Ear Health

What Ear Health does

Ear Health is a privately held New Zealand healthcare services company specialising in earwax removal by microsuction, audiology, and hearing aid retail. Founded in 1995, the company operates more than 60 clinic locations concentrated in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington, with services delivered by Registered Nurses specialising in ear care and MNZAS-credentialed Audiologists, several of whom hold Community Nurse Prescriber qualifications enabling in-clinic diagnosis and prescribing for uncomplicated ear conditions.

The core service is microsuction earwax removal using a thin suction tube under microscopic visualisation, positioned by the company as a safer alternative to traditional water syringing. The product portfolio also includes clinical hearing diagnostics (pure tone, speech, tympanometry, tinnitus tests), free online screening tools (online hearing test and tinnitus quiz), hearing aid fitting, trial, repair, and trade-in services, hearing protection products (custom earplugs for sleep, swimming, music, noise), and tinnitus management. Ear Health retails AI-enabled hearing aids from major manufacturers including Phonak, Signia, Widex, and Starkey, which embed deep neural networks for speech enhancement and noise cancellation, though Ear Health itself does not develop AI capability.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer, pay-as-you-go pricing model with unit pricing per service, varying by location (Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington have separate price lists) and patient eligibility. Pricing ranges from NZD $49-$96 for microsuction, with subsidies available through ACC, Enable (Ministry of Health), WINZ, Veterans' Affairs, and SuperGold card concessions. Patient acquisition combines physical clinic visits, online booking via the Cliniko platform, and digital marketing (blog, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn). The company is founder/owner-operated, with ownership held by Dr Søren Thompson (since 2016) and Ron Trounson as co-owner of Auckland clinics, with no external venture capital or private equity involvement indicated.

Name

Ear Health

Legal name

Ear Health

Website

https://earhealth.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ear Health is a New Zealand private healthcare provider operating 60+ clinics across Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington, delivering microsuction earwax removal, audiology, and hearing aid services directly to consumers with no referral required.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audiology & Hearing Healthcare Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated) (HLAKAMAI), Otology & Neurotology (Ear/Hearing/Balance) (HLAKAMAC)

Keywords

• Earwax removal services
• Audiology services
• Hearing aid fitting
• Ear care clinics
• Microsuction ear cleaning

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Clinical Services: Ear cleaning by microsuction, hearing tests, and related ear care services provided at clinic locations. Pricing varies by location, age, and subsidy eligibility.
2. Hearing Aids: Sale, fitting, repair, and maintenance of hearing aids. Hearing aid services are available in Auckland and Christchurch clinics.
3. Government Subsidies: ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation), Enable (Ministry of Health), and WINZ (Work and Income New Zealand) accredited provider. War Pension and other government-funded services available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ear Health is a private New Zealand healthcare provider operating 60+ clinics that deliver professional ear care, primarily earwax removal using microsuction technique under microscope visualization, alongside audiology and hearing aid services. The company also provides hearing tests, tinnitus assessment and treatment, ear infection management, and hearing protection products. Services are delivered by registered nurses specializing in ear care and MNZAS-accredited audiologists.

Product overview

Ear Health is a healthcare company offering ear care and hearing services across 60+ locations in New Zealand. The core offering combines ear cleaning by microsuction (the primary service) with audiology and hearing aid services. Microsuction is described as the gold/diamond standard for earwax removal. Hearing services include diagnostic tests (pure tone, speech, tympanometry, tinnitus tests) and hearing aid fitting/repair. The company also provides tinnitus treatment, ear infection management with nurse prescribing capabilities, and hearing protection products including custom earplugs. Online self-service tools (hearing test, tinnitus quiz) complement in-clinic services. The business model integrates ear health assessment, treatment, and hearing solutions under one roof.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ear Cleaning by Microsuction

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation)coreOthersEar Health is ACC accredited to provide products and services for occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) claims. Patients with ACC claim numbers receive subsidised ear cleaning services.
• Enable (Ministry of Health)coreOthersEar Health is accredited to provide Ministry of Health funded products and services through Enable.
• WINZ (Work and Income New Zealand)coreOthersEar Health is WINZ accredited, enabling government subsidies for eligible clients through Work and Income New Zealand.
• GPs and ENT SpecialistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral relationships with General Practitioners and Ear-Nose-Throat specialists for comprehensive patient care. Ear Health refers patients requiring medication or ENT treatment to GPs, and collaborates with specialists for complex cases.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Connect Hearing: Connect Hearing is a Sonova-owned audiology chain operating in New Zealand, providing hearing tests and hearing aid dispensing services - a direct competitor to Ear Health in the same geographic market.
• Bay Audiology: Bay Audiology is the largest dedicated audiology clinic network in New Zealand, offering hearing tests, hearing aid fitting, and ear care services. It is Ear Health's most direct and largest domestic competitor.
• Specsavers Audiology: Specsavers operates audiology services alongside its optical retail business in New Zealand, offering hearing tests and hearing aid fittings as a direct competitor to Ear Health's audiology offerings.
• Amplifon: Amplifon is a global hearing care retailer with operations in New Zealand offering hearing assessments, hearing aids, and audiology services - directly competing with Ear Health in the same service category and customer base.
• Triton Hearing: Triton Hearing is a New Zealand-based hearing care provider (formerly parent of Bay Audiology) offering audiology services and hearing aids - a direct competitor in the same domestic market.

Regional players

• National Hearing Care: National Hearing Care is an Australia/NZ audiology chain offering hearing assessments and hearing aid dispensing services - comparable to Ear Health's service portfolio across the broader region.
• Audika: Audika is a Demant-owned hearing care chain with strong presence in Australia and operations in New Zealand, offering audiology and hearing aid services - comparable to Ear Health's service model in a regional context.

Broad incumbents

• Sonova: Sonova is a global hearing aid manufacturer (Phonak, Unitron, Hansaton) that owns retail audiology chains including Connect Hearing. It is comparable to Ear Health as a broad incumbent across both manufacturing and clinic-based hearing care.
• Miracle-Ear: Miracle-Ear is a global hearing aid retailer and audiology services provider with extensive clinic networks - broadly comparable to Ear Health as an incumbent in the hearing care retail space.
• Demant: Demant is a global hearing healthcare company (Oticon, Bernafon, Sonic, Philips HearLink) that owns Audika and other retail chains. It is comparable to Ear Health as a broad incumbent across the hearing care value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCM7U24v9JDhYxKHv90toLpg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Earhealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ear-health

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Ear Health