFB 1330.
• Hearing4all Cluster PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Comprehensive research consortium including University of Oldenburg, Medical University Hannover, Leibniz University Hannover, Jade University of Applied Sciences, Fraunhofer IDMT, German Hearing Center Hannover, Laser Zentrum Hannover, and Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg. Three funding periods from 2012 to 2032.
• Evangelical Hospital Oldenburg (Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oldenburg)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Hörzentrum Oldenburg is an affiliated institute at the Evangelical Hospital Oldenburg. Medical management provided by Dr. med. Rüdiger Schönfeld.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• MED-EL: Cochlear implant manufacturer that commissions audiology CRO studies and develops clinical evidence comparable to that produced by Hörzentrum Oldenburg's cochlear implant contract research services.
• audEERING GmbH: AI-based voice and audio emotion analytics company spun out of TUM/Munich that overlaps in audio signal processing and acoustic measurement expertise used in hearing diagnostics.

Broad incumbents

• Sonova AG: Global hearing aid manufacturer (Phonak, Unitron) operating internal audiology research and clinical evidence programs that compete with Hörzentrum's CRO services and could develop competing proprietary fitting methods.
• WS Audiology (Widex/Sivantos): Global hearing aid manufacturer (Widex, Signia) with in-house audiology research and clinical evaluation capabilities similar to those served by Hörzentrum Oldenburg's CRO and product offering.
• Demant A/S: Parent of Oticon and Bernafon, with the Eriksholm Research Centre producing audiological measurement science, prescription targets and fitting software comparable to what Hörzentrum Oldenburg sells.
• GN Hearing (GN Store Nord): Hearing aid manufacturer (ReSound, Beltone, Jabra Enhance) with internal audiology research and clinical evidence programs that overlap with Hörzentrum's audiology methods and CRO studies.

Direct peers

• Interacoustics A/S: Manufacturer of audiological measurement and fitting equipment (including ASSR, ABR, REM and fitting modules) directly comparable to Hörzentrum Oldenburg's OMA software suite and audiological diagnostic systems.
• National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL): Australian government-funded hearing research laboratory that develops clinical diagnostic and fitting methods for hearing aids and cochlear implants; highly comparable as an independent hearing research organization with CRO-style evaluation services.
• Eriksholm Research Centre (Oticon): Denmark-based research arm of Oticon (Demant) focused on audiological science and hearing loss research; directly comparable as a hearing-research center producing measurement methods and clinical studies for hearing aid development.
• House Ear Institute: US nonprofit hearing research organization affiliated with clinical care that conducts hearing science research and clinical studies, comparable to Hörzentrum Oldenburg's research-plus-clinical model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hoerzentrumoldenburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Hearing Center Oldenburg